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Track FAQ

Coming to the track sessions may seem daunting for beginners and it needn't be, here we'll try to give you the basic information that many people wonder about when starting off.

Groups

The track schedule is organised by groups - we have 4 with group 1 being the fastest and group 4 the slowest.

Which group?

The groups are just a way of helping you find a suitable running pace for the different sessions. This means that you are only 'in' a group if you want to be - and just as important you can be in whichever group you want! Following on from that, you can change which group you're in to suit you.

Perhaps you normally run to a group 3 schedule, you're recovering from injury or just don't feel on form - well then you're in group 4! Simple.

So what group should you start off in? If you've not run before, group 4 would be a good bet - you can see how you go and then decide whether to try the next group up. The nice thing about the track is that it's never far to get back to the car if you overcook it. If you have run before then the following would be a good guess of which group to run with based on a 10Km race time:

Group10Km Race Time In Minutes
1 Less than 40
2 40 to 50
3 50 to 60
4 Over 60

Track Etiquette & Safety

When you're running on the track there are a couple of simple rules to follow - these are really just common sense to make sure that everyone has a safe and enjoyable session:

  • Only run in one direction - anti-clockwise.
  • If there is a time trial taking place, keep the inside lane free.
  • If you are running as part of a large group, keep the inside lane free.
  • If you are a beginner and are still getting used to the sessions, it's best to keep the inside lane free.
  • If in doubt, keep the inside lane free!
  • Don't suddenly change lanes without a quick glance over your shoulder.
  • If you are are gaining on a group who are blocking your progress and you'd like someone to make room then shout 'track' in plenty of time.