RunPackGuides · 4 min read
How to plan a running route (for you or your group)
Plan a running route that’s the right distance, safe and enjoyable: loops vs out-and-backs, surfaces, crossings, lighting and routes for groups.
A good route makes a run easy to start and pleasant to finish. Here’s what to think about, whether it’s your usual solo loop or a route for a group of twenty.
Get the distance right
Most mapping apps and running apps let you draw a route and show the distance. Or run it once with GPS on your phone, and you’ll know for next time. Round the distance to something easy to remember.
Loop, out-and-back or point-to-point?
- Loop: new scenery all the way; a short loop repeated works well for groups of mixed pace.
- Out-and-back: easiest to adjust: turn round early if you need to. Faster runners naturally meet slower ones on the way back.
- Point-to-point: the most interesting, but you need a way home.
Surfaces and hills
Parks, towpaths and trails are softer and quieter than pavements. Decide whether you want hills, and put the big one where you’ll be fresh.
Safety
- Few road crossings, and use lights where you can.
- Lit and busy routes for early mornings and evenings in winter.
- Tell someone your route if you’re running somewhere new alone.
Water and toilets
For longer runs, note where you can get water or a toilet: parks, cafés and petrol stations along the way.
Routes for groups
Wide paths, natural regroup points (a gate, a bridge, a car park) and a short loop at the end for anyone who wants more. More in how to lead a group run.
Keep your routes
Record your runs and you’ll build a library of routes. RunPack records the route with your iPhone’s GPS, saves it to Apple Health, and can share it with your crew (route maps for the crew come with RunPack Plus). Your friends get ideas for their next run. See how a crew works.