The Best Running and Walking Routes For You To Try!

There are plenty of running and walking routes you can take, and the one you choose might depend on your mood, fitness goals, or your overall health. But which one's the — track, sidewalk, forest, grass, or trails?

Let's take a look at different running surfaces to understand which one will work best for you personally.

Sidewalk

This is the most obvious and easily accessible option for running or walking. Sidewalks are available practically everywhere. If you don't have any sidewalks near you, you could run on the road. However, be careful to avoid oncoming traffic. Also, note that it's only safe to run against traffic.

Running on concrete might be pretty tough on your joints and, as a result, it could lead to degeneration or arthritis. To minimize the risks, choose shoes that fit comfortably and provide the necessary cushioning. Also, sidewalks are usually close to grass, so you could also switch from concrete to grass to protect your joints.

Forest Trails

This will put substantially less pressure on your joints. However, you should be more careful as you can encounter roots, rocks, and uneven ground that could make you land at an angle. When running in the woods, you need more concentration and balance.

If you plan to run on trails, you might need a weatherproof jacket, hat, hydration pack, GPS watch, and headlamp to stay safe.

Trail running is great for stabilizing your leg muscles, which helps prevent injuries during workouts.

You can improve your oxygen intake, resting heart rate, speed endurance, and race performance by exercising on trails.

Mountain Trails

Mountain running is one of the most challenging options. You need comfortable trail running shoes, a buff, sunglasses, and a backpack for a safe mountain run. Also, use sunscreen to protect your skin from UV rays.

Mountain training will strengthen your legs more than road running will. The interesting thing is that running downhill will do more for your strength than uphill running. It also challenges your coordination and balance, as the chances are that you'll need to work around a lot of rocks, roots, and steep inclines.

For safe mountain running, we recommend maintaining a quick cadence.

Walking in the mountains may also reduce stress and anxiety. Don't forget to enjoy the scenery!

Outdoor Tracks

Running on a track is the best way to improve your speed and endurance. Moreover, it's a safe option as the surface, usually rubber, is created specifically for fitness goals.

It's easy to track your performance and progress as tracks are usually ​​400-meter ovals. That means, you will know exactly how much you're run, and the time you spent doing it. It's perfect for tracking your speed and focusing on your fitness indicators, like heart rate or cadence.

However, training on a track might be a bit boring because of the constant circles and lack of scenery.

Sand

Walking and jogging on sand can add some diversity to your workout routine. Beach running is great for training your stabilizer muscles as you will get resistance from the pretty unstable sand surface. However, sand walking puts less stress on your joints and decreases the risk of potential injury. The soft sand surface may even reduce muscle soreness and fatigue.

Be careful not to injure your ankles by unintentionally rolling them. Also, the soft surface might be a bit tough on your Achilles tendon.

Running on sand makes you work about 10 percent harder than running on grass or pavement. That means, it's a great cardio workout with a perfect sea view!

Choose whichever option you prefer and just get going!