Dire Straits

[Speedy60]

After a spot on recommendation here (thank you so much), I started using the Nike running app yesterday. I picked a nice slow run to see how I got on and it was brilliant!

I listened to it before I went out, just to check the voice wasn't going to drive me nuts (got to be careful who you pick as a running buddy). The coach talked about playlists (I know some people don't listen to music, so just move along). Anyway, he claimed most of us start with something rousing that makes us want to sing and dance. He said, don't. You should start with your slowest, most laid back favourites that you'd listen to on the couch or the beach. So I spent an hour making a new playlist (not a displacement activity at all ☺️).

Instead of starting with Good to be Alive by Andy Grammar, Shut Up and Dance, and I Love You, Suzanne by Lou Reed, the new playlist starts with Romeo and Juliet by Dire Straits, For What it's Worth by Buffalo Springfield and Everybody's Talkin' by The Beautiful South. OMG, what a difference! A lovely relaxed mile set me up for a thoroughly nice run and I'll certainly be using it again.

Can't wait to see what else Chris Bennett, Nike's head coach has to tell me. I'd recommend it to any graduate looking for some direction. 👍

[Sadie-runs Graduate]

I love Nike Run Club and Coach Bennett ❤️. Glad you enjoyed it, too! Funny - some people feel really influenced by the tempo of the music they run to, but it has never been an issue for me. I listen to both upbeat, speedy tracks and slow stuff - love both equally. 😁 Happy running!

[Mummycav Administrator Graduate]

Great post Speedy60 ..it’s always nice when people recommend stuff on here to keep us all going, might have a look at that myself!!

[Wenderwoo Graduate]

Sounds great! And the music advice makes sense if you think about it 🤔

Note taken for future reference 👍

[Speedy60 Graduate in reply to Wenderwoo]

For me, slow is definitely the way to go. I think there's too much emphasis on speed generally. I only have four followers on strava, and they're all family, but even then I get a bit defensive uploading deliberately slow runs.

[Granspeed Graduate in reply to Speedy60]

Yes, it’s a thing to beware of I think especially for those of us for whom slower=better. Stick to your guns. There are lots of slow-and-steady merchants on here! 🐢😄

[Wenderwoo Graduate in reply to Speedy60]

I’ll follow you (if you don’t mind). Then we can both be the slowcoaches 😁

strava.com/athletes/2872130

[Speedy60 Graduate in reply to Wenderwoo]

So I tapped 'follow'. Is that all I need to do? 🤷‍♀️ You can see how techy I am. 😆

[Wenderwoo Graduate in reply to Speedy60]

It’s new to me too, but it worked, and I’ve followed you back 👍😁

[Speedy60 Graduate in reply to Wenderwoo]

👍

[Mum22boys Graduate]

I've seen this mentioned a bit, I'll check it out!

[Granspeed Graduate]

👏🏼🎉👏🏼 Well done. Finding what suits you, not the rest of the world, is more than half the battle. Excellent. 👍😊

[Roxdog Graduate]

Yep - slow calming music is the way to go!

[Rigpig Graduate]

It’s a great app, the more I use it the better I like it 😊

[Moonglow42]

Unfortunately, my preference in music does not have much in the way of slow calming or laid back music (I actually don't like slow songs!) so I have had to go through all my stuff to find music that is slightly slower (but its still not very calming :-)). It works for me though - each to their own.

[MrWomble Graduate]

This is good advice, I've been starting out too fast on my runs but I've been listening to high BPM running tracks. Maybe that's what I'm doing wrong? 🤔

[Speedy60 Graduate]

I love my music. I could spend all day creating playlists and I'm very influenced when running. I never thought I could run to something like Romeo and Juliet, but it made it a zen-like experience and left me with loads of energy. If you are struggling to go slower, it's definitely something worth looking at. Coach Bennett's advice is to use your playlist like an assistant coach. 😀

[mom24uk Graduate in reply to Speedy60]

This is a great idea and I love Romeo and Juliet. If you love making playlists, maybe you could upload some for those of us that are hopeless at it I'm only on W3 but have every intention of making it to the end and I need to start taking notes! 😁

[Speedy60 Graduate in reply to mom24uk]

Oh goodness, I'm pretty useless, music is such an individual thing. Do not have spotify?

[mom24uk Graduate in reply to Speedy60]

Yes I have spotify but I tend to chuck everything I like into a playlist. I've found jogging playlist on it but I think some of these joggers are actually sprinters! 😲🤣I'll look into finding songs with similar tempos Or maybe we could start a thread of songs suitable to slow jog to.

[Speedy60 Graduate]

I love this at the moment

open.spotify.com/track/2t0N...

[Speedy60 Graduate]

How broadminded are you? Because this has a great running beat

open.spotify.com/track/7j31...

But I have it right next to this

open.spotify.com/track/7j31...

So a bit eclectic.