The Official Thread for Runners

[BigPiney]

I am doing this in 2 weeks. http://www.legacymidnightrun.com/

Anyone want to join me?

[SteelBlue]

I am doing this in 2 weeks. http://www.legacymidnightrun.com/

Anyone want to join me?

Looks fun. I'm doing this one on the 4th:

http://www.ashland.or.us/Page.asp?NavID=1264

Used to be just a 6 miler but went to official 10k this year. They changed the course from one of the most challenging 6 milers I've run to a much more friendly but still hilly one. I'm kind of bummed as it's a yearly tradition for me and I wanted a piece of that traditional course this year but it'll still be fun. Anyone else doing a July race?

[PaloAltoCougar]

I need motivation to increase my pace a bit. I've been running the longer distances (for me, that's 6 or 7 miles, sorry), but at a pokey 9:40 or so pace. I've been adding zippier songs to my running mix, based on online recommendations. This morning, near the end of my run, Joe Satriani's Summer Song (which I'm embarrassed to admit I'd never heard before) kicked in and the last half mile flew by, relatively speaking. It was great. I need more.

I've found this website that lists a variety of songs by beats per minute. For running, I like songs in the 160s, but maybe I need to pick it up.

[Pheidippides]

I need motivation to increase my pace a bit. I've been running the longer distances (for me, that's 6 or 7 miles, sorry), but at a pokey 9:40 or so pace. I've been adding zippier songs to my running mix, based on online recommendations. This morning, near the end of my run, Joe Satriani's Summer Song (which I'm embarrassed to admit I'd never heard before) kicked in and the last half mile flew by, relatively speaking. It was great. I need more.

I've found this website that lists a variety of songs by beats per minute. For running, I like songs in the 160s, but maybe I need to pick it up.

I recognize a lot of personal preference goes into things like this but I have several different playlists based on speed. A favorite has always been Free Bird for a couple of reasons. First, it's a 9:09 minute song, which makes it great for marathon training pacing (9:09 is a 4:00 pace and my general long run speed). The solo at the end really energizes. And the opening chords definitely have a pavlovian effect after a few listens. It's my default race start song - helps me start slow and then build up to pace. Sweet Home Alabama is also a favorite.

I also use (don't laugh!) Play With Me by Extreme for my speedwork. It has an extremely fast tempo and its length is perfect for Yasso 800s.

Other than that, my "fast" playlists are filled with Metallica and Iron Maiden. Not sure if that's your thing - and not many people run as angry as I do - but if so I can give you some selections. Lately I will confess that I'm running with music less and less. Actually, I'm not running at all right now (still rehabbing) so I guess "lately" is not a fair statement. I probably won't run the Dland half with music though.

[Donuthole]

I need motivation to increase my pace a bit. I've been running the longer distances (for me, that's 6 or 7 miles, sorry), but at a pokey 9:40 or so pace. I've been adding zippier songs to my running mix, based on online recommendations. This morning, near the end of my run, Joe Satriani's Summer Song (which I'm embarrassed to admit I'd never heard before) kicked in and the last half mile flew by, relatively speaking. It was great. I need more.

I've found this website that lists a variety of songs by beats per minute. For running, I like songs in the 160s, but maybe I need to pick it up.

I have "Underdog" by Spoon, "Kick Drum Heart" by The Avett Bros., "Mr. Jones" by Counting Crows, and "1901" by Phoenix on my "7:00 mile" mix. It sounds geeky, but I've coordinated those songs with my stride (they are all in roughly the same BPM category) and if I stride in beat, i'll run a 7:00 mile, give or take a 10 seconds either way.

[ERCougar]

I need motivation to increase my pace a bit. I've been running the longer distances (for me, that's 6 or 7 miles, sorry), but at a pokey 9:40 or so pace. I've been adding zippier songs to my running mix, based on online recommendations. This morning, near the end of my run, Joe Satriani's Summer Song (which I'm embarrassed to admit I'd never heard before) kicked in and the last half mile flew by, relatively speaking. It was great. I need more.

