Week 7 - music to yawn to (sorry Laura)

[PamJK]

Ok, well I'm pretty much going with the "ditch Laura's music" camp. Really don't think I can do another two runs of this week with her choice of music. Not terribly motivating. Having said that, I think they're starting to recycle some of the tunes we've had in the previous weeks. In some ways hearing something that I recognise kinda helps but I still can't help think "Cheaters!" LOL!

So. help please. Best way of integrating own music? Will post as a separate question.

Anyway, the run went ok. It was hard mind. Legs felt like lumps of lead and I timed it badly, ending up having to dodge God knows how many school children (the whole range through 5-16 years) who were either running (the younger ones) or dawdling (the older ones) taking up all of the width of the pavement. Get out of the way! Runner coming through!

Also annoying was the woman who pulled up in a car next to me; I assume she was after directions. But by the time I'd unzipped my sexy da'glo jacket, opened my media belt (sort of bum bag in reverse), fished out my iphone, paused MapMyRun and the podcast, only to look up and find she had driven off. What's the matter with the youth of today? Have they no patience?!

WkR2 Sunday but please can I use my own tunes?

[didntrunthat Graduate]

I don't mind giving directions normally, but I do wonder why ask someone running along with earphones in, red faced and puffing when there are many others walking along to ask

Laura doesn't offer much more in the way of advice from now in really just letting you know timings, so you might as well switch to your own music, it will give you a great boost!

[LMS2110 Graduate]

Don't know if my method will suit you, but here's what I did from halfway through week 6! The timings required for weeks 7, 8 & 9 are all published on this site - somewhere. Seem to recall them being 25, 28 and finally 30 minutes.

I don't own a posh phone with 'sat nav' and all sorts of gismosand apps I have squillions of tunes stored on my PC as MP3s. With Windows Media Player it is possible to compile a playlist and monitor the total timing of the collection. I did this for week 7, and rather than just have my 'personalised album' just finish, I popped something stupid on the tail end so that I would have a musical indication that I was finished. I used the theme from Monty Python (shows my age, eh?) So, I went out for the next session, walked to where I already knew was a brisk 5 minutes from home and switched on my music. I then ran along happily - having completely forgotten the order of my tracks... and only looked at my watch when I thought I was about to expire .... as I did so ... on came Monthy Python! So I knew Id done it all and my watch served to confirm that once I'd managed to peek at it from under my sleeve. For weeks 8 and 9 I've just let my own music play on 'shuffle' - entirely random tracks - and glanced at my watch after several! I over ran by a few minutes so often that I soon knew the 30 was very do-able. I suppose I just got carried away by my own stuff - suited me anyway. Graduated today. Yeee haaaaa. You will follow very, very soon, all the best. Linda x

[PamJK Graduate]

Many thanks for the tips. Quite looking forward to tomorrow and running with my own music

[purple100 Graduate]

There are other apps out there where you can play your own music and the voice prompt just kicks in when you have reached the time limite for the run you are on. Just search the app store for 'couch to 5k' some are obviously better than others, I had one which plotted your run as well but it was dire, some cost £. As per usual just check the reviews. I have to say that I much prefer Laura at the moment as her hints and tips seem to speed things up when you first hear them. Of course you do need a gismo phone for this! I do like the sound of LMS2110's idea too, thats something for the future for me as I have only just completed the first run on WK4 so I am still dependant on Laura! She is a legend in her own podcast