I have literally just completed W3R1. So literally in fact that I'm sitting typing this with my left foot plunged in to a mop bucket full of iced water.
I really didn't want to go tonight and made up all sorts of "reasons" not to including the fact that I had been to see the physio this morning for my Achilles pain but, despite money changing hands she still did not issue a note excusing me Pee Hee. So I slobbed/struggled around the session until the final 3 minuter, which, to my surprise, seemed to be over in no time. However, I'm not fooling myself, I am NOT fitter than I think...
Me: Hello dragons, my name is Captain Pugwash and I'm here tonight to ask for your almost certain disdain and approbrium regarding this great idea I've had called "Eat the Beats".
Duncan B: Great, free food! You can take the Glaswegian oot ee Glasgee, but ye cannae...
Me: No, it's a piece of software. What it does is convert any music you like in to a preferred BPM rhythm. It solves "Laura's Lousy Music Syndrome" at a stroke.
Deborah Meaden (through a gimlet eye): How much have you invested in this so far?
Me: Nearly all of the second half of tonight's C25K run.
DM: No Cash yet then?
Me: I'm not daft. Neither am I a software engineer. To be honest Deborah, I thought my outfit would give it away; I'm an 18th century pirate. Do you really think I'm in a position to do programming? It's as much as I can do to keep my double entendre named crew under control... me hearties.
DM: This has just descended from tragedy in to pantomime. I like to make a big song and dance about my morals at any opportunity, and so, despite having been on Strictly - did I already mention that? - and absolutely loving that hornpipe groove of yours, I will have nothing to do with piracy. I'm out. (Purses her lips and looks sideways at that lanky bloke who always sits at the end).
Lanky Bloke: Ever heard of Jessops? That's mine that is. And Levi Roots. I own all of him too. I'm great!
DB: Ahm oot. Doon tae mae jet black roots. Doon tae every plug of mae transplant. Oot, oot, oot.
MORAL OF THIS TALE: If you want to know if a piece of software exists that cn change the BPM of existing music as an aid to runner, ask the C25K crew, not the dragons. Any ideas anyone?
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Pugwash
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Thanks for the suggestion Henpen, I'll certainly have a look, but what I really wanted to do was to be able to listen to my own music, albeit slightly distorted to fit the BPM. Who knows though - maybe Jog.fm will delight me! Oooh, and most decidedly, arrrr
I've had a look at Jog.fm now - great tip Henpen, I think it'll do nicely once I'm done with Laura and her Non-Jovi stylees :-). Thank you for pointing it out.
Thank you Juicyju. The support one gets on here is worth it's weight in bankers (apparently they are worth more, pound for pound, than gold). When I say "worth", I use the term under duress :-(.
Forget about beats per minute just run!!!!!..........or you could always invent a piece of software that converts your own choice of music, say Handel's Largo, to 168 bpm.........oh no, that's where we came in......
At the risk of sounding a bit like a music geek, I think there might be a programme that does what you describe. If you go on the ABRSM website and look for Speedshifter you may find it. It's used to slow down backing tracks for music students when learning a new piece of music. Good luck
Similar to this - I have used a free program called Amazing Slow Downer for my own nefarious non-running purposes. It alters the tempo of a piece but not the pitch. (But you can also alter the pitch, separately, if you want your accompaniment in another key).
For now you should be thinking about the C25k programme which involves listening to Laura. Don't get diverted from the task in hand! It's not long to put up with the music. What doesn't kill you makes you stronger!
I'm advised that two women in one's life concurrently is on the road to hell Aussie, so I'll stick with Laura right now although, if I'm fortunate enough to copy your fitness example, no doubt Julie will poke her nose in at some point!
Crikey - all getting tres technical! Luckily I have several weeks of Laura's choices left before I have to strike out on my own, but I will take a look at Speedshifter as "something for the back pocket" so thanks for the tip!
To be fair I do find the random choices funny at times - when The Rock Horror Shows "In just 7 days I can make you a man" came on I almost had to stop running as I was laughing too hard....
Aha Cap'n Pugwash, I be cabin boy Marky 'Mark' D and the resident geek. I think that the software package you want is called Audacity... it is freeware and the BPM conversion is described here:
Broadly - if you want to do anything to any audio file (remove the vocals, remove any ripe pirate language, change the format, change pitch, change tempo, make edits.... anything at all) then Audacity is your solution.
Thank you MarkyD. As a pirate I wrestle somewhat with anything other than basic, intuitive technology (despite having a share in one of the largest bit torrent sites), however, I'll make a note of this tip to employ when some of my more esoteric musical choices are not listed on Jog.fm. so than ks for the heads-up. Now, get scrubbing!
