Theme for Week #3 Breath

 

Not the triathlon I did yesterday but one last year where I remembered to breath

"Inhale Power and Energy; Exhale Tension Anxiety and Doubt"

The Mental Edge

The workout for today is 35 Minutes FRESH Effort followed by 6x100m Strides. 

    I am sorry my post to begin week #3 is a little late. I completed a sprint triathlon yesterday and recovery was a bit slower than I would like. Then I remembered the one issue that I had yesterday that was completely correctable. I forgot to breath deeply and rhythmically at the beginning of the run. 

    That likely led to a side stitch just before a mile and me having to slowdown until close to 2 miles. My last mile ended up being my fastest -- 7:42 -- but I think I could've gone 30 seconds faster in the run -- as I lost 15 seconds at least in miles 1 and 2 -- if I remembered to breath appropriately. Plus I could've avoided the discomfort!

    What does breath appropriately mean when you are running? First I would say you should belly breathing. This means your inhalation should start by making your belly area expand then progress to your upper chest. If you are just breathing from your chest you may not be getting all the oxygen you can.

    When I inhale I also emphasize more of the air coming through my nose than my mouth. I will take oxygen any way I can, but I find its easier to inhale through my nose than my mouth. 

    Then I exhale primarily using my mouth. 

    This process also leads to more rhythmic breathing too. 

    By using this routine and focusing on it at the beginning of workouts and races, I have felt stronger as I progressed through a run or a race. I typically think about my breathing for the first 5 to 10 minutes and then after establishing a good routine I let my mind focus on other things the rest of the run. 

    One other thing focusing on my breathing does is prevents me from starting too fast. 

    Try starting each workout this week focusing primarily on your breathing and see how you feel. You might start a little slower but I bet you will feel a lot better.