The number of run clubs out there has skyrocketed over the last couple of years, especially in London. From Run Dem Crew and Track Mafia to Strong Women’s very own run club, attending a weekly session is becoming a popular and accessible way to improve your running and make a new group of friends while you’re at it.

With that being said, attending a new run club for the first time can be intimidating – especially if you’re not used to running and talking at the same time.

While there’s no pressure to chat to everyone you meet, most run clubs encourage their members to socialise before, during and after the run, so being able to talk and run at the same time allows you to make the most of everything the club has to offer.  

However, if the idea of being able to plod along while holding a conversation feels like an impossible task, you’re not alone. Whether you’re just starting out on your running journey or are used to running alone, learning how to control your breathing and pace so you can have a comfortable chinwag can be tricky – but it is possible.  

Kieran Alger is a freelance writer and editor and run leader for the Hyde Park Runners, a free run club based out of the Mandarin Oriental hotel near Hyde Park. Below are just some of his top tips for improving your ability to run and talk at the same time.

1. Watch your pace

Unless you’re doing an intervals session, attending a run club isn’t about running as fast as you possibly can – in fact, it’s quite the opposite. While the average pace of a run club will vary depending on where you go and what the group’s goal is, you need to run at a pace which feels comfortable for you if you want to talk at the same time.

“By far the best way to get comfortable running and talking is to get out and move at a pace where you can talk naturally,” Alger says. “If that happens to be at walking pace right now, then drop to a brisk walk – the aim is to be moving with intent but at an intensity where you can chat happily, then gradually build from there.” 

Alger continues: “You’re looking to be working at a steady aerobic level, approximately 65-80% of your maximum heart rate. Whether you’re running or walking fast, this is the effort level at which we spend 80-90% of our weekly time on our feet.”

While most run clubs will have people who run at a range of paces, attending a run club dedicated to slow running can be a great place to start if you’re worried about being left behind or just want to take a gentle approach. Slow Running Club, which is based in East London, is one example of a club committed to an accessible pace.

2. Focus on your fitness

The point at which you get out of breath while running is all to do with your cardiovascular fitness, so increasing your fitness will put you in better stead to talk and run.

Alger explains: “The reason it’s tough to talk when running is breathlessness driven by a lack of oxygen. Your cardiovascular fitness is directly related to your body’s ability to use oxygen efficiently, and the less efficient you are the more oxygen you need and the more you need to breathe, so it’s harder to get the words out.

“The most direct way to improve your chatting abilities is to raise your fitness levels. Do this and your ability to use oxygen efficiently rises and talking while running at the same pace becomes easier than before.” 

3. Regulate your breathing and posture

If you don’t tend to pay much attention to your breathing or posture while you run, now’s the time to get started. While you’ll still need to be careful about your pace, regulating your breathing and keeping an eye on how you’re running will allow you to increase your oxygen intake and help you to talk a little easier.

The first step is trying to keep your chest open, which will allow you to draw more oxygen in with every breath. “Try to ensure you’re running in a tall upright stance,” Alger says. “Imagine there’s a balloon tied to your head that’s pulling your head upwards.”

Breathing-wise, you can focus on how you’re breathing as well as your breathing rhythm. “Try breathing in a pattern that syncs with your steps,” Alger suggests. “Inhale for two or three steps, then exhale for the same number of steps. Dropping into this rhythmic in and out pattern can help to regulate your oxygen intake and give you more of a sense of control of your breath while speaking.” 

He continues: “You can also focus on belly breathing, drawing deeper breaths so that your belly expands can help to get more oxygen into the body. You can practise this lying down – pop something on your belly and make it rise and fall with long, deep, slow breaths.”

Focusing on breathing through your nose as opposed to your mouth can also increase your oxygen intake and help you to avoid getting a dry mouth, so you’ll be able to talk for longer.

Keep trying

As with most things in life, practise makes perfect. Just because you find running and talking hard to begin with, doesn’t mean it’ll always be hard.

“Improving doesn’t have to be complicated,” Alger says. “It just takes consistency and a bit of honesty with yourself about what you need. Keep showing up and over time what once was hard and breathless will become easier and more controlled, giving you the space to breathe and chat.”