My friends that run outside ...

[Christene]

A simple question ...

How do you plan a running route?

Do you run until you the half way bell rings and then turn around?

Do you have a set route? And if so, do you have different routes for the different times/distances?

Is it just trial and error?

[dennymac82]

Hey! I currently try and run road side as it's dark by the time I get home from work and it's safer that way. If I'm running along the road I will turn round when half time bell rings or if I'm on a day off in the park I just keep running round the lake until I'm done then walk home. Once I'm out there I don't mind a longer cool down walk. I suppose it depends on your area and how much time you have xx

[MichaelH070862 Graduate]

Afternoon whilst doing C25K on the Sunday before I started a new week I would go to that weeks 1st podcast and walk it firstly to see how far it was and second to see how long it would take working on if i could walk it in say 40 minutes i should be able to run it a bit quicker now I just start the stop watch do the 5 minute warm-up start the Garmin and do whatever distance I feel like doing it is easier once you have several routes in mind just to keep the interest going.

You can have a look at this website should show you routes near you

walkjogrun.net

[Christene Graduate in reply to MichaelH070862]

Thanks for that, that a useful resource. 👍

[Millsie-J Graduate]

An ‘out and back’ is easy if you don’t want to be too far from home when you finish your time running.

But you can go on line and plot an intended course too.

You can use Parkrun routes if there is one near you.

If there is a loop you can use and overtime add extra bits in that’s useful.

As you progress don’t be surprised if you start plotting ‘I’m going to run that trail/route/park’ etc

I log my runs. Then I can look back and think....mmmmm I will do that loop, or that part of the canal towpath etc as you already have the distance recorded. Or add two routes together for a longer distance.

I often walk with my husband, I use it to measure routes and scope opportunities for run routes.

Mix up your routes, the same route easily gets boring. Even running the other way around a loop adds interest.

Enjoy!

[Christene Graduate in reply to Millsie-J]

That's great Jacs, I think the Out and Back is prime suspect for my next run, and I'll do some research on runs near me. We do have a park run, but it's near enough one circuit of Pontefract Racecourse, the longest flat course in Europe, and I'm not up to doing that distance, just yet, maybe week 8 when the runs are consistent, again ... 👍

[Indigogirl Graduate]

I'm not very experienced at planning my routes yet. I did most of C25K on the treadmill, venturing outside from about week 7. To start with, I ran until the halfway bell then turned around. Now, (graduated today 😄) I have a couple of routes that I know are roughly 30 minutes worth. If I've run a bit faster, I just run the last street again, or start off on another lap of the park until the time's up.

I've been looking on MapMyRun and sussing out what other local runners have done for 5K - that might be a place for you to start.

[Christene Graduate]

I think that's going to be my strategy, run to the bell, at least in the early stages of running outside, am starting W6 tonight,but this one is in the Gym ...

Thanks for your input, Denny 👍

[Glossy Graduate]

I'm an 'out and back' runner too.

I started going around my estate in loops for the first few weeks but it gets complicated trying to work out how far to go go fit in with the time/distance. Around week 4 or 5 I got brave enough to head onto the main road. This is much easier for me as less side roads to navigate or cross.

When the bell rings I just turn around and head back. I also find it improves my technique a bit as I'm conscious there are cars around and people may see me so I want to look a bit more like a runner than a hunched over sweaty mess ☺️

[Christene Graduate in reply to Glossy]

Yes, I think I'm going to be out and back, myself, for a couple of weeks anyway, weeks 8 and 9 I should be using the park run circuit, well, most of it.

Ps, there's nothing like being on display to help with your form ... well done 👍 I

[Christene Graduate]

Thanks Indiogirl, I think out and back is my preferred choice, doing W6R1 in the Gym tonight, but will look at this, and the resource that @Manofkent62 posted ... walkjogrun.net

Thank you 👍

[smallbrit]

I did my first out and back run last time, after doing it all ad hoc and then discovering I had a very long walk back afterwards.

I'd just finished my 30 mins a couple of weeks ago on week 5 when using lunch time as my running time, and found myself very far from my desk when something urgent came in (downside of email on phone). I then had to sprint back for what seemed like forever, but was probably about 5 mins. I almost died Never again!

[Christene Graduate in reply to smallbrit]

Lol, I suppose that's one of the dangers of running at lunch time, I'm an IT Manager, so there is no way I going too far from work at lunch time, it's like being on a leash ... last thing I need is to be dragged back to meet with the CX when I have my running tights an 'fancy pants' on ... 😂

Thanks for the insight ... 🙄

[Hidden]

I have a 5k loop that i use, do my weekly C25K runs, and then depending whats left, i might have a cheeky little jog just to post up a 5k on Strava to see how im getting on.

More often than not, i just slowly walk back home from the point i stop running.

[Christene Graduate in reply to Hidden]

Thanks Scott, always useful to have other people's perspective on how these things work, I'm considering Out and Back, until I get to W8 and W9, I can use the Park Run circuit then ...

