Which way would you go?

[Plinth]

Just started week 7. Thus far been pottering round the same field hidden down the side of the common. I'm concerned I may get bored. Do we risk that and keep on (pretty flat) or do we risk going round the golf course which slopes up? Was originally leaving that till after graduation but now am wondering if to risk it sooner. Don't want it to stop me running though?

[Ally-d Graduate]

Wow you're doing well, going round the same field for 7 weeks! I was fed up with 'my' field after the first run lol, if you aren't bored yet, I'd keep on until you are, then move out to the big bad world of slopes, hills, lumps, bumps, pot holes .....

[Plinth Graduate]

Well I do have my husbands bottom to look at which has staved off the boredom thus far!

[Oldgirl Graduate]

Much more interesting than the same field, you might have to duck now and again, might need a crash helmet

[greenlegs Graduate]

Well, if the golf course slopes up - why not start at the other end, and run downhill?

But seriously, slopes are fine, provided you don't try to do them at the same pace as the flat. Aim for same energy output, rather than same pace, so take shorter steps (or fewer steps maybe) - like changing down gear on a bike. It is very satisfying to get to the top of a hill, even if it was even slower than super-slow! Go for it!

[Plinth Graduate in reply to greenlegs]

The golf course is a circular route which has , from where I live, one real access point, at the low end. It makes no difference if I go clockwise or anti, ill end up going up at some point. I think clockwise is the least steep. Don't know if dare yet! I'm slow enough as is! ??

[Beads Graduate]

I ran round and round the aerodrome (flat) weeks 1 to 8 (apart from one run round the local roads W2 and one by the coast W1). I really struggled with week 8 but changing my routine and running to/from the aerodrome in week 9 made it so much easier and that included the hills.

[Plinth Graduate]

According to someone else's mapmyrun, the climb is 2.6% or 29m. Is that hard or ok? I'm so crap at this sort of thing!

[Plinth Graduate]

Or 40m gain overall. I think most is gradual. I dunno.