Route planning tips please...

[Kate85b]

So, I've just downloaded the C25K app, planning on getting started tomorrow. Any tips on planning my route for Week 1 Run 1?

[Hidden]

Run somewhere you like and that is fairly flat, and interesting enough to prevent the run from being a boring chore.

The local park?

[SC1472 Graduate]

Leave your front door.....in all seriousness, in the early runs you will find that out and back along the same road/path will suffice unless there is an obvious circular route where you live.

[Burrows79 Graduate]

A local park, canal, river or even the streets around your neighbourhood

[Irish-John Graduate]

Flat and with few people if you have - like a lot of us at the beginning - little desire for people to 'see' you (they really don't - they might 'look' but they don't see you at all, you are just a passing faster person in the midst of their daily life

Ideally, no traffic, prams, dog walkers or ten people who love walking abreast on a path meant to accommodate only three or four If there is any kind of 'Factory or Office building complex near you - they can be great. Well paved roads with little to no traffic during working hours

Wishing you a great W1D1 Run - let us know how you get on

[Hidden]

I planned a little flat loop from my front door and went round a few times - I could pretty much see my house all the way round (live opposite a green) so it helped to know I could just walk back at any point!! But don't worry and just get out there. You'll be fine!

[Hidden]

Quite hard to find anywhere flat near me so that was my top priority. I didn't start tackling hills until about week 7. When you get to longer runs interesting surroundings became important but at the start I found breaking up the runs with walking kept it interesting. Main thing at the start is just get out the door and try it. You will soon work out how far you get and when to turn round to come home.

[IannodaTruffe Mentor]

The podcasts and I believe the app give you a notification that you are at the half way mark, so you can turn round and head back to the start.

[foreverendeavour in reply to IannodaTruffe]

They do, it's very useful

[iain-strachan Graduate in reply to IannodaTruffe]

Yes, both do - the app has a bell that rings.

Try to avoid routes where you have to cross too many roads otherwise you get slowed down by c*rs! There were times when I had to run on the spot to wait for a c*r to go past!

[Oldfloss Administrator Graduate]

Flat....quiet if possible and with things to look at en route

Go out the door, fix a smile on your face, and slow and steady does it

" The secret of getting ahead, is just by starting. "

[Gillma Graduate]

I just ran up and down the flattest bit of pavement within a 5-minute walk of my house.

[Jewel84 Graduate]

I ran in the house for the first 3 weeks but it's much better running outside. Just take it slowly you'll be fine.

[GoogleMe Graduate]

I'd say take yourself away from roads and pavements and hard surfaces generally if you have the option to do so.

I'd also suggest running 'out' a little bit further than half way (say, to the end of the 5th run segment) because it can be oh so tempting to stop early or skip the important 5 minute walk at the end if you arrive back sooner than you thought.

[Si68 Graduate]

Knowing where the half way point in your run is can be helpful, that way you can go wherever you like and then just turn back at halfway.

It worked for me and enabled a more spontaneous route to be taken each time

[Nobbywatts Graduate]

We used a local golf course on a sunny summer's evening for our first run. It was very pretty (fortunately it was deserted) but a bit too hilly for a first run. We did it, however, but have never felt the need to go back there since! My advice: use a hill as your warm up walk by all means, but keep to the flat for the first few weeks!!

[Maddee_6333 Graduate]

Local parks are good, as are recreation grounds - both should be fairly flat and give you the option of running on the grass if you find running on the pavement hard going. Try to avoid school going in and chucking out time (though if you're in the UK that shouldn't be an issue soon).

[Curlygurly2 Graduate]

You won't go very far in the first weeks, as others have said, an out and back route will be fine for starters.

[Whatsapp Graduate]

Around your local streets preferable. If you go somewhere where you have to drive to get there it is another barrier to running.

[Kate85b]

Thanks for all the replies. I live at the top of the highest village in North Wales (so it's quite hilly by me) decided to use my usual walking route in the end and double back a little when I got to the starting point so I could work out how much extra distance to tag on to the route. It's not the flattest of surfaces (quite a pot-holey lane really) but it has nice views and rural scenery so its a nice route. Once I eventually get to that level I can then tackle some of the trails at One Planet Adventure (the entrance is my current turn-around point) or join the parkruns at Erddig - those are my current goals to work towards.

[fowlesp]

The free version of MapMyRun includes a route planner which you can access via the app or the website - very easy to use