Track running V Road Running

[Scouser67]

I have just completed R3W2 which went surprisingly well. There was a difference in today’s run. I had been running on the school’s playing field which has a running track marked on it. As I hadn’t run for about 7 months I had decided to re-do the couch to 5K again to get my mind set on running again.

To day I was running on the pavement and my last 90 second run I finished on the playing field. I even included a slight elevation to the run by running up a low gradient hill. I had noticed the difference in my running. On the pavement I had paced myself, especially as I had never really run up a hill before. I felt less out of breath and I found myself running slightly further.

I have now found myself a nice little route to run which incorporates the pavement with my final 90 seconds on grass.

What types of ground are people running on and have they noticed the difference in their running?

Happy running 🏃‍♀️

[UnfitNoMore Graduate]

I run mainly on trails or grass and occasionally on tarmac. For the same effort level in slightly faster on the tarmac, but I prefer a trail run regardless. Grass is nice and soft, usually, and so lowers the impact, but then the price for that is it feels a little harder and uses more energy.

[Scouser67 Graduate]

I used to run around a reservoir which I loved as it was away from cars and it is less impact on grass, etc. As I have moved and have started the programme again I have been trying to find routes and I noticed there is a difference in the way I run.

[BaddieThePirate Graduate]

I run on a total mixture. I find trail shoes make it harder to run on tarmac but are super on wet skiddy mud. I find if someone puts a hill in the way my time can increase by over a min per km or more. I'm careful on uneven ground as I found out I break if I fall over, so that slows me down. Flat, dry, even surfaces are much faster but I like 'off road'.