Running Point-to-Point
Lots of runners do interval workouts, but most runners don’t run on a track for their workouts.
This is fine.
But there is a major benefit to running on the track: You start running at a line painted on the track and you end your interval at a line painted on the track. You can visually see your end point and you’re aware of how quickly you’re approaching it.
You’re not constantly checking your watch or waiting for it to beep. You have a visual goal to focus on (your finish line) which helps you mentally stay engaged. This makes the workout mentally easier.
You can bring this benefit to your road workouts by running point-to-point. Here’s how:
1. Marked Path
If you live near a park or walking path with distance markers, you can run from one marker to the next. This is by far the easiest option. Obviously you’ll have the most flexibility to do a variety of workouts if there are markers every 0.25mile, or every 0.5km. But even 1 mile or 1 km markers are useful for long intervals.
2. Set Your Own Start and End Point
Choose a starting point for your interval. This can be a specific tree, road sign, intersection, etc.
For your first interval, start the watch at your start point and run for the assigned distance or time (eg, 0.25mile, or 2min) at the assigned pace or effort.
Check your watch and when the interval is over, make note of your end point. If there is a specific tree or road sign close to your end point but not exact, that is completely fine. It should be something you can visually see from a ways away.
For the remainder of your intervals, run back and forth from your end point to start point, start point to end point.
For timed intervals, you won’t run the segment consistently in the same time. Your 2 minute intervals are not all going to be exactly 2 minutes, especially if the wind is pushing you in one direction, or if one direction is net uphill. But it’s going to be close enough and the training effect will be the same.
**For safety, choose a route for the distance of your interval that doesn’t have any intersection crossings.
Loop workout in Gallup Park, Ann Arbor MI
3. Use an Existing Loop or Route
When you’re running in a park or neighbourhood, try to notice loops that might work for intervals and then create the workout using the loop.
Today I used a loop in Gallup Park that was 0.45mile. Remember that anytime you’re measuring distance with your Garmin or GPS watch you’re getting an estimated distance, so don’t stress if the distance of your loop isn’t a nice round number.
I’ve done lots of half-mile repeats and this loop is almost the same distance, so it wasn’t hard to decide what the workout should be. I did tempo-effort repeats with 1min jog recoveries (shown as the green/blue loops through the parking lot)
Read more on this topic: Your Neighborhood Training Grounds
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