One of the reasons I chose to start running rather than another form of exercise (to begin with) is that it requires no specialist facilities. There is no running court I need to book and pay for, no club I am obliged to join, no requirement to find someone to run with (though I would recommend the latter).

However, there are options when it comes to picking a route (or routes) to run, and choosing well might make the difference between sticking with the running and losing interest (and then giving up). I’ve been running before in places that I chose badly and have not usually lasted long. Lessons have been learned though, and I’m now more conscious that I need to be more discerning about where I go.

Key things to look for in a good running route are:

• Incline
  Do you want to run uphill? Downhill? On flat ground? Gradients are likely to be one of the first limiting factors when you come to picking your routes.
• Surface
  Some surfaces are significantly better than others. Concrete has little to no “give” and may cause knee or shin problems. Tarmac is better. Grass has plenty of give and therefore is easier on your joints and legs, however you may find running on grass slightly harder work. Dirt tracks are pretty good in my limited experience.
• People
  Personally, I dislike running when there are a lot of people around. If you are similar and prefer to run when it’s quiet, try to find a route that is quiet when you want to run. Almost everywhere is quiet in the early morning.
• Shelter
  Exposed areas may be harder both to run in and to motivate yourself to run in. Hove seafront has this problem - it has absolutely no shelter, so rain and wind can be serious problems. My other route is far more sheltered from wind, however, and running is easier there on windy days.
• The View
  Running on a track is rubbish - it’s dull and repetetive. Equally, running somewhere visually unappealing or uninspiring is not going to help you to get up and get moving. I’ve been running on the seafront and through a quiet park/valley so far, and both of these are wonderful places to run in the morning. They make me want to get up and get out. Some people may find Rocky-style neighbourhoods to their tastes; others may enjoy the inner city feel of apartment blocks and dumpsters - wherever you run, try to make sure it is somewhere you can be relaxed while running.