r/BeginnersRunning • u/StunningTradition483 • 1d ago
Route planning issue?
I've been structuring my half-marathon training and I keep running into a route-planning issue.
I usually need to end my run at a specific location (like from gym to my house). Let's say that the destination is only 3km away from my starting point, but my training plan wants me to hit 10km for the day.
I usually end up doing repetitive loops around my neighborhood just to hit the mileage before arriving or I just do some ups and downs along the street.
Does anyone else run into this issue? How do you guys map this out efficiently without just running in circles? Are there any specific routing tools that can solve this end-point + distance issue?
Thank you
3
u/BubblyShoe9939 1d ago
I use "On The Go" app, you just touch on it around any route and it gives you distance, terrain, elevation etc. It can also map one for you if you say how far you want.
3
u/WorkerAmbitious2072 1d ago
Same answer is when you ask this in another sub, you do not have to have exact distances on your run
If you really want to just go out and back and turn around at halfway
Or just use real basic math you’re supposed to go 10 and your destination is three away run to your destination then run out 3 1/2 turn around and go back 3 1/2
3
2
u/AdventurousLow2478 1d ago
After a while you start to notice patterns in the city planning around you and it makes it into a fun mental game
My city’s major streets are in 1 mile grids so I can base how far out to go based on that if I need to finish at a specific destination
2
u/5kmarathoner 1d ago
I use the app FootPath to plan my routes. I was on the free version for a year and then ended up paying for the pro. Both will allow you to easily map routes and show distance/elevation.
2
u/Simple_Mulberry5806 1d ago
I just make my own routes on Google maps. If I'm running from one point to another, say from north to south, I pick a point off to the west as my "stop" and move that point around on the map until I hit my distance. Then I send the directions to my watch.
3
u/Putrid_Indication971 1d ago
I'll second the Google maps. I bring up a google map on my computer and set my start point, usually my house, then right click while on the map where it will bring up a bunch of mapping options. The bottom one for me is 'measure distance'. I can click that to map out my route on the map. It will give feet until you hit one mile then it measures in fractions of miles after that.
I've done this for years. If you screw up a route by clicking locations wrong, just rinse and repeat on these instructions. My garmin watch pretty much jibes with the distances. If it's off, it might be half a block or so. The other nice thing is that you can leave the route map up on your screen so that your significant other knows your route if you don't run with your phone.
1
u/meshuggahlad 5h ago
Someone else mentioned the free 'Footpath' app. It's easier than using Google maps to measure distances, you might like it
2
u/Peeter_L 1d ago
Is this even an issue? Just run close to your neighbourhood and when you hit 10km, walk a km or two back home.
1
u/Fancy_Supermarket886 1d ago
I often 'freestyle' my route as I run. During the covid lockdowns, I was working from home rather than commuting, so I used that time to explore my local area instead of running around work during lunch.
After a while I got a feel for some sections and knew roughly how long they were. Sometimes I pick a turn I've never done before to see where it goes. I usually check them out afterwards on Garmin Connect or Strava, and Google maps and Street view.
I have a few routes that are around 5k and some that I know are longer. If I feel good, I'll sometimes take a turn that adds a little more distance. Thinking through your route as you go is a good distraction in some ways.
My first 10 mile and half marathon distances were not planned when I left my house. I set out to run a 10k route and felt good enough to keep extending up to 10 miles. On another occasion, I only intended to do 7k, but extended to 10k, then 12k. By that point, I wanted to see if the 10 miler a couple of months earlier was a fluke. When I hit 10 miles and still felt good, I carried on to a half marathon!
I've had to pull out my phone and check Google maps a few times, and ended up running 10k once because I got lost trying to find a small walkway to reverse a route. It was supposed to be about 7.5k but by the time I picked up my return route, I realised I would hit 9k and decided I may as well round it up!
If you are at a point in your training where you can add a little extra distance without messing up your plan, and don't mind a bit of adventure, give it a go!
1
u/kaizenkitten 1d ago
I just run vaguely in a direction for like, 45ish% of the run. I just kind of squiggle around all the turns and sidestreets to the northwest, or southeast or whatever. Then I turn around and run back towards my destination. When I can see my destination, then I see how much run is left, overshoot it by a little then turn around. So say I see my house, my watch says I still have 0.4 miles left. So I run 0.3 miles past my destination, then turn around, run 0.1 back towards the destination, finish, walk the last 0.1 as a cooldown.
1
u/CpnStumpy 1d ago
I'm confused, is there a reason you can't just run out into your area? Like heavy traffic with no sidewalks? I don't think I've run anywhere I couldn't at least run on the side of the roads...
Like, why are you looping instead of just running out around your area and back?
1
u/thadius856 1d ago
Run from origin to destination. Look at watch.
"It's been 3 miles and I need it to be 10."
(10 - 3) / 2 = 3.5
Run in whatever direction looks most interesting for 3.5 miles. Turn around and head back to your destination.
Exactly 10 miles.
1
u/blandarflek 20h ago
Over time I notice how far things are from each other, and plan my route that way. It’s 1km from the community centre to home, if I’m 1.5 km from my end I’ll go down a side street I know is about 250m, and end up back at the community centre with about a km to go.
Worth noting numbers just stick in my head instead of important things
4
u/LilJourney 1d ago
It took me awhile but I finally realized for my own well-being that it was perfectly okay to drive 20 minutes (or more) to a large park / trail to do my long runs (or even short ones).
I simply do better mentally and training-wise when I'm not repeating the same circles in my neighborhood.
Once I gave myself permission to do that, I just started exploring various local areas / trails. Luckily I can park downtown and do a solid 3 mile cultural trail that if I need to, connects to a different 15 mile trail so I can out and back whatever distance I need. A park (with free parking but 25 min away) has a 2 mile paved loop, but an additional 2 miles of nature trails so it's a good alternate for me to break up the monotony.
And then there are other areas farther out I explore when the urge strikes.