It seems most of us here prefer road running/cross country, but I was wondering if many of you also go to the track on occasion. I've always wanted to get back on a track (when I was a teenager I much preferred track to cross country), but not sure I want to spend the money on spikes and risk injury by not recognising the differences. Also, I'm curious to know if people tend to run faster times on a track. I'm not someone who easily gets bored running in circles etc. I generally run the same route on the roads week in week out. I like the consistency. Anyway, anyone's thoughts on track running would be appreciated. I'm guessing it would be really good for interval training, since its easier to keep note of distances etc.

I tend to train on the track once a week during the winter, just so that I'm running accurate distances and can compare times to see where I'm at fitness-wise. Most runners tend to be quicker on the track over similar distances.
Still love to run through mud the rest of the week though!!

I'm due to start speed work on the track on Saturday, can you tell me if this is a good way to improve stamina, or is road running better? - I've never run on track before, so will be a novelty.

Jo

Track running is what brought me into running in the first place. Every summer revolved around track training. I was lucky to live within a mile of the nearest track, so it was very convenient (I practically lived there!)... Although in those days it was an ordinary cinder track which, in wet weather, turned into a muddy cross-country course.

These days, since almost all track surfaces are synthetic, many runners do their sessions in racing flats or lightweight trainers; so spikes aren't an essential piece of kit. Actually, I've known of several runners who use racing flats for longer-distance track races (3k - 10k).

Track times are potentially quicker; but it doesn't always work out that way... My fastest 10K is on the road, and my fastest 5K is on the track.
But generally, I think that all the World's fastest times (certainly up to 10K) have been run on the track?

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GONE RUNNING