Running doesn’t all have to be about “training”. And it definitely doesn’t all have to be on the road. The countryside is where much more fun can happen.
Road and pavement is the right environment for when your session involves the need for outright speed or a quick tempo training run, as it gives consistency and as long as you avoid the potholes you’ve got a nice steady surface which means you needn’t turn your ankles. But if you just want to breathe in the air, slow the pace down, take in the scenery and find a bit of peace and quiet whilst still getting your necessary dose of good exercise, get out in the country and set enjoyment as your priority. I’m lucky to live in Kent, and whilst it may be arguable nowadays as to whether it still deserves it’s famous “Garden of England” tag, it is still a fact that in most of Kent, you don’t need to travel far from your front door to find plenty of unspoiled and tranquil countryside. And although it’s a densely populated county, once you get off the road and head onto footpaths, fields and woodland you don’t meet very many people. If you’re not in any hurry, the unpredictable underfoot conditions you may encounter only add to the feeling that compared to road running, this is a very different experience. You may need to plunge your shoes into a bucket of soapy water at the end of it, but it’s worth it.
If all of that sounds too easy and a bit too much like fun, you can still use it as a hard work session if that’s what you want. It’s a perfect way to do fartlek sessions, where it becomes easier to combine the twin aims of putting in a mix of fast pace bursts and recoveries over a variety of distances and yet enjoying your surroundings as you go. You can work out a short cross country circuit for repetitions, and cross country runs are always good for building up stamina as the added resistance of the often challenging underfoot conditions give a good workout to muscles which are normally less stressed. If you aren’t too familiar with the off road routes in your neighbourhood, I recommend getting the Ordnance Survey “Explorer” map that covers your area. The best £8 you’ll ever spend, and I’ll talk a bit more about them another time. (Old blokes love maps!!!). So if you are lucky enough to live close to the countryside but haven’t yet ventured off the roads, what are you waiting for? Get out there !
next up (as promised) – on the subject of…..the explorer maps
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