Your Neighbourhood Training Grounds
I used to run on a track regularly — two track workouts a week, every week, for years. But twice a week turned into almost never when I retired from professional running and became a mom.
The tracks near me are either fenced and locked, or only open to public on evenings and weekends. And the only track I know that’s always open is a 30 minute drive away.
But with the help of mappedometer.com and my Garmin watch I’ve been able work with what I have right in my neighbourhood streets.
Finding Your “Track”
A 400m or quartermile loop isn’t high priority for long distance runners, but can still be useful for occasional short interval workouts. For runners like me who enjoy interval training but don’t hit the track, finding a loop of approximately track distance nearby is super helpful.
To start your search, either rack your brain or pull up mappedomter with the goal of finding a short circuit that:
1) doesn’t involve any street crossings
2) is on a quiet street with low traffic
3) is relatively flat (although a loop with a hill is great in addition!)
4) is within 2-3miles of your home so you can get there by jogging your warmup
This is a screenshot of a loop I mapped out on mappedometer.com. You can see it’s pretty close to 1/3 of a mile.
The loop does not have to be exactly 400m, but close to that is good. A circuit in a park or even in a large parking lot (provided it’s not usually busy with traffic) could work too.
My Neighbourhood Track(s)
Near my home there is a loop in a quiet cul-de-sac that is almost exactly 400m. There is another a long rectangular circuit that is about 3/4mile. I use the long one for half-mile and 1km intervals, and the other for quarter-mile repeats.
Although I can run intervals anywhere using my Garmin, there is something very helpful about knowing a specific starting and stopping point in a loop. Seeing landmarks gives me a good idea of how far I’ve run and helps with measuring effort effectively. There’s no need to constantly glance at the watch.
Point-to-Point Intervals
If there are no flat suitable loops you can find, point-to-point intervals are totally fine. It works well to mark the start and end point and repeat the same stretch of road for intervals for consistency, and for the same reason mentioned above: landmarks help you know where you’re at. You will be able to see the finish point. This makes it easier to measure your effort effectively.
Custom Workouts for Your Track
Something I love to do for myself (and for clients when possible) is create workouts for a specific location. For example, if a client had a 0.4mile loop available to them, I would design a workout with 0.4mile intervals instead of a much more standard half-mile interval workout. It makes sense to work with an existing loop. Same start and end point. Mentally it’s easier and it’s just more fun.
Repertoire of Routes
Aside from smaller loops for intervals, I recommend runners build a repertoire of running routes of different distances and different terrain - hilly and flat and mixed routes. Give these routes names and record where you ran in your training log. It’s useful to have go-to routes so you can sometimes leave the watch at home but still know the distance you covered.
I usually name routes based on a main road or landmark in the route but you can name your routes however you want.
Some of the routes I use and their names:
Farmer (4 miles)
The Loop (5.5 miles)
275 (5 km)
Bradner (6 miles)
Campground (4 miles)
For longer runs I just pick one of the above runs and add on to it, or do an out/back.
Nicole Sifuentes is a full-time Running Coach for adults of all ages and abilities. She is a former professional runner and 2-time Olympian, and Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist. Read more about her services, and schedule your free coaching consultation.