No Track. Where do I do my speedwork?

I lucked out years ago at a YMCA, where I did all my running in the hundreds of surrounding acres, including farmers' fields and on stretches of asphalt, with no traffic. The father-in-law of a fellow YMCA member measured skid marks and such at accident sites for the police dept. I borrowed the man's wheel and measured every possible trail, including the perimeter distance around one particular field.

With all the precise measurements, I was able to run any interval distance needed, including shorter stretches for speedwork and hill repeats. The repeat loops, of varying distances, were fun, and not as tedious as track workouts could be.

Mind you, I was running road races, not track races.

Getting that measuring wheel was the key.

I used to go to the track but the only accessible one often had soccer, field hockey, etc., going on inside the track. I "discovered" a local park and a couple soccer fields. One loop is 600 meters according to GPS watch and it's easy to divide or multiply it up for 200, 300, 400, 600, 800, 1200 meter intervals. I can connect it up with the perimeter of a nearby baseball field and make a one lap 1000m course as well. Now, I never want to go back to the track.

FitzyXC wrote:

If you mean actual speed work (like, top-end speed work), then do hill sprints and fast strides down a GENTLE decline (so it isn't jarring). Downhill work is underrated I think in terms of being able to really get things moving ("free speed", if you will).

If you mean like 1000m repeats kind of speed work, then just do it by time and do it wherever the hell you want.

You can make your own track anywhere and run by time (The Timex Ironman Watch with countdown and count-up work great for fartleks and other time-based repeats), or run distance based on landmarks. Mailboxes, street signs, telephone poles are all good. Depending on where you are, street corners and utility poles will be set on a regular interval. If you want to get exact distances, figure out your stride length and mark out your desired distance (say 400m) with a rock, a stick, or be brazen and spray paint a mark on the road.

I'm not a stickler for precise distance so I'll use the GPS for 800 and up, and use telephone intervals for strides at the end of a long run. If I want the distance to be the same, I'll run back and forth although the odds and evens will be harder to compare because things aren't flat around here.

Big Red wrote:

When you are running the 800 on pure hate, are you remembering to run relaxed???

Of course. Pure Hate, as opposed to various unpure forms of Hate, entails being relaxed to maximize speed and endurance and domination.

Hop the fence if it's locked up. Go outside of school hours and your golden. You just have to be aware of the sports that could possibly lead to you not being able to use the track, like football, soccer, lacrosse, and of course track meets.

You do not need a track to run fast. Do your short fast intervals by time and effort or buy a garmin and do repeat Ks, miles, etc by GPS. Really no problem at all.

Pikachu

Jump on a bike, find a place and measure the distance. Pretty accurate.

Joining a hobbyjogger club just for the track access is not a good solution. It feels weird to blow past other runners at 5min pace and then do it again on the next interval while they trot along at 10min pace socializing in lanes 1-3. So much better alone or with similar ability runners.

Good tips so far. Thanks.

The ADs, coaches, and other administrative people I have contacted are unwilling to open their track other than when it's already open, which is extremely limited. I'm not special, just some random Joe off the street. They're not going to do me any favors.

GPS is not an option. I am poor and also do not know anyone who has a GPS device either. Judge if you want.

Running on time or by utility poles on the road or sidewalk is not an option. I need a precise distance to follow my program.

I'm not against jumping fences and dealing with being told to get off or threats of trespassing. When there's absolutely no authorized access to any of the tracks around, Pure Hate will jump fences.

I can afford a measuring wheel, 20 bucks or so. This seems to be the best option so far. I do have access to several large parks.

It's a bummer to have all these tracks nearby but not accessible. But Pure Hate will prevail.

no trax wrote:

Joining a hobbyjogger club just for the track access is not a good solution. It feels weird to blow past other runners at 5min pace and then do it again on the next interval while they trot along at 10min pace socializing in lanes 1-3. So much better alone or with similar ability runners.

Agreed.

AuntBee wrote:

800 On Pure Hate wrote:

Even though I live in a city with more than 5 high schools and two colleges with tracks, none of the tracks are accessible.

Where am I supposed to do my speedwork?

What have you done in this situation?

What other options are there besides using a measuring wheel to measure out distances at a park or something?

Kids today, I used to climb the fence at my local track (Larry rawson told me to, was my excuse).

Great reference ;)

You can afford a Garmin Forerunner 10. Make better decisions.

Pikachu wrote:

You do not need a track to run fast. Do your short fast intervals by time and effort or buy a garmin and do repeat Ks, miles, etc by GPS. Really no problem at all.

Pikachu

Yeah I really don't get what the issue is here. Go by time, buy a garmin, buy a measuring wheel, etc.

800 On Pure Hate wrote:

Even though I live in a city with more than 5 high schools and two colleges with tracks, none of the tracks are accessible.

Where am I supposed to do my speedwork?

What city? This will help us come up with some ideas.

Big John wrote:

800 On Pure Hate wrote:

Even though I live in a city with more than 5 high schools and two colleges with tracks, none of the tracks are accessible.

Where am I supposed to do my speedwork?

What city? This will help us come up with some ideas.

Riverside, California

I never thought of that. Better decisions, wow! I should decide to judge others to make me feel better about myself too. Thanks.

Regardless, GPS are not precise enough. I want to do 200 meter repeats not 195 or 205 meter repeats.

Just measure out a field with goggle maps that's what I do. Mine is a 1km loop and I've created my own hard packed trail from all the running. Google maps is 99.9% accurate, I've measured our local track at 400.1m and the parkrun course is 3.1 miles which was done with a wheel.

Another option I love is using audacity to clip songs to 2 minutes and make a playlist out of 2 minute songs so each time a new song comes on I start/stop the repeat. Don't even have to worry about a watch.

For 200m just use a measuring tape, will take a while but only once

For 200m just use a measuring tape, will take a while but only once