I don't like the stepping stone podcast... HELP! - Couch to 5K

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I don't like the stepping stone podcast... HELP!

piggyland1 profile image
piggyland1Graduate
11 Replies

Help needed please! My plan after graduating, was to do the stepping stone podcast for a week, then for the 2 weeks after that do stepping stone twice, speed once and stamina once per week.

However, I tried the stepping stone podcast a couple days ago, and I hate it! At the start the speed is far too slow for me, I feel like I cant get the beat, and in order to stay in time with her, I have to float in the air for a second or so, wasting lots of energy!

My distance also decreased! To be fair, only slightly (went from doing 5.0/5.1km, to doing 4.9k), but that still can't be a good sign?

So should I keep doing the podcast or not? Thanks for any help!

~ Olivia

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piggyland1 profile image
piggyland1
Graduate
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11 Replies
CouchCarrot profile image
CouchCarrotGraduate

Ah! It looks like you are beyond Stepping stone. You should probably try Speed / Stamina. I am barely running 4k in 30 mins. So I definitely am looking forward to improving with Stepping stone.

Mitts profile image
MittsGraduate

I never got into Stepping Stone either, but Speed and Stamina are both at 'my' pace. You could do a run with your own music too, or just play around a bit - I split my usual woodland circuit into six bits, and alternated a bit faster and a bit slower. Or a hundred paces as fast as you can and then slow down to recover, then another 100... Or some people have a Zombie game they run to, not sure where it comes from tho'.

Anything to keep you interested and running!

I ran at the gym today, the half hour flashed by because I was watching 'My Family' - tho' I only covered 3.8K so I guess I forgot to run at some points... :-D

ktaylor217 profile image
ktaylor217Graduate

Congratulations on graduating!

I'm with the others, looks like you are beyond stepping stones already. I did stepping stones a couple of times then moved onto speed and stamina as it didn't feel that much of a challenge. I'm currently using the audio fuel app (they give you 14 days free) and am going to do a blog post about it once I have done a few of the runs for it. So far it is ok but I would like a bit more coaching on the timed runs but as they offer 3 different speeds you should be able to find something that suits your pace. Another alternative would be to do a more challenging route with the stepping stones - more hills??

Good luck finding something that suits!

Monemy profile image
Monemy

I find the c25K+ podcasts quite hard, even though I'm not that slow (I run around 11 or 12 Km/h). Maybe because I'm tall and take longer strides?

I think maybe the podcasts take some adapting to, while you get your stride right, but there's no point sticking with it if you don't enjoy it! You can use the pattern (slow for 10 mins, average for 15, fast for 5) without the podcast, or try another training programme...

The idea apparently is to fit in one "hard" training session into your week, then some easier runs, or some long runs. I suppose this leaves room for both progress and recovery.

Hope this helps!

HappyRunning profile image
HappyRunningGraduate

Hi! Thank you for blogging your 5k+ experience. I have been looking around a bit for some "SS" news. It sound like you are doing wonderfully well!! my experience with SS is this: .when I started with SS I thought it very manageable. I struggled with the rhythm....Had the same "mid-air" experience...but thought nothing of it. Very proud of myself! However, in the weeks that followed, I started getting used to the music and the "beats per minute".....and for me, it became harder to keep up with SS. I realised a few things: 1. In week 1 I was not really running on the rhythm as I did not "get" it and hence missed quite a few steps allowing an easier run 2. SS has put things in perspective for me. I now know and understand what a gentle pace, a good pace and a fast pace means and how it feels and hence I can manage my running better and compare (in a good way) my running to others E.g. Ah, she is running very fast...that must be more then 160bpm= out of my. Legue! or Good to know that I can sustain a good pace as long/longer then XYZ 3. SS gave me structure. When i was doing c25k, I was "all over the place" with my pace. I had no idea if I was running too fast/slow etc...leaving me often out of breath, mixing up all these paces in 1 run: starting too fast, ending half dead. Now, I know that if I need to warm up with a gentle jog,for a race for example, I need to be in "the gentle pace zone" for 5/10 minutes. It may feel slow, but I have learned that I will save energy for a sprint at the end and make up for it. Anyway, I am still doing SS, hoping to move to the other 5k+ podcasts soon but in the meantime twice during the SS run I add 2 very fast intervals (above 160bpm, abandoning following the rhythm of the music for 60secs) to improve my time and I have lenghtend my strides...just to prepare me for 5k+. Would be lovely to hear how you are getting on!!

JetsOwner profile image
JetsOwnerGraduate in reply toHappyRunning

I’ve JUST completed Stepping Stones for first time after C25K graduation last week. I’m still pink with the effort. Some parts I could feel myself getting into the zone but it was too fast for me after 25 mins. Or I was going too fast at first. Anyway - useful to have a person speaking in my ears so I’m doing it again several times so that I can learn. 🎈

HappyRunning profile image
HappyRunningGraduate

By the way..with point 3...except for warmign up..also handy when doing longer runs: need to stay between gentle and good pace...nearer to gentle. For shorter speed runs I tell myself to to run at least fast/160pbm or more. Ss just gave me a great gage mecanism.

JohnLagrue profile image
JohnLagrueGraduate

I've just finished SS for the first time and found it very disappointing. I had to take small steps to try to fit with the beat and as a result ran less distance than when I graduated last week. I doubt if I'll use it again as it was no fun at all.

JetsOwner profile image
JetsOwnerGraduate

I have given a reply. Tried it. Didn’t like music. But I need that push. Will try it again.

Mcdon profile image
McdonGraduate

I didn’t like them either I have short legs and felt it was too slow and couldn’t follow it right. I just consolidated for a time then went onto ju ju bridge to 10k. I never thought I wanted to go further but once I consolidated I needed something else to focus on. Miss the c25k in my ear just run to music using strava now

Scout37 profile image
Scout37Graduate

I've recently graduated and am using SS for one or two runs a week. I do find it useful for regulating my pace, and it's certainly not too easy as I'm pretty slow left to my own devices!

I'm still experimenting really, but I feel SS has a place in my training.

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