Disclaimer: I am not an expert runner. I am experienced though.
What this means is I do not claim to be an expert. I don’t have all the answers and the answers I do have are typically derived from some sort of a running travesty I have lived through to tell and almost always involve a unique trauma I have made my body endure.
That being said…
I get a lot of questions from people who are just beginning to dabble in the sport of running…or who are fairly new to it and are finding the whole concept of cadence a challenge (i.e. “How do I stay the same speed so I don’t hit the wall at the end of my run? How do I speed train to improve my pace? How the hell do I motivate myself to keep running once I’ve started and not turn back to go get myself a beer…which is what I really want to do?”). I was reading a little “Q&A ask the experts” in the June 2012 Runner’s World magazine today. One of the featured experts Beth Baker, who is a personal trainer and coach in Seattle, said creating playlists that alternate fast and slow songs will help you keep cadence while burning more calories. It takes a lot of energy (hence the calorie burning) to continuously raise and lower your heart rate. Beth suggests songs with 180 beats per minute (BPM) for speed work outs and 100-120 beats per minute for warm-up jogging, easy runs, and long and slow runs. When I read her suggestions I kind of laughed a little. I consider myself a serious runner but running an 8 minute mile which equates to about 170 beats per minute is my Helena High School “best” in Mr. LeBrun’s physical education (PE) class in 1993. I have yet to beat that record again. I’m what you would call a “Steady Eddy.” I run an 11 minute mile…for 11 miles…or whatever the long run might be. Usually, the elevation changes don’t matter. I stay at the same pace no matter the climb or the descent. I have and can get down to a 9 minute mile if I speed train. Could I get faster? Probably. But for me I like the long run, good work out, and I don’t want to puke at the end. If chased by a bear I feel I could beat my personal best but the end result would be the same…I’d still get eaten. Another fun fact: 21% of runners use their tunes to help keep their speed up while the other 79% listen because it entertains them as they pound pavement (Runner’s World, 2012). Despite my slow “clomp-clomp” I incorporate the faster songs to keep me moving and the slower ones to get going or take a break.
So-what is on the Juke Box for Peg Leg? To give you an idea of what I’m talking about, here are a few songs that have beats per minute (BPM) and how fast a mile you are looking at:
Pumped Up Kicks by Foster the People…this is a 12 minute mile or 130 BPM. Dog Days Are Over by Florence and the Machine. This is a 10 minute mile or 150 BPM. Stuck Like Glue by Sugarland is just over an 8 minute mile or roughly 168 BPM. I imagine if I tried to actually run this fast I might vomit on my shoes…but I still run to it. Not Afraid by Eminem is under an 8 minute mile. I build my play list by starting out with three slow songs, get faster with four songs and then slow down again with three. Depending on how long you are running for you can repeat the concept-or at least this is what I do.
Other great songs I am running to now? Remember the Name by Fort Minor, Seven Nation Army by White Stripes, All of the Lights by Kanye West, Cinderella Man by Eminem, Bleed It Out by Linkin Park...I am all over the place.
I have a Metallica list, a Nickelback list, an “I’m a girl and I hate men” list filled with lots of angry female artists…sky is the limit, folks. If you would like to create a playlist and check out beats per minute, go to http://jog.fm/. It is a great resource.
For now, I would like you all to know I am now a Master of Science in Nursing (finally finished with school)! And…I have journeyed over to the dark side…I learned how to swim in May and I am training for my first triathlon: http://www.mtcompact.org/GCT.htm.
Happy Trails!
No comments:
Post a Comment