C25K+ Speed podcast + head wind = one breathless runner

[swanscot]

I tried the C25K+ Speed podcast today and really enjoyed it. For the past 12 weeks I've felt I can only run at one speed - my easy cruising pace (ECP). I've tried going slower, but only managed that once when I ran with my son's girlfriend and I agreed to run at her pace. Even when I an doing my long slow distance run, I find I go at my ECP. I've really only tried going faster once and that was at a Parkrun and even then it was only for about the last 0.5km.

So I decided it was time I have a range of speeds. More especially, I want to run faster!

The Speed podcast was just what I needed. I enjoyed the short (60 seconds) burst of speed followed by the jog. When I got to the last burst of speed, I really felt like I'd been working hard. But I would have preferred if the session was longer - say 10 fast intervals. I actually misheard Laura at the start and thought she has said 8 intervals - and was surprised when we stopped after 6. I tried to do another speed interval during the cool down music, but that didn't work.

I've listened to various interval training plans and some have the same track going for the fast running and slower jogging intervals. That does not work for me. How is that running to the rhythm/tempo of the music? Other interval training podcasts that I found have longer speed intervals - 3 to 5 mins - and at the moment that is too long for me.

What I'd like for now is 10, then maybe 15, x 1 mins fast intervals, and am wondering if anyone has found such a playlist or know of a programme to cut and split and splice the Speed podcast.

[Mitts Graduate]

Great idea, swanscot. I found Speed more strenuous than Stamina and it would be great to be able to extend it as (hopefully) improvement sets in. I'd thought about restarting the podcast immediately after the last interval then jogging the 10 mins through the warm-up and the 155 section before repeating some of the intervals - it would be much better to lose the warm-up second time round but I'd have no idea how to go about this... can you fast-forward an ipod shuffle???

[swanscot Graduate]

I've no idea about the ipod, I'm using an mp3 player. I know Laura says you can download the podcast without the intro.

I've managed to make myself a version of the podcast - I call it Speed2 - with 12 x 165 bpm running intervals.

I used Windows Moviemaker* to cut and splice two copies of the mp3 file, to extend the podcast. I cut the first file at the end of the last 165 running session, then added in a second copy of the file, cropped and starting with one minute of the 155 initial jog, then onto the 6 intervals. I've saved this new 38 minute podcast as Speed2.

*I used Moviemaker as this is a programme I know, having used it to make AudioVisual slide shows previously. If you don't know how to use it, you'd be better downloading Audacity and learning that, as it produces mp3 files. Moviemaker produces a wma file which works on my Sansa clip mp3 player, but I'd not vouch for it working on others' devices.

I've spent so long playing, stopping and starting the file to hear where to cut that I'm fed up with it now! But that's OK as I only intend to do the Speed podcast once a week, so I'll not be listening to it again for a week.

[swanscot Graduate in reply to swanscot]

I don't intend to do all 12 speed intervals initially, but will gradually work up to this many over the coming weeks.

[vengadriver Graduate]

I totally agree with you both and have asked this question on here before.It is such a pain to stop running to restart the podcast then you have the extra 5 min cool down and 5 min warm up to deal with! I was advised to use lamposts to decide when to speed up and when to recover which is a great idea if you run in the street but I only run in local parks.Come on "Laura" give us a solution please!

[swanscot Graduate in reply to vengadriver]

No lamp posts where I run. Well, there are lamposts in the village for all of about 1km, so I'd have to run back and forth through the village umpteem times! Of all the C25K+ podcasts, I found this one easier to keep to the beat.