As the new year approaches everybody makes a resolution to become the fittest version of themselves. It is almost a universal aim to work on our fitness. Running is one of the easiest and cheapest ways to improve your condition. Finding a running track near me was the first step towards achieving my fitness goals. This article will cover how to find the best running track near you.
Running Tracks Are the Cheapest Way to Get Healthy
Joining a gym can be costly. Not to mention the time commitment of going there, changing clothes. You need a personal trainer who can show you the proper exercises to work on for your goals. My biggest problem with gyms is how crowded they are just after work finishes. It is understandable that everybody wants to get the session out of the way before getting home from work, but this makes it difficult to get to the machines you want to in time.
Not all running is created equal. The surface you run on can do more damage than help. Running on hard surfaces such as pavement kills your knees. Of course if there isn’t a running track near you, you can wear specialized running shoes for hard surfaces. Running compression socks for shin splints can undo some of the dame from hard surfaces.
I don’t like running on pavement, because I often have to get around walkers, or I am too close to cars. I have to stop at red lights. This breaks my stride, it can be really annoying especially if I am doing a tempo run.
Positives of Frequenting Running Tracks Near You
If you go to the best running track near you, exercising safely is a given. Another huge positive of running tracks is other runners frequenting them. With time you can meet other runners who can become your training buddies. It is easier to keep motivation up if you train together.
Some running tracks have even more facilities. Outdoor gyms are more and more common. These are great for putting in a short body weight workout to compliment your run. Maybe there is a soccer or basketball field next to the track. Instead of running, one day you might join a streetball game and make new friends while having a fun workout.
You might want to bring several layers of clothing to the running track. Running jackets are great for controlling your temperature and looking stylish at the same time. UV resistant running shorts protect you from the harmful sun rays. In the summer running sunglasses are a must. You can expect the sun to shine into your eyes at least for a part of the run. In the winter frozen fingers destroy your run completely. Get the best running gloves to protect your fingers.
Loosing weight is easy with running. Of course you need to be in the right heart rate zone for burning fat. This requires that you control your tempo with a running watch. On a running track you can hit just the right tempo without disturbance from anybody. You can mix in high intensity interval running, where you run high tempo for a short time before slowing down to catch your breath again.
By now you are convinced that finding a running track near you is the best thing that can happen. It is the key to your fitness goals. Now let’s find that running track.
Finding a Running Track Near You
There are basically four places you can expect to find a running track:
- A community park
- Bank of a lake or river
- Local schools or colleges
- Fitness Clubs
Community parks usually have a short, 400-800 meter running track covered with the right surface for public use. With a quick Google search you can find these parks. With the location and name of the track, usually a rating is included too. These give you a quick hint about the condition of the park. Some running tracks are closed for the night. If this is the case, the opening hours will be visible on the Google page. You might find a phone number too where you can ask for further information.
Lakes and rivers in city areas present a perfect scenery. Usually there is a small part of the shore created for runners. In these areas tourists can walk next to the running track, where runners work out enjoying the beauty of the city. As you might imagine these tracks tend to be crowded in the summer, but they are still a great way for working out.
The biggest fitness clubs have a running track. In some cases it is an outdoor track, in others and indoor facility. I have even seen a running track on top of the building. This is a great use of space after all. Even boxing or rowing clubs can have a track. It is normal for gyms to ask for a fee to use their running track. In return, you get a well kept running track near you in great condition. Not to mention you can change, have a shower or use the wellness area after your run. Sometimes soccer clubs have a running track somewhere in their training facility. These might be open for the public.
Local schools and colleges might be your best shot of finding the best running track near you. They might be closed in the evening so make sure you do a quick Google search before going. Some colleges might ask you to sign up their running club in exchange for using the facilities. This usually comes with a small fee. They might restrict the time you can train to not interrupt school practices.
Finding Public Running Tracks
These are the cheapest options. You have to do your research, as most universities open their tracks to the public. Usually these are open after 4 or 5 pm, when the college track team practice is over. With a simple Google search you can find public running tracks near you in any major city.
Some examples:
London public tracks: https://www.runnersguidetolondon.co.uk/london-athletics-tracks.html
New York park running tracks: https://www.nycgovparks.org/facilities/runningtracks
Washington: https://washington.org/visit-dc/top-running-spots-in-around-washington-dc
Read here our in-depth guide to running tracks in Washington.
How about the best running tracks in Los Angeles?
Click here to check out the best running tracks in San Francisco.
Best App for Finding a Running Track
There are a dozen of running apps that track distance covered, speed, heart rate, everything about your workout. But very few can help you find an actual place to work out.
Yelp is the best app for finding a running track near you. If you search by city, you will get the best public tracks at your location. You will also get recommendations about gyms with the best tracks. Users even rate the locations, so you know how friendly the staff are, if you can use the changing rooms, or have access to a shower.
The Right Mindset
Running will be hard the first time you start. However you just have to take it day by day and keep on doing it. Don’t overdo it as you are starting out. There is no point in killing yourself and having to stop your training regime due to injury or overtraining. It might be a great idea to start with a beginner’s training program.
The great thing about running tracks is that you can control your training load easily. The number of laps you ran gives you a an accurate measure of your output.
If you are the only one on the track you can mix things up. Monotony is the enemy of motivation. You can run different parts of the track in different tempo. You can also turn and run a few laps in a different direction.
Some running tracks have a water tap next to it. There might even be a small shop if it is in a crowded enough area. However bringing your own refreshment is the best idea. After all, only you know what you like drinking after your workout. Read our review of the best water bottles to stay hydrated on the best running track near you.
No matter how much you exercise, which routine you follow, how great gear you have if you don’t have a great place for running. Finding a running track near you is the first step to starting a great workout routine.