Week 7 wobble.

[Kirkleylewis]

After W6 R3 25 minutes I wondered what was to come next. Laura says I can now consider myself a runner. Yes! However, W7 R1, 25 minutes again and for the next 2 runs. I did the 25 minutes but it was so hard to occupy my mind. The running was OK but the music was awful, not many lyrics to try to sing to. I have made a HUGE decision. I am LEAVING LAURA for the next 2 runs. I will make a playlist and run this in tandem with that rather stern lady in run keeper. I feel bad leaving Laura, but maybe this is part of the plan to get us to do it ourselves.

[tweekala74 Graduate]

Hi Kirkleylewis, I remember really finding the music dull and like you I decided to listen to my own music but I did miss her giving me time checks so I went back to Laura in the end! I guess you just have to try these things and see what works best for you. I'd never heard of 'run keeper' just googled it and it turns out they've invented the thing I thought should be invented!! From what I can gather you can programme it to give you alerts whilst listening to your own music?? If so that sounds fab - it it??!!

[Kirkleylewis Graduate in reply to tweekala74]

Thanks for the comment. I used run keeper and found it really good. I did 5 mins with Laura, then started my 25 mins run I'd made in run keeper, then last 5 mins warm down with Laura. Perfect combination. It was good to run to familiar music. I chose stuff that would help me keep running and I could sing to. I also found that at the end of 25 mins I'd run 3.86 km. Great. Hope you find run keeper as good.

[tweekala74 Graduate in reply to Kirkleylewis]

Great thanks - I shall look into this and also Arablues's suggestions. Might also give the Stepping Stones podcast a go which is the new 5k+ podcast. So many options...! Good luck with your running - you're so close

[Katsmeat Graduate]

You could use W6R3 for W7 - I seem to remember that the music is slightly better than the W7 music.

[canuckgirl Graduate]

Gasp! Leaving Laura!!!

Though I stuck it out with Laura, I think that there a lot of people who have done just what you plan to do and used their own music.

I did find that some of the music was more conducive to running, but I can't remember which week was the worst now. If it helps you to keep moving, I say switch to your own!

I will also have to check out run keeper...

Good luck with Week 7!

[arablue]

I felt the same thing. I just couldn't cope with hearing that music any more. I knew I would miss Laura's encouragement, but had to escape the torture!

So wk7r1 I used jog.fm, which chooses tracks from my own music according to the pace I am running, or walking briskly. I really do rely on Laura telling me when I have run for 5 then 10 minutes etc., looking forward to the half way point, then waiting impatiently for the end.

So I used MapMyWalk, which gives feedback at pre-set times, every 5 minutes for me, and kept track of my pace and how long I had left to run. This worked a treat, and I even got my quickest time so far.

I like your suggestion that maybe this is part of the plan!