How to breathe while running, and why you get out of breath

Running asks your heart and lungs for more oxygen than walking. When you start too fast, your body cannot keep up and you breathe hard within a minute. It is the most common complaint from new runners, and it usually means the pace is wrong rather than the breathing.

The CDC’s talk test is the simplest fix. At moderate effort you can talk but not sing. At vigorous effort you cannot say more than a few words without a breath. Beginners should spend almost all their running time at the first level. If that means a jog barely faster than a walk, that is fine. Walking breaks help too. See the run-walk method.

The good news is that this part improves quickly. A pace that leaves you gasping in your first week usually feels manageable after three or four weeks of regular running. You do not need special breathing drills to get there. You need slow, regular runs and a little patience.

Use both. At an easy pace you may be able to breathe through your nose alone, which warms and moistens the air. As you work harder, your body needs more air than your nose can let through, and opening your mouth is natural. There is no need to force nose-only breathing on a run.

There is one case where the nose helps. The American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology lists breathing through your nose among the ways to reduce symptoms for people whose airways narrow with exercise. It also suggests covering your mouth and nose in cold weather.

Shallow breaths high in the chest move less air. Belly breathing, also called diaphragmatic breathing, uses the large muscle under your lungs. Practice it at home first, as the Cleveland Clinic describes:

1. Lie on your back with your knees bent.
2. Put one hand on your upper chest and the other just below your ribs.
3. Breathe in slowly through your nose so your stomach rises while the hand on your chest stays still.
4. Tighten your stomach muscles and breathe out through pursed lips.
5. Repeat for five to ten minutes, a few times a day, until it feels natural.

On the run, think of letting your belly expand as you breathe in. Relax your shoulders and keep them low. Tense, raised shoulders make every breath shallower.

Many runners settle into a pattern of steps per breath without trying. Counting can help you stay calm and keep an even effort. These patterns are a coaching habit rather than a proven technique, so use whichever feels comfortable.

If you find yourself at 2:2 on a flat easy run, slow down. Your breathing is telling you the pace is closer to hard than easy.

Hills are where breathing falls apart for most beginners. Shorten your stride, slow down and let your breathing rise a little rather than holding your flat-ground pace. Walking steep hills is a normal choice, even for experienced runners. On the way down, let your breathing settle before the next climb.

• Cold, dry air can irritate your airways. A buff or light scarf over your mouth and nose warms it. See winter running tips.
• Pollution is a known trigger for people whose airways react to exercise. On bad air days, run early, run easy or move indoors. See running and air quality.
• Pollen and other allergens can make breathing harder in spring. Check the forecast and run when counts are lower.
• A longer, gentler warm-up helps. The ACAAI suggests about 15 minutes of gentle exercise before harder efforts for people with exercise-induced symptoms.

Being out of breath during hard effort is normal and fades within a minute or two of slowing down. These are not:

• Wheezing, coughing, chest tightness or shortness of breath that starts a few minutes into exercise and lasts 10 to 15 minutes after. These are signs of exercise-induced bronchoconstriction. See a doctor or allergist, who can test for it and treat it.
• Chest pain or pressure, pain spreading to your arm, jaw or back, dizziness, a racing heartbeat or a cold sweat. Stop at once. These can be signs of a heart attack. Call 911, even if you are not sure.
• Breathlessness that is getting worse over weeks instead of better as you train.

If you have a health condition, are pregnant, or have not exercised in a long time, check with a doctor before you start.

• Holding your breath without noticing, especially when concentrating on traffic or rough ground. Breathe out fully and the next breath comes on its own.
• Breathing only through your nose at a pace that needs more air. You end up gasping. Open your mouth.
• Hunching your shoulders and tightening your jaw. Drop your shoulders, unclench your hands and let your arms swing.
• Talking yourself into panic. Feeling out of breath during a hard interval is normal. Slow to a walk, breathe out slowly, and it settles within a minute or two.
• Skipping the warm-up. Five minutes of walking lets your breathing rise gradually instead of all at once.

When the distance is spread over days, no single session needs to be hard. On X Challenge, Loki is 5 km over 7 days and Odin is 10 km over 10 days. You can keep every session at an easy, talking pace and still finish. Easy sessions also make the next day’s run feel better.

• Why can I walk for an hour but not run for two minutes? Your running pace is probably too fast. Try a jog only slightly quicker than your walk.
• Does breathing get easier with training? Yes, for most people within a few weeks of running three times a week.
• Should I breathe in through my nose and out through my mouth? It works for many people at easy paces. As effort rises, breathe through both.
• Why do I get a pain under my ribs? That is usually a side stitch. See side stitch when running.

• How to Measure Physical Activity Intensity, CDC: the talk test for moderate and vigorous effort.
• Exercise-Induced Bronchoconstriction (EIB), American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology: symptoms and triggers of exercise-induced bronchoconstriction, nose breathing, covering your face in cold weather, and a 15-minute warm-up.
• Diaphragmatic Breathing Exercises & Benefits, Cleveland Clinic: how to practice diaphragmatic breathing.
• Heart Attack, MedlinePlus: heart attack symptoms and the advice to call 911.