Question for the Runners???

I've worked out for years...kick boxing mostly, weight training and started biking last summer.  Well I've got it in my head that now that a good portion of my excess weight is gone, that I want to start running.  I tried it today...body wise...I was fine.  My problem is that I couldn't control my breathing..at ALL!  I went for about 35 minutes..10 of which was walking because of the huge stitch in my side and the feeling that my lungs were quite literally about to burst.  I tried to keep a steady pace and I know these things take time....but does anyone have any tips?  Ideas? 

Yeah, take your time easing into it. Okay, you have to make a conscious effort to breathe if it isn't happening naturally.  As far as the stitch goes, try breathing out all the way.  When you feel one comming take every third breath or so and exhale everything in your lungs in a sudder burst.  This will ensure that the new air is fresh and should eliminate the stitch fairly quickly. What I read when I started was to breathe with the rhythm of my stride.  I will  breathe in for two steps and out for two.  At the same time I would repeat in my head in, in , out, out over and over until it became natural.  It was only a week or so that I stopped noticing   This helpes to establish a breathing rhythm.  I felt it worked.  It has been a couple years and I don't do it much anymore except perhaps in a race when I am pushing the pace. Stick with it

You will want to ease into running by doing intervals - for example, 2 minutes of running following by 1 minute of walking.  Best of luck with your running.

You got a couple of great suggestions already ... but I would also add to slow down your pace a little.  I know I have to start off at a fairly slow jogging pace in order to get my breathing into a regular pattern.  After about a mile, then I can take it up a notch or two and be fine.  So, just try slowing your pace to where you feel like you are barely jogging ... let your lungs work into the pace and then gradually build from there. Good luck!  You can do it! --Deanna  :)

You already gotten some great advice from some experienced runners.   Cardiovascular endurance isn't an overnight thing and you will eventually get to a pace that works for you.    One of the best things you can do is invest in a heart rate monitor and monitor your heart rate as you exercise.  Exercise at around 70% - 80% of your max heart rate and you will see significant weekly increases in speed and endurance.

The best advice I can give you is to take it slow.   It's perfectly fine to walk and run during a workout.   It's actually adviseable to walk to warm-up, run a bit, walk, run a bit, walk to cooldown.   You establish patterns for later on in your training cycle where your body will get used to interval training.  Interval training, as some of the other runners will probably agree with me, is vital to attempt longer distances and times not to mention the speed increases.

Best of luck!

Chad.

Thanks for the advice!  My next time out went MUCH better.  I was able to go for 45 minutes....running for 6 min. than walking for 2 minutes.  And I'm very happy to report no stitches and I really concentrated on my breathing and was able to do much better.  Thanks folks..I think I may have found a new love