Thanks for your input. 👍

[mrrun Graduate]

Route? What route?

I personally just go out there and go. If I don't like what I see, I go the other way. There are so many ways.

What I do plan is music though. No surprises there.

[Christene Graduate in reply to mrrun]

😂😂😂

You sound like Forest Gump ... I just started running, and didn't stop ...

I think I'm going with Out and Back for a couple of weeks and then the Park Run circuit will come into play ...

Thanks for your, input ... 👍

[Virginia60 Graduate]

I am doing my last run on Thursday and at the moment I just leave the house and start running and roughly know the route that takes about 30-40 minutes so I have time to complete with the 5 minutes warm down walk. After Thursday when I have graduated I am not sure what I will do but my plan at the moment will be doing the Parkrun route one day a week if I cant do the actual Parkrun on Saturday and then two runs from the house of about 30-40 minutes. I only really run outside, I dont like the treadmill at all so I am in awe of those who do most of the programme on the treadmill!

[Christene Graduate in reply to Virginia60]

I'm a treadmill runner, but the long runs are so boring, hence me seeking some info about how you people manage your runs. I think I'm going to opt for Out and Back, when the half time bell rings, at least until W8/9, I think I can use the Park Run course from then ...

Thanks for the info Virginia ... 👍

[Millsie-J Graduate]

Sounds like its out and back for a while for you, but remember you can choise different routes to keep it fresh👍🏼

[Hidden]

Randomly round the little paths in the woods is my favourite. Have been known to get lost. I know roughly what point in a 30 minute run I need to come out onto the road to finish the cool down walk close to home. Have recently also tried running away from home and coming back by bus or tube because it increases the range of interesting routes. I don't think about distance. Just put 30 minutes into my ipod and it tells me every five minutes how long I have run for.

[Christene Graduate in reply to Hidden]

Ah, an interesting use of technology, you'd think I'd have done something like that being an IT geek for the last 30 years ... Nope ...

Thanks for your input SCB1, always good you hear how others manage their runs ... 👍

[Millsie-J Graduate in reply to Christene]

Mapmyrun will shout out distance, time etc at what intervals you set. There are other apps that do similar. Just the free version does what's needed.

[Christene Graduate in reply to Millsie-J]

Nice, I like that ... I'm having some of that, Jacs ... 👍

[Thecko Graduate]

When I started out in week 1 I knew that the local canal was only a 5-7 minute walk from my house, so I simply went along the canal tow path and turned around at a point one run past half way (because I was happy to walk a little further to get home)

Once the tow path became a collection of small ponds I looked around for suitable routes and ended up running around one of the local parks, then as my distance covered improved through the weeks I opened out the route a bit to run through a local wooded area and back up through the park.

I actually used the course plotter on ordance survey online service (the free version, I've not paid them anything) to plan out a local 5k route for myself that doesn't involve any loops, which I'm working up to towards running (currently taking some short cuts so that I'm not too far from home while I'm not covering 5k on the timed runs right now).

You could also look at openstreemap.org which can often list local walking/bridle paths that are missing from google maps.

[Christene Graduate]

Thanks for that Thecko, very useful, I'm building up a right collection here ... 👍

[Grinbins77]

I’m not a fan of outside and am really self conscious so am doing this on a treadmill.

Once I can actually manage a 5k run I plan on joining in with the park run.

[Christene Graduate in reply to Grinbins77]

Hello Grinbins, I have done up to W6R1 on the treadmill, but one thing my run on Sunday showed me was that the ever changing scenery, if its light enough to see it, is a lot better than staring at a wall, or trying watch TV, am definitely doing the W8/W9 runs outside ... and probably the the R3 from W6/W7

Thanks for your post, good luck with your running, keep us informed ... 👍😊

[Theziggy Graduate]

You can map out and measure out and back runs on gb.mapometer.com/ - you can save measured runs here too.

[Christene Graduate in reply to Theziggy]

Thanks for this, that's another one to test out this weekend ...

👍😊

[Nobbywatts Graduate]

I think that gradually over time you will build up a "library" of runs of different lengths that will suit different days, moods and time constraints. For example last night I wanted something short and on my doorstep as no time to drive anywhere better. We have a 1-mile route round the houses that we rattle out on such occasions. It's short but hilly so I figure it's better than nothing. At the weekend we're going to do an out-and-back 5k along a disused railway line (there's no track there anymore!) which we have to drive to but is worth it because (a) it's the weekend and we have more time, (b) it's a really pretty route and (c) if we're going to the faff of driving somewhere to run, might as well make it worthwhile! In our "library" we also have 3k, 4K and 5k local (no driving) road and trail routes.

Good idea to walk a route first though with your Garmin or other device and measure it out. Good luck!

[Theziggy Graduate in reply to Nobbywatts]

Absolutely - re the library of runs, mind you I haven;t thought to map out runs of less than 5K, but it sounds like a good idea for days when I am stuck for time etc. Thanks for that