Once upon a time I was a DJ, back in the days when DJs played actual vinyl records on turntables, rather than pressing buttons on laptops. The technical skill of the job in those days was matching the bpm of one song to the next to achieve a seamless mix. To this end the turntables had a varispeed control which went +/- 8%. More than that was not possible and really, if it it fell outside those parameters, it started sounding unnatural and weird. Technology has moved on a great deal since then and in the digital realm you an make anything into anything else, but really outside of those limits it is not going to sound right. Your fave Eric Clapton track at 135 BPM is going to sound decidedly odd at 180, even if the pitch is correct.
Better to select music at the desired bpm, or, as is my preference, run without music and gauge pace by counting. After a while you get quite used to it.
I ran with music while doing the programme, albeit, not the NHS music, which brought me out in hives, but after i graduated, I did a run one day sans ipod, as I had forgotten it and it was a liberating experience. Not sure I could go back to music now, although I did do a long run the other day with an audiobook, which was okay. (it was a running related book, saddo that I am)
Thank you for that window on the life of a vinyl DJ - I had no idea that technology was being employed to maximise my enjoyment of "YMCA" with all the movements!
Unlike you, I find exercising, of whatever kind, is more pleasurable with music (horses for courses and all that) and I am grateful to Henpen for pointing me in the direction of Jog.fm for future, C25K free playlists.
Ahoy there! This has all got very technical, but I just wanted to say that I enjoyed the post. Congrats on progressing to week three. I think we are all going to have fun while you do the programme!
It has rather, hasn't it! Thank you for the encouraging words. BTW, I looked at Jog.fm as recommended by Henpen and it's rather good. I'm not sure I'd subscribe, but if you find a piece of music that suits your running rhythm you can look it up on there to find out its BPM count and then look for other music you like/have with a similar count. All of that is in the future for me though - right now it's me, Laura and her cheesy vinyl vault :-).
Yes, blunt covers it. As I've said to others - I AM following the podcasts, just being forward thinking on this one.
The Jog.fm tip is top hole though; I didn't know of it before this post and I think it will be the answer when Laura and I eventually and inevitably go our own ways.
Righto then Pugwash it's the straight and narrow for you. I might be a serf but I'm a bossy one! With Laura, Julie and ME in your life I think your running will come on in leaps and bounds. By the time week 9 comes you will be able to run for the hills
On the C25k+ podcasts (with Laura) there is some wierd electro pop music, a bit reminiscent of bicycle pump music meets the Clangers but it's really great to keep your run rythm steady. I love it!
What a lot you have to look forward to Pugwash! Dip your bread in
Ahoy GF - thanks for the links and for your concern that I might be using this whole BPM thing as displacement activity. As a pirate of many years standing, I can assure you that I've learned the hard way to follow the 5 L's:
Listening to Laura Leads to Long-term Loveliness.
OK, as mnemonics go it ain't great, but I'm not sure that this is the forum on which to expound about the Pirate's 5 P's ;-).
Crikey - there's reading posts late and then there's researching ancient history! However, your reply to this very old entry encouraged me to back and re-read the thread. It would appear that i was having fun :-).
I didn't move on to the speed podcasts but I hope that you don't let LLMS get in the way of becoming a blur on the footpath :-).
Thank you for your kind words Catmay. If you're interested in reading them, I took the same "left-field" approach to most of my posts whilst completing C25K last year.
Good luck with the programme - I found the people on here very supportive and often full of great advice. Then there was the mad woman who was right on my wavelength and goes by the nom-de-run of "Poppypug" :-). She's a hoot!
After weighing up all the possibilities , smoothing out any irregularities and balancing all the differences , I have come to the conclusion- Yep, you're as mad as me ! Tee Hee !
Absolutely marvellous !
Welcome Home Pugs and I hope you had a good wotsit xxx
Are you trolling me PP? How the heck you found this reply to a year-old post that just happens to mention you is a cause for concern for me and that nice Edward Snowden... and his dodgy, blond, open window loving Aussie mate.
Yep, I made it back from wotsit in one piece, although my cutlass made my route down the slalom course "interesting". Producing my flintlock at just the right moment put the result beyond doubt. Victor Ludorum dans Val Cenis! A plank's a plank's a plank it turns out; walking them and strapping them to one's plates in proximity to snow present the same levels of peril.
Ha ha ! There's no hiding place Pugs , I am the all seeing eye and see these hands ? Jungle trained and waffer thin , I am like a hot knife through butter !
I am so glad you had a good wotsit and nothing fell off / broke off . That's got to count as a result hasn't it ? Did ya get ya neeps ? xxx
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Wk8 R1 ... Er ... No, actually
Week 1 run 1 complete
Speed! No, not that - Laura!
Interesting 5k run using rising BPM's.
Podcast BPM list?
