As you are thinking about right this moment, breathing is pretty automatic. Your body has systems to make sure it does that without thought. Who really has time to think about breathing all day long?
That time is much better spent debating what to have for dinner, long enough that you actually didn’t end up e…….
My bad. What was I saying?
Oh yea.
So your body breathes on its own. But, you can influence your breathing. At any moment, you can take control of your breathing. And when running, that’s pretty important.
When running, biking, or doing any athletic endeavor, poorly timed breathing, or even just breathing without intent, is leaving room on the table for lackluster performance and discomfort when running.
Here is a short guide on how you can practice breathing while running:
📌 Low intensity runs that are conversational: 3-3
Breath in 3 steps, breath out 3 steps
📌 Medium to high intensity runs. 2-2
Breath in 2 steps, breath out 2 steps
📌 Max intensity, basically sprinting at the very end of a race. 1-1
Breathing action every step
These are not perfect but a great starting point. Timing your breathing with your steps is a great way to establish a rhythm when running, which helps you manage your energy better.
Studying your breathing rhythm relative to speed also allows you to know your pace without needing a watch. This takes a lot of intentional practice at different speeds, but can be very beneficial at pacing.
I can generally always tell whether I’m close to a 6:45 pace, 7:45 pace, or 8:45 pace just based on my breathing.
Last tip: Exhale fully. Emptying your lungs of air makes them take a deeper breath to inhale. Most people don’t focus on the exhale, only on the inhale.
Don’t be like most people. Breath out fully, your body will automatically get a strong inhale. Plus, you get rid of all of the CO2.
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