Where to run?

[han22]

Hello everyone,

I only just started Couch to 5K last week, and today I completed W2R2. I'm enjoying it so far, and I'm somewhat amazed I've managed to drag myself out of bed so early in the morning to run before I go to work!

At the moment I'm running around the residential roads where I live, which are relatively quiet in terms of traffic but still a few cars driving around. There is a park about 5-10 minutes away from me, and I'm thinking as the weeks go on and the running distances get a little longer, that I may have to start running there, just so to avoid having to stop each time I come to a road and the annoying uneven pavements!

I was just wondering where other people ran? And did anyone feel they had to change their running location/route as the weeks went on?

Many thanks,

Hannah x

[Wristy Graduate]

Planning is always best! Now that I am running 10 and 15 minute intervals (and around 30/40 minutes outside now too) I actually walk in the opposite direction that I used to to maximise the amount of pavement before i have to cross the A3/A213. Failing that I have to go round the little patch of the common about 4 times which gets very boring very quickly!

Get on to mapmyrun to have a go at mapping some routes out.

[han22 in reply to Wristy]

I will check that out, thank you!

[mancunianpoodle]

Hi, I'm on week 3 & I use map my run as the above poster recommended. its really good for planning routes.

[han22 in reply to mancunianpoodle]

Thank you, it sounds like a great idea!

[ActonHighStreet]

I much prefer to run on the road rather than in the park. Part of the fun of running is turning an ordinary space into my playground/gym. I think my biggest goal in running - more than speed - is to do long runs that allow me to enjoy more of the city.

[han22 in reply to ActonHighStreet]

A very good point - it's a good excuse to explore! I think I'll give the park a go and see what a prefer. Thank you

[Debih191 Graduate]

I am very lucky and work opposite a canal so I tend to go straight after work along the towpath.

But we also live close to the High Peak trail so I go there too.

I haven't run on roads at all yet - we live at the top of a really, really steep lane and I can't bear the thought of walking up that after a run so as I'm getting the car out to go out I go somewhere nice and traffic free. And it means I can take the dog.

[han22 in reply to Debih191]

I don't blame you, I don't think I could cope with a steep uphill walk home either! Love the fact that your dog is doing Couch to 5K too

[the_tea_fairy Graduate in reply to Debih191]

You'll be running up it without thinking twice in the space of 6 months, just see if you're not!

[Ullyrunner Graduate]

I'm lucky enough to live in a small village so I can run out of the front door and soon be on farm tracks - lovely to see the changing seasons and different crops. Plus sometimes I see deer, a red kite or can hear the skylarks - just magical!

[han22 in reply to Ullyrunner]

That sounds beautiful! The closest I got to wildlife this morning was a Labrador running with me for a few paces before his owner summoned him back!

[PrincessStef Graduate]

I am like Ullyrunner. I can be in the middle of fields within about 20 paces. I haven't ventured in the fields yet as I only started in January and run at night so I have been running from my village to the larger village next door. I realised on Friday that I had run straight through the next village and run out of road before I was due to turn around. When the nights are lighter I also am lucky enough to live within a 5 minute walk of the Welsh coastal path so I will be running there.

The sights I have seen that I have never noticed before are wonderful. Good luck and enjoy your running wherever it is.

[han22 in reply to PrincessStef]

Thank you Your running routes sound lovely too!

I live in London so if I come across any fields I've probably run a bit too far!

[the_tea_fairy Graduate]

I ran on a footpath with no road crossings so I could just focus on what I was doing, and I think I stuck to that route right through c25k. It's rewarding gradually covering more and more ground as you progress through the weeks!

[han22 in reply to the_tea_fairy]

Good point! Taking the same route every time I guess gives you another way to monitor how you're improving. Thanks