A lot of runners (especially those just beginning) may be unaware that they are breathing irregularly and this can greatly inhibit their running performance. It is recommended to synchronize your breathing with your strides in order to achieve a better and more efficient pace. The practice of coordinating your breaths with your strides also leads to strength in the diaphragm. Creating a pattern will help you during your training and especially during the event. The most common and recommended pattern used by runners is 2-2 which is breathing in for 2 steps and exhaling for 2 steps. It may be a short pattern, but it will help you maximize your oxygen intake which will benefit your entire body. Once you master this pattern, you can move on to a 3-3 or even 4-4 pattern if you desire. Patterns may vary according to the running intensity and what the runner is looking for such as distance or timing. A breathing rhythm should seldom include large exhales when the foot strikes the ground (during impact). When we exhale, our diaphragms and the muscles surrounding it relax; this creates less stability in our core when we run. It is at these moments of instability, that injuries are most likely to happen. The practice of coordinating proper breathing rhythm with your foot strikes can help prevent these injuries and improve your performance.