The most common tip for regulating your Long Slow Distance(LSD) run is to run at a conversational pace. Try this as an alternative. Focus on your breathing as you run and ONLY breath through your nose.
Start with a 4 out 4 in rhythm and over some weeks try to build yourself to 5 and 5 and eventually 6 and 6. Nasal breathing has been shown to slow the heart rate and calm the mind. It is believed that open mouth breathing is a part of our fight or flight response which in turn puts the body into a stressful state. Not exactly what you want when you have to run a long way. Nasal breathing on the other hand induces a calm state in our bodies and a feeling of being in control.
Keep the focus on your breathing, if you have to mouth breath then you’re going too quickly. Most people report an improvement in their aerobic capacity after just a couple of weeks of nasal breathing.
This is a training exercise just like speed work and hill work. You wouldn’t necessarily try to only nasal breathe during a race unless of course you’re going to be running 90 km and more. Nasal breathing shouldn’t be attempted with any sort of maximal or sub-maximal training such as speed or hill work.
Feel free to send us your feedback on your own experience of nasal breathing.
