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Varying It Up: Routes

Boredom is probably the single greatest enemy to persistence in a workout plan. Within weeks, my daily walks helped get me physically and mentally healthier. Just as quickly, however, I realized I needed to vary the route I walked or would sooner quit. The same applied to my runs, bike rides, hikes, and everything else I did outdoors. I needed new trails, new terrain, different scenery, and trails of varying lengths as well.

map of Route created on Google Maps
Route created on Google Maps
Google Maps quickly became my friend in that regard. I used it to survey the area around me and find routes, and also to measure distances. It is indispensable when it comes to travel. I study my destination for routes and print out maps ahead of time. With that and my running or hiking gear packed, I have no excuses to skip a workout because of travel. Furthermore, running or walking is a fun way to explore and sight-see. You see a lot more than from a moving car.

Google Maps is also indispensable for planning long runs and bike rides. I mapped and completed bike rides up to 70-miles, and runs up to half-marathon length.

While I found many nice trails in my vicinity, those in my immediate neighborhood consisted of a lake with a single loop trail around it, connected to another loop on the far side of the lake that circles through a forest. With some creativity and a bit of time studying maps, I was able to concoct over a dozen different routes of varying lengths. Some ideas:
  1. Multiple laps: Reverse course after each lap to even out the impact of the terrain and weather on the body, and add variety.
  2. The Horseshoe: U-Turn on the other side of the lake before completing a lap.
  3. The Forest Loop: A big loop that includes the forest and the lake.
  4. The Lasso: Circle the forest then come back the same way. Several variations, of different lengths, are possible, depending on which side of the lake to take and which direction to circle the forest.
  5. The Figure 8: Circle the forest in the opposite direction to the lake. This is the longest single-lap course.
  6. The S- and Z-shapes: Trace a lasso, but at the point the trail re-joins the lake, turn around and retrace route.
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