North East Running

Check out the route on Strava: -  https://www.strava.com/routes/27721777 Route starts in Durham City Centre - parking during the day is a pain - probably best to pick a public carpark. But if early in the morning, on the road around DH1 3HL  is OK. The first 2km winds its way along the river past the student playing fields. The next 9km is a blatant steal of the tracks used for the Durham TrailOutlaws running event. Even people who have lived in Durham for years don't know these paths exist and they are fantastic twisty, up and down trails through beautiful woodland. At the half way stage the route goes through farmer fields around Hett. There is then 3km, mostly downhill, along the A167 before cutting back through Low Burnhall nature reserve, through the Houghall woods and then back along the river to Durham. A great run - mainly on trail paths with plenty of ups and downs. Selected photos... Some great running tracks along the River Wear around Durham City Centre ...

Check out the route on Strava: -  https://www.strava.com/routes/25251980 I parked in Hadrian Park, Wallsend on a side street (approx NE28 9RT ). Then it's a nice gentle downhill for 8km or so all of the way to Whitley Bay. At Whitley Bay you'll hit the coast and the next 8km are as nice a run you'll get anywhere - along the coast past beautiful beaches and priories and piers until you wind your way around to the North Shields fish quay. Finally, the finish is a bit of a tester, uphill along old wagon ways until you have done the HM distance. Selected photos... Long sands beach - Tynemouth Tynemouth pier North Shields memorial statue remembering the town's fishing history Popeye graffiti down by the fish quay Strava Segment of note: Beverley Terrace Mile South - almost 5000 Strava runners have done this mile along the coast  Interesting links : Read about Tynemouth Priories history - from 1200 years ago having to fight off viking attac...

Everyone knows the answer to the miles vs kilometres question is clearly 'kilometres'. But why is there still a 50-50 split of runners that choose one or the other? There is nothing worse than sitting down to watch a 'How to run a faster 5k' video on youtube only to hear the person start talking in what your splits should be for each mile! A mile is 1760 yards. Originally defined as the left foot of a Roman soldier hitting the ground 1,000 times when they marched . So even though the majority of running races are measured in metres and kilometres from 100m up to 10K, why are miles still a thing? Three reasons why kilometres are better : The majority of running races can be split nicely into kilometres. Obviously 5K and 10K. But even 5mile races can be split into 8km (+40m) and a 10mile is 16km (+80m). Half marathons are close to 21km (+100m) and a full marathon 42km (+200m). So when calculating splits and working out pace it easier to do. A kilometre is shor...

In 2015 I decided I wanted to see how fast I could run 5k rather than just plod around the streets to keep the beer belly off. I'd played football competitively when younger and had a good starting place from a fitness point of view. In 2015 was hitting around 22:30 (trying to hit 4:30 every km) but then with a bit of determination and a few attempts I got it down to 21:43. Five years later I had got this down to 17:51. The yearly improvements had been: 2015 - 21:43 2016 - 19:55 2017 - 18:59 2018 - 18:26 2019 - 18:00 2020 - 17:51 This blog post is a bit of a long read - but it gives some tips on how I improved my times. From - March 2015 - 5km in 21:43 (4:21/km pace) To - Feburary 2020 - 5km in 17:51 (3:34/km pace) (First things first, if you haven't done exercise for a while - you need to get to a place where you can run 5km without stopping - if you are a complete beginner see the Couch to 5k initiative - then return to this blog post :) ) So, I'd...

Check out the route on Strava: -  https://www.strava.com/routes/28723869 I parked on a side street next to Swalwell Cricket Club NE21 6JA . Run all of the way up the converted railway track to Rowlands Gill. Once through the town then you go off right climbing up through 100m of elevation through Chopwell Woods. This loops back around Rowlands Gill, running by the side of the road for a while, before getting back on tracks again to wind back along the River Derwent all of the way back to the car. Downhill all of the way home. Selected photos... Field full of Highland Cattle on way into Chopwell Woods Restored railway path and NCB coal truck in Chopwell Woods Look left when approaching Rowlands Gill to see the National Trust Gibside estate Winding back to the start there are some nice little sights Rowlands Gill - famous for its Red Kites (and I saw a real one too) Strava Segment of note: Hotel  - 1.66km, 7% average elevation, 111m, Climb cate...

Since 2020 I have been plotting running routes on Strava for my Sunday morning long runs. I've been trying to cover the areas from above the River Tyne down to around the River Tees. Check out the images of some of the routes below. Blog posts covering each route are linked to at the base of this post. North East Half Marathon Routes - from north to south : Holy Island loop The Cheviot Bamburgh Castle Blyth - Cullercoats return Wallsend to Whitley Bay loop Wallsend to Gosforth loop Wallsend to Tynemouth loop Wallsend to Newcastle loop River Tyne  (starting Newcastle city centre) Newburn to Prudhoe loop Swalwell to Chopwell Woods loop South Shields loop  (starting Temple Memorial Park) Jarrow to Durham Sunderland to Seaburn loop Herrington to Sunderland loop Washington Eighton Banks to Tanfield loop Derwent Reservoir Seaham Maiden Law loop Durham loop Durham riverside to Hett loop Croxdale to Willington loop Brandon to Crook loop Castle Eden Dene Hamsterley Fo...