Hi 4minutemiler,
Tha was was my experieince of proper off road running whilst I was recently o holiday in Scotland and I also got a bit lost - had to retrace my steps. Absolutely stunning countryside though.

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Getting ready for the GNR

Hi Steady,
There's no comparison for me.....i find road running monotinous,,dont get me wrong, it serves a purpose but there's so much more pleasure to be gained from off road...especially in woodland....the only downside is that (where i run) you have to constantly look at the floor to avoid roots/rocks/ruts etc. which do you prefer, twisted ankle or shin splint?

Hi do you find that when you run on the roads you hurt more than when you do off road? Thats definatley been my experience not sure why i would of thought it'd be the other way round.

Stotty I think that is quite normal and thats why many physios recommend off road running. Concrete pavements has a hight impact on your joints and copupled with the repetitive action of running can increase the risk of injury. With off road running the ground is more uneven so your feet move around mre but generelly this can strengthen your ankles.....unles you have a problem in this area.

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Getting ready for the GNR

No i dont thank god not yet anyway ha!

I agree - you do get thrown around a bit off-road which makes you build strength in areas that dont get get so much of a workout on the road. It can be a bit of a shock to the system when you start though....and you get used to scanning the ground really quickly for obstacles