Ep #377: A New Way to Think About Breathing

 Welcome to the not your average runner podcast. If you’ve never felt athletic, but you still dream about becoming a runner, you are in the right place. I’m Jill Angie, and I help fat women over 40 to start running, feel confident and change their lives. I have worked with thousands of women to help them achieve their running goals, and now I want to help you.

Welcome to Not Your Average Runner, the podcast for anyone who has ever felt like running wasn’t made for them. I am your coach and running BFF and I am here to help you hit the pavement with confidence and joy. And today we are diving into something that trips up a lot of new runners, and that is breathing.

So if you’ve ever found yourself like huffing and puffing and feeling like you are just not good at this running thing This episode is for you So you start your warm up and we are going to chat about a new way to think about breathing when you run Now we’re going to start with the obvious breathing is 100 percent necessary while you’re running It’s kind of a duh.

Yeah, you got to breathe but also Even though breathing feels really natural when you are sitting or walking when you’re running It can feel really difficult and you may have heard that you are supposed to breathe a certain way when you run like In through your nose and out through your mouth or something like that or that you need to match your breathing And if you have tried to force yourself into one of these techniques, uh, you may have ended up feeling a little bit stressed, maybe more stressed and not less stressed.

Um, so if that sounds familiar, I want you to know that you are in the right place because here’s the thing. Breathing is natural. Running just adds intensity and it is okay if it feels challenging, especially when you are just starting out, um, or when you’re like, when you’re just starting your run for the day, or when you’ve decided to start running at a higher effort.

Breathing is going to be more challenging. So today we’re going to break down how to approach your breathing in a way that feels intuitive and supportive rather than restrictive and stressful. So first thing we’re going to do is toss out the rule book. There is no perfect way to breathe while you run.

Your body knows what it’s doing and your job is to listen to your body, not micromanage it, okay? So think of your breathing like a partnership. You are working with your body and not against it. And one of the biggest mindset shifts that I teach my runners is that instead of thinking about your breathing as something that you need to fix, I want you to think of it as a tool to guide your effort.

Okay. Your breathing is kind of like a built in coach. It gives you feedback in real time. If you are gasping for air, this is your body saying, uh, Hey, this pace is too fast right now. And if you are able to, uh, have a short conversation or talk, or maybe hum along with your favorite song, this is your body saying.

This is a sustainable pace. Let’s keep going. All right. So hopefully that makes sense. Uh, I want to talk about some practical tips that you can use on your next run. The first one is please don’t overthink it. Just start by simply noticing your breathing. Is it shallow? Is it deep? Is it fast? Is it slow?

Just observe it without judgment and become aware. Just notice. what your breathing feels like. After you’ve noticed that, you can start matching your effort to your breathing. So if you are gasping, if breathing feels really, really hard, I want you to slow down. I want you to maybe even shorten those run intervals because running shouldn’t always feel like you are sprinting to the finish line, okay?

Especially if you are 5K or something along those lines. Right, you’re running should feel like a sustainable effort. So if you are gasping, I want you to slow down and or shorten your run intervals. If you’re not gasping, if you’re running feels man or your breathing feels manageable, you can keep up that effort level.

The next thing we’re going to try is something called belly breathing. It’s also called diaphragmatic breathing, but that is harder to say. So we’re going to call it belly breathing. And so this is when you’re going to, and you can, you can do this when you are not running. It’s probably a better to do it when you’re not running so that you can really feel what I mean.

But I want you to place your hand on your belly, like over your belly button and take a deep breath. All right, if you don’t feel it, uh, rising and falling, that means you’re breathing more from the top of your lungs. So really focus on bringing the breath deep down into the bottom of your lungs and into your belly and feel, when you can feel your belly rise and fall rather than your chest, this means you are belly breathing.

Okay? And this takes practice, but if you can master this when you’re running or even like on your walk intervals to like focus on belly breathing, it helps breathe in more oxygen and it can feel a lot more calming and soothing. If you can use the word soothing with running. Now, I also want to let you know it is okay to breathe in and out through your mouth.