I've found this website that lists a variety of songs by beats per minute. For running, I like songs in the 160s, but maybe I need to pick it up.

A couple of thoughts:
1) this is a good thread idea. (but separate thread please! We must not anger the mods.)
2) most people say to shoot for 180-200 steps per minute, so this seems like a good target for beat tempo
3) they need an app for this. Anyone know of one on android? If not, there's an app idea, BFM.
4) ignore your pace on your long runs. Speed is not their purpose and you increase your injury chance significantly. Work on speed in intervals or tempo runs. 9:30 is not a slow long run pace at all.

[Donuthole]

A couple of thoughts:
1) this is a good thread idea. (but separate thread please! We must not anger the mods.)
2) most people say to shoot for 180-200 steps per minute, so this seems like a good target for beat tempo
3) they need an app for this. Anyone know of one on android? If not, there's an app idea, BFM.
4) ignore your pace on your long runs. Speed is not their purpose and you increase your injury chance significantly. Work on speed in intervals or tempo runs. 9:30 is not a slow long run pace at all.

There was some discussion on this in an old thread about workout music a while back. Since then I found that site PAC linked to and have been meaning to compile 7:30, 8:00, 8:30, and 9:00 mile playlists on my itunes. So far I've only done the 7:30 list.

[Eddie]

...
4) ignore your pace on your long runs. Speed is not their purpose and you increase your injury chance significantly. Work on speed in intervals or tempo runs. 9:30 is not a slow long run pace at all.

I second this.

Training for Ogden (in which I TOTALLY killed it) my long run target pace was 9:30. I would typically let myself speed up to race pace for maybe the last mile if I was really feeling it. Sometimes I let myself run :30 faster than race pace for the last half-mile or so.



In a related note...I dropped my 305 on the sidewalk this morning putting it on for a bike ride. At first everything seemed just fine, but as I started riding it struggled finding satellites and more often than not I was riding blind to pace and distance. I'm not in a position to replace it immediately, and it was frustrating not seeing mileage, pace, etc. Luckily I was going somewhere that I knew the distance.

It will be an interesting run tomorrow morning if the 305 really has pooped out. I've really come to rely on it for pacing and for measuring distance so that I can just run random routes once I know how far I want to go.

It's a sad, sad day...

[Pheidippides]

A couple of thoughts:
1) this is a good thread idea. (but separate thread please! We must not anger the mods.)
2) most people say to shoot for 180-200 steps per minute, so this seems like a good target for beat tempo
3) they need an app for this. Anyone know of one on android? If not, there's an app idea, BFM.
4) ignore your pace on your long runs. Speed is not their purpose and you increase your injury chance significantly. Work on speed in intervals or tempo runs. 9:30 is not a slow long run pace at all.

Agree on all points, especially number 4 (I misses that we were talking long runs; the place to pick up speed is definitely short runs/intervals). 180 is the gold standard for steps per minute from everything I've read and i actually will count now and again to make sure I stay close. That alone made me faster.

[PaloAltoCougar]

Great advice, ER, thanks. I feel better about putting on the miles if I don't need to worry about the pace; makes sense.

[OhioBlue]

I've spent waaay too much time finding running music and sorting it by BPM. As Niku said, it's a personal fit thing, but finding the right music for you can definitely boost mental energy (if not physical) on a run.

Sometimes I go without music, sometimes I listen to podcasts (MBMBM and Radiolab are faves), sometimes on long runs I'll even listen to a 'tranquil' playlist I put together that helps me focus on slow and smooth while fueling some good positive emotions.

Where I get anal about BPM is for speed training and sometimes for shorter races (eg 5k). My current race-finishing song is 'Monster' by Kanye. It's about a 188 bpm, in an angry-yet-chill-because-I'm-a-___monster kind of way. I work other songs into the lists based on their bpm and what kind of pace I want to be running at that time.

