This app was mentioned in 10 comments, with an average of 1.70 upvotes
I use Runzi: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.liketivist.runsafe
I particularly love it for the customisable voice announcements that will tell you what your pace, cadence, and distance are as you go.
It also has independent music and voice announcement volume, which is very handy.
I use Runzi and set the voice announcements to tell my pace and cadence every two minutes. It will also decrease the volume of your music as it reads out the interval information so that you can hear the voice information without having to sacrifice listening to music.
That said, I tend to rely on 'perceived effort', and use the reported pace to help me determine what sort of run I'm having ('tight' vs 'free', 'pushing' vs 'flowing') and set my expectations accordingly, rather than trying to keep pace constant. This is important given the variable accuracy of the phone GPS, and also the fact that you'll likely encounter uphills and downhills on your outdoor runs.
In addition to /u/RoastedSquash 's excellent point about personal safety, I also carry my phone in the event that I come across a situation where someone other than myself might require assistance. I never want to be in a situation where I could have saved someone's life by calling an ambulance for them, but didn't have my phone on me.
> I don't know how far I'm running, only how long I'm running for
> &
> ...allow for user-programmable interval notifications
I use Runzi:
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.liketivist.runsafe&hl=en
User programmable (fixed interval:) notifications, user programmable as to announcement content (interval pace, interval distance, interval cadence, average total pace, total distance, total time and average total cadence).
When I was doing specific sprint interval training, I used to use 'A HIIT timer' : https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.pimpimmobile.atimer&hl=en
for it's fully flexible interval announcements.
Having used the old Polar running watches, I must say it's much easier and more flexible to program intervals into phone apps than into watches (although not sure what the current GPS phone's user interface is like).
I used the official Active.com app for most of the program.
I have changed over to runzi ( https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.liketivist.runsafe&hl=en ) for week 7 onwards, so that I can get more frequent voice announcements.
You can set up runzi to tell you what your pace and distance are for each individual minute. I also use it to make sure my cadence is 180 steps per minute or more, for biomechanically efficient running.
I used the default android music player.
> As soon as I reduce my step below a certain length, my form breaks down and I run on my calves...
This sounds like you're still pushing to run, rather than falling forwards. When it works, it feels like you're cycling your feet underneath you by using your glutes and hip muscles, there's very little hamstring/calf/quad exertion.
I also find I have almost zero arm drive when running at easy pace and fast cadence, everything is dependent on the body lean - which requires you have some degree of core stability.
The way to produce this is by starting the run correctly:
> I just added a metronome to my phone to have a precise beat to stick to.
If that doesn't work, I recommend Runzi:
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.liketivist.runsafe&hl=en
On my cadence runs, I set the voice report to every minute, split cadence and pace, so that I know exactly what my cadence is. It took a week or so to get it up to 180.
It's probably worth noting that the cadence alone won't do it, you need to be thinking about keeping the energy stored in your legs, like a spring ready to bounce (but not actually bouncing up and down, just flicking the ground behind you).
> If that doesn't work, I recommend Runzi: > https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.liketivist.runsafe&hl=en[1] > On my cadence runs, I set the voice report to every minute, split cadence and pace, so that I know exactly what my cadence is. It took a week or so to get it up to 180.
Wow, that does look like an awesome app... maybe I'll start carrying both phones now :)
If you have completed an introduction to 5k program then:
a) well done!
and
b) there's not really any point in repeating a couch to 5k program, you're better off continuing to run your 2.5 miles and then increasing the amount of time running.
I'd suggest:
1) Just continue to run your 30 minutes, so that you become more comfortable with it. Then slowly increase your running time.
2) Try out a bunch of the free running apps yourself, and see which one you like! So long as you run for the 30 mins, you have completed your running goal, and so you lose nothing by test driving them!
3) Work on your running form. I am a big fan of the light quick steps style here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zSIDRHUWlVo
Working on your running form may well lead to improvements in your pace.
4) Maybe make a running playlist? Have fun with it! I personally like running to music that falls into the background so I can tune in and out of it.
5) My current favourite running app is runzi:
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.liketivist.runsafe&hl=en
It maps the route. It has customisable audio announcements, so you can hear your current pace, total distance, total time etc rather than having to look at your phone. It is geared towards cadence tracking, which is your steps per minute. Cadence is the key to efficient running.
The cheapest way to track your cadence (only) might be in your pocket already.
Some mobile phones have accelerometer sensor (which is responsible for calculating cadence) and there are plenty of mobile apps which does that.
For example: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.liketivist.runsafe&hl=en
> find that my pace is often inconsistent, likely based on the pace of the music I'm listening to, how tired I'm feeling etc
Nothing wrong with that, it means you are automatically adjusting to conditions and how your body feels!
> does anyone have a good way to monitor your pace outside?
Lots of options out there, but I like Runzi: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.liketivist.runsafe&hl=en
You can set it up so that you get audio announcements of your pace, total distance, cadence, total time, etc
You can also adjust the frequency of the announcements to suit your own tastes or needs (eg every 1 min, every 2 min, every 5 min).
> Pacing in exact m/mi is difficult in real time
Given you're pretty fitness savy already, it's worth noting there are apps out that will report GPS-based pace in real time, via audio announcements. eg Runzi (link) and I believe mapmyrun (link) can do this as well. I can't vouch for their compatibility with various c25k apps though. I use Runzi, and have it announce every 2 minutes.
> 36/6ft/185/male/strength training / swimming. used to do a lot of biking ~15 years ago
It sounds like you're in generally pretty good condition and have a very strong foundation. Those cycling legs and butt tend to persist long after the riding has stopped, too.
This probably contributes to you having a combination of high muscular power, good (but not sufficient to maintain your fast pace for 5k) cardiovascular fitness and poor soft tissue adaptation to the high impact of running.
> I was reading a lot of comments in the beginning regarding pace and assumed that slowing down to a crawling pace was beneficial. but that seemed to lead to injury.
You might be 'stomping' at your very slow pace, where you're jarring your feet into the ground, so slow and heavy feet.
Step turnover and pace are interrelated, but not the same. If you have high step turnover, you can keep your steps lighter, lean a little and run on momentum, but still not move forward very quickly.
A lot of that beginner runner advice can be biased towards people without strong leg power, and towards the generally unfit. With a good athletic base, the natural bias is to try and do things more athletically, and it's hard to do things differently, resulting in surprisingly worse biomechanics!
On the whole, I do feel like you're best suited by focusing on having nice, quick light feet, but not moving forward too quickly (ie not using the muscular power), nor letting it become a slow stomping plod either. Run well but slowly, and you'll be ready to start ramping up the pace after the seventh week, injury free (unless you've already incurred damage from the first three weeks, in which case patience will come into play).