New podcasts and counting paces?

[wilmacgh]

Am I meant to be counting every time a foot hits the ground - left right left right etc - or every time the same foot hits left,left, left?

[happierswimming Graduate]

usually it means count the same foot. I found myself breathless just listening to the stepping stones podcasts so I'm going to re-do c25k running at my usual slow pace for the walking parts and speeding up during the running parts. That way I hope to be ready for the new podcasts in another 9 weeks. Look forward to hearing how you get on with the new ones

[tygfuz Graduate]

I've been counting every foot step. It seems to work for me.

[tygfuz Graduate]

We are talking about the speed podcast aren't we?

[cupcakesandstilettos Graduate]

I did the stepping stones podcast this morning and used the beats for each footstep so 'left right left right' equated to 'one, two, three, four'. At 155 bpm this averaged at 7 minutes 42 seconds per km. sadly therefore took about 40min to do 5K. Now, if I was to do that as 'left, left, left, left', then unless I was hopping (!) at 155 bpm this would average at 3 minutes and 50 seconds per km. It seems a stepping cliff rather than a stepping stone if it is double speed in this way. 20min for 5K? I'm not sure that Laura really thinks we are that fast after C25K.

[Brompette Graduate]

Maybe it's left right left right, but with a longer stride that you normally do?

[wilmacgh Graduate in reply to Brompette]

I found the opposite if I was doing LRLR I had to take smaller steps. Will try again later in the week.

[tygfuz Graduate]

I think I have read it somewhere that 180 bpm is the optimum rate to run at. If you do longer strides to the beat I would have thought it would mean you run faster as your legs have to move faster to keep to the sasme beat.

[Brompette Graduate]

That's what I thought - you'd cover more ground - harder though!

[Tiger79 Graduate]

I'm confused lol

I ran left right left right for 1 2 3 4. Please don't tell me I have to double that!!! Lol

[laj1987 Graduate in reply to Tiger79]

This is what I did? Worrying now in case I have to speed up more - my legs can't take that!! :/

[mark909 Graduate]

180bpm....We should all be listening to drum n bass when we're running!!

[totalbeginner Graduate]

i found i didnt travel as far with this podcast as doing my 'usual' style. i went LRLR too.

[Paul- Graduate]

Tried the podcast last night and found that at 155my pace was 5.30 mins/km which is a lot faster than normal. So I ended up ignoring the beat and just completed run as normal , but by the time gave in I was totally exhausted and eventually did the 5K in 32 mins which is slower than normal for that route.

I think the beats approach is fine if you are a "NATO standard" person but if you have longer paces or longer legs it wont work (well it will eventually but you end up doing sub 5 mins k's)

[MrsBirdsnest Graduate]

Well, I found there was no way I could run at 155bpm and keep my stride length the same as it had been. I had to conciously take much shorter strides and I'm now finding the new podcasts work really well for me. I realised just before they came out, that my cadance (steps per minute) was a lot lower than average at 145/min and I was overstriding to try and go faster which is apparently a really inefficient way to run. I also count each step and it is deffinatly helping me to change my running style to shorter more frequent steps, which does feel easier somehow. I'm aiming to get my average cadence to about 165/170 and gradually work back to a slightly longer stride also.

May be I'm a 'NATO standard' person - I must admit, I can see the new podcasts being less helpful if you already run with a higher cadence. However, if you're an overstriding loloping bear like me, I think it can help to alter your running style to a more efficient and ultimatly faster one.