I have a two-page list of music (with BPM for each) I like right now, but again it's taste-based. If you or anyone else would like to look it over, feel free to PM me.

But a couple tools I've found helpful: Mixmeister--a free, downloadable tool that will analyze entire folders of music for you and tell you the bpm for each song. Then you can export/sort it and there you go--just analyze your whole 'my music' folder or whatever and you're off to the races (tee hee). **edit** A lot of good running songs aren't actually 180 bpm, that's in the drum'n'bass arena. Many are 90, and will show up as such when using a tool like this.

Also fun and sorta mindblowing is Audacity (also free/downloadable) which will allow you--if you're looking for a precise bpm like I do--to take songs you like and speed/slow them without changing the pitch. For that matter you could even chop sections of songs you really groove to on a run and loop them, get rid of the stuff you don't like (eg talking intros) and re-save them. Just yesterday I played around with 'Hotwax' by Beck, made it the exact BPM I wanted (180--it was already pretty close), and looped the grooviest sections of the song. Fun stuff.

[ERCougar]

I've spent waaay too much time finding running music and sorting it by BPM. As Niku said, it's a personal fit thing, but finding the right music for you can definitely boost mental energy (if not physical) on a run.

Sometimes I go without music, sometimes I listen to podcasts (MBMBM and Radiolab are faves), sometimes on long runs I'll even listen to a 'tranquil' playlist I put together that helps me focus on slow and smooth while fueling some good positive emotions.

Where I get anal about BPM is for speed training and sometimes for shorter races (eg 5k). My current race-finishing song is 'Monster' by Kanye. It's about a 188 bpm, in an angry-yet-chill-because-I'm-a-___monster kind of way. I work other songs into the lists based on their bpm and what kind of pace I want to be running at that time.

I have a two-page list of music (with BPM for each) I like right now, but again it's taste-based. If you or anyone else would like to look it over, feel free to PM me.

But a couple tools I've found helpful: Mixmeister--a free, downloadable tool that will analyze entire folders of music for you and tell you the bpm for each song. Then you can export/sort it and there you go--just analyze your whole 'my music' folder or whatever and you're off to the races (tee hee). **edit** A lot of good running songs aren't actually 180 bpm, that's in the drum'n'bass arena. Many are 90, and will show up as such when using a tool like this.

Also fun and sorta mindblowing is Audacity (also free/downloadable) which will allow you--if you're looking for a precise bpm like I do--to take songs you like and speed/slow them without changing the pitch. For that matter you could even chop sections of songs you really groove to on a run and loop them, get rid of the stuff you don't like (eg talking intros) and re-save them. Just yesterday I played around with 'Hotwax' by Beck, made it the exact BPM I wanted (180--it was already pretty close), and looped the grooviest sections of the song. Fun stuff.

THIS is the app Im looking for! Unfortunately (or fortunately, if you're looking for a new app idea), neither are on android yet. You're welcome, BFM.

[OhioBlue]

THIS is the app Im looking for! Unfortunately (or fortunately, if you're looking for a new app idea), neither are on android yet. You're welcome, BFM.

i dont have a smartphone so havent used it yet...but have also heard of an app that will play whatever music you have at the bpm you are currently running by sensing your pace somehow.

[Joe Public]

I think I will wait a couple of weeks - or whenever it is the Kinvara 2 hits the stores - and see if the 12.5 is a better fit.

I tried on a pair last week and the fit was right. I brought them home.

I love my Saucony Kinvara 2s. They're very comfy and I feel really fast in them. I'm still alternating them with my regular shoes to reduce risk of injury.

I agree; they're good shoes.

[OhioBlue]

I tried on a pair last week and the fit was right. I brought them home.



I agree; they're good shoes.

I own the first-series Kinvaras and so far am digging them. I didn't realize that a 'minimalist' shoe could also actually be comfortable.