Learning how to breathe

Another week, another run. Another beautiful morning for it too. But that was the only good thing.

This week I was supposed to be running intervals. That means three minutes fast (8) followed by three minutes not so fast (4). Remember the chart?

As I find it all at least 6/7 I really struggled. The best I managed to do was about one minute at 8. As I said last week, I am a very panty person. I wonder if I need to learn how to breathe efficiently. Although I've managed it for sixty-eight years so I can't be doing it completely wrong.

My average heart rate was 150 and I spent a lot of time over the red band in the heart rate chart. Husband says I shouldn't push myself so hard but it's difficult not to without feeling a complete wimp. My heart app (Polar Flow) was very complimentary though. Said I'd improved speed and efficiency. I wonder what it would say if I had a heart attack.

It's these little things I have to hang on to. Although I can't help wondering how I do a different distance each week when I run the same way each week ...

P.S. I have just looked at an article about improving breathing techniques. I am definitely a mouth breather and, apparently nasal breathing is better for you in all sorts of ways. So the article suggests, practise nasal breathing when at the computer, watching television, or reading - being still basically. After that try nasal breathing when exercising over short distances at a time. But sixty-eight years of mouth breathing may be hard to change.

P.P.S. I am practising as I type this.