Now, if nose breathing works for you, that’s great, but if it doesn’t, please don’t force it. Your mouth is perfectly designed to bring in more air when you need it, and when you’re running, you need more air. So breathe in and out through your mouth as much as you need to, that is totally fine. And then the last tip is a little more of an advanced tip, but it’s something to keep in the back of your mind and maybe try when you’ve mastered everything else, and that’s rhythmic breathing.

Now, again, it’s not mandatory, but some runners find it helpful to establish a rhythm with their breathing, like breathing in for three steps and out for two steps, or in for two and out for two. So experiment with the rhythm, figure out what feels What works best for you, what feels good for you. And it might depend on your effort level.

Maybe when you’re pushing your pace, your rhythm is different than when you are having a more relaxed pace. But again, don’t feel like this is a requirement because breathing when you’re running is all about what works best for you and everyone is different. Now, the next thing I want to touch on. is the emotional side of breathing.

So, when we are anxious or feeling self conscious about running, our breathing can become shallow and quick, right? Because we’re feeling those, those anxious thoughts, and our, our, uh, pace of breathing can pick up, and that makes the run feel harder. So, if you notice yourself feeling anxious or self conscious when you’re running and your breathing is reflecting that, Take a moment to pause, slow to a walk, stop completely, and just stop and stand there, put your hands on your belly, take three deep breaths, exhale them as well, and remind yourself that you are doing something amazing just by being out here, okay, let the anxiety, let the self consciousness just kind of like Calm down a little bit, use those deep belly breaths to help calm yourself and then you can start again when you’re ready.

And I want to be really real, okay, because everyone is going to struggle with breathing when they start running. And sometimes, even when you’ve been a runner for a while, you may have a time where you’re like, Wow, I’m really struggling with my breathing. This does not make you a bad runner. This means you’re human, you’re learning a new skill, you are working on progressing as a runner, and breathing is part of the process.

So every step that you take, right, every breath you take, I’ll be watching you, haha. Um, no, every step you take and every breath you take is part of the process. You are learning, growing, and becoming stronger with every run. So, your takeaway today is that your breathing doesn’t have to be perfect. It doesn’t have to be stressful, and use your breath as your guide, as your coach, okay?

Let your effort support your breathing, give yourself permission to slow down if you need to, because running is a journey, not every run is a race. All right, we do a lot more regular runs than we do races. Races are few and far between, um, but your breath is really a tool to help you with your running.

So listen to it and let it guide you, all right? And on your next run, which you’re going to start in a few moments, I want you to try turning like tuning into your breath and using it as a way to really connect with your body. So see what happens when you let go of the pressure to do it right. And instead focusing on doing it the way that works for you.

Okay. All right. Now I know that starting on your own can feel overwhelming, which is why I created the Run Your Best Life membership. And it includes everything you need to succeed with your running goals. So when you join, you get immediate access to my beginner program, which includes a detailed 30 day plan designed for brand new runners.

It includes weekly check ins to keep you motivated, tips on overcoming common challenges. How to stay, how to stay motivated, like I already mentioned, um, and then when you’re done with the beginner program, you can move into things like my 5k training, my 10k training, even half marathon training. So if you’re not a brand new runner, but you are looking for some kind of support, run your best life is perfect for you too.

And the best part is it’s just 49 a month, you get access to all of it immediately. And. If you’re ready to start your running journey with a 30 day plan or you’re ready to continue your running journey with plans that are designed specifically for plus size runners, they’re safe, they’re supportive, they’re fun.

Head on over to runyourbestlife. com to sign up and get immediate access. All right, that’s runyourbestlife. com. And I just want you to know that you don’t have to do this alone. you can let me and the members of the Run Your Best Life program help you take that first step and every step after. All right, my friend, that is it for today’s episode of Not Your Average Runner.

If you found this helpful, please share it with a friend. Don’t forget to subscribe and of course drop us a review on iTunes. Until next time, remember that you are a runner no matter how slow, how fast, or how well you breathe. And I will see you next time. Mwah!

Real quick, before you go, if you enjoyed listening to this episode, you have to check out my seven day jumpstart plan. It is a free downloadable guide that will teach you exactly how to start running safely and confidently in the body you have right now. Head on over to notyouraveragerunner. com slash jumpstart to grab it.

That’s notyouraveragerunner. com slash jumpstart. I’d love to be a part of your journey.