Podcast music: How many beats per minute?

[running_joke]

Now that I have graduated, I plan to start on the 5K+ podcasts. I have just had a preliminary listen, and see that Laura gets you to run in time with the music, with the beat of the music (and therefore the rate you run at) on these podcasts at different speeds in different sections of the podcast, eg sometimes 150 beats per minute, sometimes 160 or whatever. My question is, does anybody know how many beats per minute we have been running at up till now? I want to know just how much of a jump up it is to the 5K+ sessions.

[danzargo Graduate]

Well I've only done the stepping stones ONCE and I couldn't finish it. I was running approximately at 158bpm at the graduation phase of C25K. I tried the 5K+ podcast and found it torturous! But it could just have been a bad day for me. I'm just concentrating on the extreme happiness that I can run for half an hour without stopping and it's keeping my health in check. I'm averaging 32 mins for 5K which isn't going make Mr Farah lose any sleep, but I get a kick out of it!

Let us know how you find the 5K+ poddy's. I'd be interested to hear...

[suzybenj Graduate]

Not sure what my beats per min were - but i regulary do stepping stones. The first bit is okay - I do find the middle section tortuous - partly becasue the middle bit is really boring music. I usually pause for a min to catch my breath and The last 5 I really enjoy. I was very daunted by stepping stones convinced I wouldn't be albe 'to do it' . But it is ok. But I completely agree with danzargo - basking in the glow of being able to run for 30 mins is fab.

[runningnotwalking Graduate]

Yep Laura is now Sgt Major Laura in the C25k+ podcasts.

I've started with Speed just for a change to repeating week 9.

I have completed the podcast a couple of times now but it is a step up. I'm not sure if that is because there is more concentrated effort over a shorter time or if it is the higher bpm for short bursts.

I was completing the pre-graduation 5k in under 30 minutes so don't think I was necessarily slow previously.

Give it a try though.

[running_joke Graduate]

Just to report back: Have just done the 5K+ Stepping Stone! I was worrying that the pace of the final 5 min (160 beats per min) would be too much for me, so I came up with a plan which would mean that I would only have to do 2 min at this pace instead of 5, based on the knowledge that my 5K route normally takes me 32 min or thereabouts. I did a 5 min warm up walk without music, then started my run during the five min warm up music part of the podcast so that I was 5 min ahead of Laura. Then, near to the end of my 5K route, when I had been running for 30 min (but Laura thought I had been running for 25 min), and got onto the final section of the podcast which is 5 min at 160beats per min, I then only needed to do 2 min at this pace, before completing my 5K route. 2 mins at this pace was just about OK, don’t think I could have kept it up any longer than this! Hopefully I’ll soon ‘Step up’ and manage it as Laura intended.

[Hidden]

I've done the Stepping Stone podcast twice now and I'm either running slower with it somehow (I've never had rhythm so that could be it), or the run isn't actually 30 minutes. I'm finishing far earlier than my 30 minute runs took me on C25K.

[running_joke Graduate in reply to Hidden]

That’s interesting. Will time it next time!

Although, when you say you are finishing earlier, do you mean you getting back to you finishing point earlier? If so, this would surely mean you are running faster with Stepping Stone?

[Hidden in reply to running_joke]

Sorry, just phrased it badly! I'm finishing earlier on my route - I reckon it's another couple of hundred metres to my 30 minute finishing point.

[runningnotwalking Graduate in reply to Hidden]

I think you may be right about the run being shorter. When I finished Stepping Stones, mapmyrun showed less than 30 minutes. That said, it was still enjoyable so worth completing.

[Hidden in reply to runningnotwalking]

I think I've figured it out during my run this morning - At one point, Laura says you've run for 20 minutes, and that you have 2 minutes left of the current track before the final 5 minute burst. We're not mad, the run is only 27 minutes! Laura lied to us

[Markee Graduate]

I have done stepping stones twice now and found it to be quite do-able, and am very surprised at many of the comments, as I must be one of the slowest joggers on here! (5k in 45 minutes pb)

It has got to be something to do with the length of stride. Perplexed ...?

[runningnotwalking Graduate]

By way of an update I ran the Stepping Stones podcast for the first time this evening having completed Speed twice.

I found it fairly easy although the rythmn was quite slow to start with but that may be that I usually start runs at a quick pace and have to slow down later so Stepping Stones might be a good way of training to run correctly to pace myself.

Covered 5.25k during the run and could have continued.

Overall I'd say it was enjoyable and probably a better starting place post graduation than the Speed podcast.

[sofaqueen Graduate in reply to runningnotwalking]

Really interesting to read all these posts as I graduated a fortnight ago and have done the Stepping Stones three times and did the Speed podcast today. Great to see that you've covered 5.2k on the run but when I have done the same Stepping Stones three times I only cover 3.7k (just the run part, I don't include the walking parts) - how am I managing to cover such a short distance on this?

[runningnotwalking Graduate in reply to sofaqueen]

I used MapMyWalk to measure the run part so hopefully its accurate. The difference might be related to your stride length. You could try lengthening it to see if that helps.

[sofaqueen Graduate in reply to runningnotwalking]

I've used Runtastic but maybe I'll try another app and see if there's any difference. Sadly I think there probably won't be! I'm only 4'11" so I guess my stride length isn't too great. Maybe I'll just try and work towards 5K instead of 5K in 30 minutes.

[runningnotwalking Graduate in reply to sofaqueen]

Could well be - I'm 6'1" and find it hard to run slow enough to match the first section bpm. I shorten my stride but still run slightly faster.

I ran stepping stones again this morning and the distance was roughly the same.

Good luck reaching 5k anyway - I'm sure you'll get there

[Hidden]

I couldn't bear the Samba, so I stopped it and stuck on some Aerosmith instead. It was such a relief to do so! I'm just concerned with running for 30 mins right now - it does feel awesome to be able to do so now!