OK, I now know that today I covered 3k (Week 2,r3) averaging 11mins a kilometre (so at least I'd do 5k in less than an hour, just, which beats my performance a few years back). How do I know? The Mapmyrun app now operates alongside the other three (yes, I've reached my 4-app goal!). Today it went like this:
*Sarah Millican comes on to the C25k app in my phone which I carry dangerously in my hand (must get a velcro arm-band). She reaches my ears through my slightly dodgy earphones (sometimes one falls out, must get new ones), and is soothing and helpful and encouraging, and tells me what to do when.
*The BBC radio app, plays R4 at me, which I sometimes take in and sometimes don't. Might try some music soon (another app!!). That fades when Sarah talks to me.
*Mapmyrun talks over anyone and everyone to tell me when I've plodded another kilometre (doesn't happen very often, mercifully) and also my average speed. Incidentally, Mapmyrun knows when I've caught a bus and stops mapping!
*Late at night, Active10 (a sister app to C25k) tells me whether I've reached my goal of 2 x 10 consecutive minutes of brisk walking per day (which I do on C25k days - only I call it jogging - and noticeably don't on other days - very tiring all this!). Active10 is the most judgemental as it actually detects the briskness or otherwise of my locomotion (apparently potting plants and making cakes is very inactive - who knew?).
I find all these measurements very satisfying, so far. But I barely have time to nod hello to the postman.
On the down side, so much can go wrong with this set-up - even before I tie my laces.
I may need more apps before I finish - any suggestions?
Hope you're all having a lovely time running!!!
Written by
Gillma
Graduate
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Or dump the lot for now and use the podcasts... (although I bet that Sarah Millican sounds lovely) With the carrot of getting all app'd up again when you finish the programme.
(I'm not anti- app mind you - just been out with my Fitbit, Runkeeper and an app to use to listen to library audiobooks... Sherlock Holmes in this instance)
I tried MapMyRun and it kept telling me I was doing much more distance than I really was. One one instance, by the time I completed 3.1 miles, it had me at 4.5 miles. I know what I did due to another app and the fact that I was counting laps and a track.
I scrapped it for the free version of Strava. Unless I do the C210K next, I see no reason for any other app after Strava. Love it. Stats are awesome. Mapping. Compare route performances, distance, time moving, total time, pace, bests, second bests for various distances, splits, elevation, calories, follow other runners, upload photos etc . . . and that's the free version! There's more with the paid version. Here's a look:
One run, I stopped and was devastated because I suddenly figured out from my watch that I only had something like half a minute to go and I could have put that particular stage to bed....
I can still get confused with times, laps, speeds etc and forgetting when I started or how many laps I have done and so forth and back them it was even worse. Plus the phone timer acting up, forgetting to press the watch timer, worrying the phone might break because of all the motion, the nagging thought that I might break my watch if I fell...too many gremlins of opportunity LOL
So - I started using a wee Kitchen Timer that was small enough to fit in my beltbag. I would set it for the time to run on whatever day and let it count down. Waiting for that bip-bip-bip could be agonising or thrilling depending on the run...but man did it keep me motivated and it was foolproof (mostly LOL ) I never had an injury because of running to far, never was distracted with 'wait a mo - what time did I start anyway? " and never had to worry about my phone or watch getting screwed up or getting broke or anything
And for me counting DOWN helped me keep going more than counting the time UP - silly, but it really helped me to think I only had a little bit more to go sometimes rather than be focusing on how much I had already (gaspingly) done!
It helped keep the programme fun for me - and if it had not been fun on some level I would not have continued
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Well done on W2R3! 
Are some apps better at finding a GPS signal than others?
W9r3 finished!
W8R1 in the wife's good books 📚📚
Slowest 5k ever - but it's all mine
Oopsy. Wrong Michael.
