Planning W9r2!!!

[stayinbed]

I'm using Google maps to work out a run that will take me the best part of 5K although, for some reason, the route I ran on Monday seems to be the 'easiest' and furthest so may end up sticking with that one! Must get to bed early. I feel as if I'm the first person to do W9....how silly is that when hundreds have done it already (if not thousands!).

[Lane]

Aaah thousands may have completed week 9 before, but nobody with your 'story' has completed it and you are unique. Enjoy your moment.

[stayinbed Graduate]

Thank you Lane, so true!

[Legion Graduate]

Does Goodle maps give you any info about gradients? How do you use it to plot a run? I'd really like to plan a run for W9,R3 that isn't going to floor me with a 'hill' when I'm already struggling.

[stayinbed Graduate in reply to Legion]

OK Legion,you'll love it, it's soooo clever. I've not checked for gradients but that's on my 'to do' list! Put in google maps + click. A map should come up now, and you put ur postcode in to get the right area. Cllick on Maps Labs which is at the bottom on the left hand side (in small print). You should get a 'distance measurement tool', it's the top option. Click to enable it and save changes.There will be a line about 1" long at the bottom left side of the map with 1,000'+ 200m on it, and a tiny vertical ruler will appear to the left of this. Click on this ruler and you click either 'metric' or English. Sadly, we have to use metric! Then click on the map and your start point will come up. You can zoom in + out at any stage, and your distance comes up on the left side as you go! I've found that you need to click fairly often on bends and not so often on straight roads, otherwise I think you sell yourself short. I hope this makes sense and works. It'll be worth its weight in gold. Hope you enjoy it! Let me know if you have any problems. Probably a techie could tell you how to do this in less than 50 words!!

[Legion Graduate in reply to stayinbed]

Brilliant tool, thanks for the spot on instructions. Just mapped out a local 5K run, over streets I'm all too familiar with. It was really hard to fit in 5K without running same roads again, but managed to keep it (and hills!) to a minimum. Now I'm going to try to find a prettier route for my graduation run on Sunday.

[Soozz Graduate]

Hope it goes well, and that no unexpected hills appear! Fingers crossed, you're so nearly there!

[stayinbed Graduate in reply to Soozz]

Thanks Soozie, it went well apart from the fact that I just felt so tired and my left knee hurt from dodging the cycllists puddles on the canal path but that's another story! Hope you're feeling better now xxx

[Soozz Graduate in reply to stayinbed]

Thanks, not running for a few days to try and get my mojo back but I will be back! Glad your run went well. Only 1 run left, woo hoo!! Well done.

[stayinbed Graduate in reply to Soozz]

Thanks Soozz, you're very brave and I know you WILL get your mojo back. Look forward to seeing your progress!

[notbad Graduate]

Great going stayinbed, don't know about you but I'm finding this W9 a real slog - so near & yet so far. Have been using Google maps after reading your blog & finding it really good, I do have to click quite a few times for curves etc but not hard at all, also really satisfying to zoom out and see that red route from high above.

[stayinbed Graduate in reply to notbad]

I'm so glad it's not just me! For r3, I may try to find a route that doesn't include the killer upslope! Like you, I've been so near and so far, I really would like to go out with a bang on Friday!!!! I do agree notbad, Google maps is a real help!