Taping your mouth seems a bit extreme, especially with teh ability to voluntarily keep it closed. I generally run on my own so what I do is glance around to check I have no one around to judge me, then talk out loud jst to make sure I can string a few snetences together.
Why was he telling you to breath?
I never have thought to count steps and breathing, too busy day dreaming mostly.
Yeah, I think it was something like they would take the group to the track and ask them to all lap at purely aerobic pace - then record everyone’s times. Then ask them to do it again with their mouth taped shut! Some would do it, some would get half way before having to tear off the tape and some would arrive snorting like bulls. Sure enough hardly any would have the same paces they’d had “voluntarily” keeping their mouths shut.
It sounded like a very good - if dramatic - way to get past preconceived ideas of easy running. 
On our lunchtime runs (I will get the details when I get time) a chap we worked with started coming out with us. His 10km PB at the time was about 5 mins slower than mine with me being 10 or so years older than him. He couldn’t believed how slow we ran, which at the time was about 5:20-30 min/km (90s+ slower than 10km pace). He had always ran quicker than that, then after a few months get injured, time off, repeat. He just couldn’t get his head around it and just kept repeating the cycle and ended up giving up running for a few years. Me and the lad I ran with with just chat all the way around and it was social as much as fitness.
I’ve gone from 50+ min 10k down to 1.32 for a half and hopefully around 3:25 for a marathon. I’d love to see what it would take to get to a 3 hour marathon from here.
About 1min/ml. Assuming your execution for 3:25 was good and you didn’t end up walking the last 10K, that’s a big jump. Working back, about a 5min jump in your 10K time and 2.5min jump at 5K.
yes can you have a chat about politics, or the latest football match with friends when running. “On your right” or “fanks mate” is not having a chat
“Thanks again tail”, “Yeah, going pretty well should stop being late I’d not get in everyones way”
And I’m never “on your right”, never feels right, “Sorry, just going to come past on the left, thanks” is about the least I’m willing to say! And remember this is at 5km pace, I can certainly have a discussion about politics at 30sec’s / km less than that without even thinking.
I love running with faster runners, often I will be chatting away and look at my watch and realise that we are at 4:15/km
I run 4x a week
-one long 90-120 min easy pace primarily off road,
-a 45 min road easy session with my junior run group
-2 speed/interval sets lasting no more than 45-60 mins.
Sticking to this plan has paid dividends this year*
Is this the “30 swims per lifetime” school of tri training?
That running is certainly working for you given your recent nartional duathlon podiums etc 
Regarding talking and running, I can usually chat away while running on the flat at 4m30 pace. But as soon as the gradient goes up I’m panting like a shaggy dog on heat. My running buddy is faster so I have learned to anticipate the hills, dominate the conversation right up to the foot of the hill, and then at the foot of the hill ask some probing question like “So how are things at work for you at the moment?” - “What do you think about 80:20 training?” etc . He then has to talk while I pant away.
FTFY 
I’ve always been inclined to forgetfullness, but f**k me, that makes me feel better about it, as I usually remember to breath……
Yes at MP that is a big jump. My HMP suggests that 3.15 is a suitable target (Jack Daniels calculator says 3:11) but I don’t feel confident enough at the longer distances so really go for it. Too much training goes into a single race to have it really go wrong until I’ve done a few.
I’ve had a pretty decent single focus training block this year and have seen some improvement. A bit like @joex I’m considering continuing it on for a spring mara and treat TT and tri as a bit of fun rather than main focus.
That’s what I’ve been doing, minus the swimming but then that probably just makes me an average triathlete. 
I must get back to this way of thinking…… when I look back at my PB’s over both short and long distance, the only thing i’ve done differently in my training in the build up, is the long periods when i’ve been running with my other half on her marathon training (who by her own admission is a plodder), and i’ve run 90 or more mins plus at 120bpm two or three times a week in place of my usual 60 mins at 160bpm* for my longer runs…. its not even just a hint of that trend, its screamingly obvious.
MaxHR is around 185ish
How on earth are you still alive?!
Jesus I got to 127 just now on a country stroll!
Conversely to my breathing rate my heart rate is hamster league it seems. Although I need to retest MaxHR since I got an HRM dual I suppose.
I have no idea the truth of it but in my head I believe the belly breathing I learned with Karate as a teenager combined with a cessation of all athletic activities shortly after has left me in this unusual state.
Been trying to formulate a response since you posted and haven’t been able to - suffice to say you’ve given me a few things to think about there, thanks.
Okay, I was putting this all off until net year but got impatient so I started again already building back up running.
I’ve summarised some of the points above, below:
I’m aiming at 130bpm. On lumpy runs I’m getting 7:50-8:30/km I checked my Barca run/walk and I averaged 134bpm there, steadied at 130bpm for the second 21.1km. In the run phases my hr was around 145 for 6:30/km and 135 for 7:30/km.
This pace puts me in group 1 at my running club which would be awkward so I’m either going to run faster or skip running club.
But do I actually need low HR running?
If the main aim is to improve the aerobic engine, well I think I already have this.
If the aim is to reduce the impact on the legs…well I don’t get run injuries anyway, and I could run slower without doing this current shuffle.
Don’t abandon swim and bike
Okay, message received. I am back on the bike again really easy, low HR. Swim…I’m not getting to the pool. Maybe after half term.
Running drills
Not doing anything here but I will add strides and some drills to make the say running more interesting.
Add volume with shorter runs
Yes, am doing so.
Lose weight
This seems to be the biggie. Rather than a step change in diets, I’m aiming to reduce bad foods and habits until Christmas and see the effect.
On here … we’re all friends … ish…
No one is going to tell you to lose weight as it may be classed as offensive.
Your heavy/ small for a triathlete, bike is weight bearing and your flying there it seems.
Your never going to look like Sir Mo, that’s just genetics but from a personal point of view running at 74 kg is a whole different world to running at 70.
Low hr worked for me so I’m probably biased.