I have come up with a plan to improve my running economy. Lately I have been thinking on improving my performance in terms of running faster and running longer, both at the same time.
Running faster and longer may appear to be the same thing but they are not. We can understand the difference by an illustration.
Running longer: you can run a full marathon of 42 kms. Or you may be capable of running even longer. Some people on this earth run 100 kms and beyond. And they are as human as we are. Like you and me. Running longer requires you to have stamina. This could
So, what’s that ? A Running economy! 😎
It is about the efficiency with which you run.
Still not clear.!
Ok, let’s get into details :
- Your deep breathing.
- Cadence
- Core
So, first let’s talk about deep breathing:
When we run, we inhale and exhale. This is about breathing. A lot depends on how well we can breathe during the course of the run.
How do you breathe?
With lungs or diaphragm. Diaphragm breathing is long and deep breathing. It can get you into better use of oxygen.
So, how do we go about breathing from diaphragm. If you have been running for over a year, you have it in you.
Our body is designed to adapt to better performance on prolonged practice. It’s juts that you may not be aware of it.
With awareness, you can take it to the next level. I have noticed that I have increased my efficiency in the last one year.
Now, I want to improve it further, so I am implementing some deep breathing exercises.
Yoga :
It is one of the most effective ways to improve diaphragm breathing.
Sit on a mat with legs squatted. And do anulom and vilom.
You an find the illustration here :
Intentional deep breathing:
While driving a car or simply glaring at you monitor could be best moments for deep breathing. When ever you are sitting along and you don’t have much to talk or think about, you can try this.
Remaing two others will be taken up in further posts.
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