How do you work out your route? 🏃🏻‍♀️🤔

[Neobard]

Hello! I started week 4 run 1 this morning (managed it with the help of some cheesy tunes to sing/pant along to!). I had a route in mind but was further along than I thought I’d be by half way! It ended up with me just running in random loops, over fields etc - if someone was tracking me they would have thought I was lost...or drunk! So my question is how do you work out where you’re going to run? Do you just turn round half way? Sorry if this seems like a silly question, I’m intrigued what fellow c25k runners do! 🙂

[KeelyW]

If you go into an app called map my run there are some previous runs some people have done and you can use those for the distance that you feel may help you. Good luck.

[Neobard Graduate in reply to KeelyW]

Oooh that’s great, thank you! I’ll have a nose! Xx

[misswobble Graduate in reply to Neobard]

I use goodrunguide. You can toggle between street view and footpath view which I find dead helpful. It has all the footpaths and trails on there I use it all the time to recce runs either near home or anywhere else i’m Likely to be going. You are represented by a little runner icon You can upload your runs into it too It’s a proper running tool but the route finder/measured is just ace 🙂

[sallenson Graduate in reply to misswobble]

Sounds good. Yet another site to bookmark!!

[Neobard Graduate in reply to misswobble]

That’s great, thank you! Will take a look later 😊

[trogdelight Graduate]

I often use a website gb.mapometer.com to plan my idea of a route, but part of the joy of running outside is changing where I run so that I see lots of different things. Sometimes these result in happy accidents, discovering pretty parts of my area I hadn't seen before. Other times I end up running around non-descript cul-de-sacs. I think you will build up a bank of routes as you get more experience.

[Neobard Graduate in reply to trogdelight]

All these apps I never knew about! Thank you very much for the tip! I’ll have a look and see where to run next!

[sallenson Graduate]

I've got a few routes worked out on MapMyRun too. Weekday I usually have a short route so I can do "out and back" but weekends I usually do a 5K loop around local woodland. I only get about 3.5K within the 30 mins but I'm grateful for the extra 30 minutes for a long walk back. Stops me getting stiff and gets my breathing and heart rate back to normal again. Sort of.

[Neobard Graduate in reply to sallenson]

I’m quite time limited during the week too as I have to get back in time for my husband to get the train into London. Never thought in a million years I’d be setting an alarm to get me out running before 6 am ! I’ll have to look for a longer route for the weekend as, like you, I enjoy the walk at the end - self-congratulating all the way 😁

[sallenson Graduate in reply to Neobard]

I've got a 90-minute commute into London each way from where I am. So if I'm on an early start (like next week) I'll need a 6:30 train. Oh dear Lord, feels like a 4:30 alarm, if I'm running. Must be mad. But kind of happy about it too.

Have fun route planning. I remember years ago when we used bits of string and paper maps....

[Neobard Graduate in reply to sallenson]

Blimey, that is an early start! 😳

At least you can have a smug look on your face on the train journey into London 😉 do a few stretches so people realise you’ve been for a run!

[Nictwit Graduate]

I have a few parallel roads near me so I can do a variety of loops and figure 8s etc to keep me doing something a bit different. Then at the weekend i have the canal or a couple of country parks. I run until I get tired then use Google maps to show me where I am and how to get back 😂

[Neobard Graduate in reply to Nictwit]

You’ve got to love Google Maps 😆

[dubnde]

I don't plan any route where live. I just go where the wind takes me. So many random turns sometimes. I like discovering areas I have never been before. Of course this is not an option where others may live.

[Woollyweaver Graduate]

I plot my routes on the OS Maps app ...I love how it lets me assess the gradient of a route. I must admit I reject more routes than I follow for that reason - they look great on paper until you factor in the hills 🥵.

It is pretty accurate for speed to, which is helpful for timed runs...

Happy route-finding!