Breathing While Running

My last post got me thinking about something that a lot of runners don't think about. When you're running, there are a lot of ways to measure how "hard" you're running, but for me, the easiest way is to observe your breathing. There are different zones that runners get into during a workout, and these zones can be measured by your heart rate. In fact, a lot of runners do what is called "Heart Rate Based Training" where they will run NOT for a specified distance, but for a specified time with a specific heart rate range they must stay within. The benefit to this type of training is that you can clearly see improvement in your fitness by seeing how much farther you can run in the same amount of time with the same heart rate.

The method I use to count my breaths per stride. It's REALLY simple, and it works like this:

When you first start running, focus on inhaling for three strides, then exhaling for three strides. Run a mile like this, and if you feel like you have to breath more rapidly, slow down until you can run with the 3 in / 3 out breathing pattern. For me, this is an 8:00 min/mile pace.

The next step is 2 in / 3 out. For me this is an LT run, or at least SHOULD be how I breathe during LT runs. It's a little weird at first because you're counting 5 strides, which means you'll end up alternating which leg is forward while you breath in, but after a few minutes it will feel natural.

The next step is 2 in / 2 out. For me this is a speed workout. You should be booking it pretty fast if you're breathing like this.

I suppose if you just sprinted as hard as you could, you might hit 1 in / 2 out or even 1 in / 1 out, but as a marathon runner I never run this fast.

The benefits of breathing control are easier determination of your pace (although it clearly doesn't work that well for me), better running economy (you'll use energy more efficiently if you breathe correctly) and one more thing to focus on to take your mind off of the burning in your legs and chest.

Does anybody else do this? It works well for me, and I think I've read about it in Runner's World before.