Running in Phoenix Park

Sainttoff

I went running at the weekend here for the first time, did 14 miles going from chesterfield av, up miltary hill and upper glen rd. But i notice majority of people going the other way round. My question is why do majority go the other way round and is my route more injury prone for long runs over 14 miles?

shels4ever

I doubt you'd get injured running in one direction, unless it was lots of track session in the same direction can have some problems, but for a long run i dont think there are too many sharp turns.

I know for my grass loop I have one short run with a lot of turns and i change direction on ever second lap. But for your run i cant see any problems there.

robinph

You just didn't notice any of the people running the same direction as you becasue, well they were running the same direction as you.

Sainttoff

Well i thought that, but when i finished i waited around for awhile and no sign! Thought it was just to do with the hills and the wind!

robinph

You have to do the same amount of hills whichever way round you go, I suppose they are a touch more gentle if you go the opposite way but the races go in the same direction as you went so does no harm to practice them.

superjosh9

I try to avoid running downhill which is known to cause shin splints - is it possible that they were avoiding running down any big hills - i've been there a few times, but not too familiar with the names etc.

plodder

On my ten mile circuit yesterday (not in Phoenix pk), there was a fairly large hill. It is steep on one side, which I prefer to run up, and a glorious 3 mile gentle down-hill the other side. It's much harder to run it the other way.

I think if I was running the length of Chesterfield Ave. I'd prefer to do it the same way, ie. run downhill towards the city centre.

hunnymonster

the camper (no idea if that's the correct spelling for the tilt of the road) is pretty bad in the Park so if you're running there a lot I would be inclined to vary the direction you run in.

robinph

hunnymonster wrote: »

the camper (no idea if that's the correct spelling for the tilt of the road) is pretty bad in the Park so if you're running there a lot I would be inclined to vary the direction you run in.

Camber.

robbicosta

Best to vary your runs anyway. I run regularly in the park and I tend to alternate the direction I run in as it maximises the variety of training.

superjosh9

true enough, good to vary. Wouldn't worry too much op - unless you hear screaming and the sound of wooshing water from a tidal wave, reckon your ok not following the others!

RacoonQueen

I go the way you go now(I think, I don't really know the names of the roads except for about ten seconds after reading a map), I used to go the other way and always thought that everyone was running in a different direction to me, then realised that I'm not going to see the people running in the same direction as me unless I'm uber fast or uber slow. Everyone has their favoured routes, last time I went the other way I ended up at the castleknock gate as I missed my turn and had to design a nice trail run for myself.