Download your copy of the up to date winter run routes here:
- Runs
- Thursday Night Training Groups Thursday night runs which start at 7.00 pm sharp give Harriers the opportunity to do steady pace runs of between 6 and 8 miles with specific built in shorter routes for those who do not wish to do the full run distance. There is also the option of running the last approximate mile at a significantly faster pace for those who want to, finishing at the footpath after Station Road West with a final 650 metres approximate warm down back to Birleys. There is a wide range of running abilities within the club and we normally split into three pace groups. The middle group is invariably the largest of the three and has the widest range of standards. On occasion the coach/leader for the evening may decide to offer the option of a further “in between group” for the slower runners within this middle group if numbers allow and an experienced Harrier can be found to lead them. It is important for individual runners to choose a group which reflects their current level of fitness and running ability as this will make it easier for them to maintain contact with that group. The coach/leader on the evening will take responsibility for the main “Middle” group and will seek to identify leaders for the other groups before runners set off from Birleys. Individual group leaders will continuously monitor their own group and will carry out loop backs as and when required to allow time for the runners at the rear of the group to catch up if they have fallen behind and also to give them a little bit of time to recover before the group sets off again.Those members who are running comfortably within their group are encouraged to actively jog around during the regrouping phases.
As a general guide the approximate pace of each of these four groups is:
Improvers @ 9.30 – 10.00 minute mile pace approximately
In-between group (if numbers permit this group to be
formed) @ sub 9.00 minute pace approx.
Middle Group @ sub 8.30 minute pace approx..
Fast group @ 7.30 minute pace approx..
Always loop back for slower runners when requested to do so by the group leader as we do not want to leave any runner behind on the route and do become familiar with our four main winter running as routes set out below.
Please note that if you believe that you would not be able to sustain a 10 minute mile pace over the distances involved you should come along to the club Tuesday sessions only until you feel that you are able to run confidently at the Improver group pace. In the summer (between April and September) the routes can vary and focus on off road trails and routes, going westwards along the Stour Valley Walk or up on the North Downs Way or north and east to Tyler Hill, Broad Oak, Sturry and Fordwich. In the winter the routes are around the city . We have the following winter routes, as drawn up by Gerry Reilly and Steve Clark , with maps (each in size of 150-220KB) obtainable via the icons on the right:
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- Route A (medium/tough – Approx 7.35 miles, Approx 400 metres of ascent) :Birleys Sport Pavilion – St Stephens Close – St Stephens pathway – Beverley Inn – Beaconsfield Road – Forty Acres road – London Road –underpass – Rheims Way – Aldi – underpass – city wall – footbridge to East Station – footpath to Lansdown Road – Nunnery Fields – South Canterbury Road – through hospital to Nackington Road – to top Old Dover Road – New Dover Road –St Augustines Road – footpath alongside back of Canterbury College – Spring Lane – Longport – Burgate – circuit of Cathedral – King Street – Knotts Lane – St Radigunds – Causeway – cross roundabout to Station Road West – under railway bridge – footpath to St Stephens Close – Birleys Sport Pavilion.
- Route B (easy / medium – Approx 7.5 miles, Approx 150 metres ascent) :
Birleys Sport Pavilion – St Stephens Road – Broad Oak Road – Vauxhall Road – Sturry road – Reed Avenue – Shelley Avenue – Forrester Close – Footpath to Brymore Road -Council offices – Law Courts – North Holmes Road – St Martins Hill – Spring Lane – Pilgrims Way – Barton Road – New Dover Road – Old Dover Road – Nackington Road – Hospital – South Canterbury Road Nunnery Road – Oxford Road – footpath to Hollowmede- Hollow Lane – cross Wincheap – Simmonds Road – rejoin Wincheap – underpass to Castle Street – Beer Cart Lane – St Peters Street – St Peters Lane – Causeway – Station Road West – under railway bridge footpath to St Stephens Close – Birleys Sport Pavilion. - Route C (easy/medium – Approx 6.4 miles, approx 200+ metres ascent) : Birleys Sport Pavilion – St Stephens Road – cross to back of Kingsmead Pool – over bridge – through Sainsburys Car Park Northgate – footpath to ring road – Military Road – Law Courts – St Martins Road – North Holmes Road – Littlebourne Road – Spring Lane – Pilgrims Road – Pilgrims Way – Mount Road to top of New Dover Road – Old Dover Road – Nackington Road – Hospital – South Canterbury Road – Nunnery Fields – Lansdown Road – footpath to East Station – Pin Hill footbridge – Castle Row – Castle Street – St Margarets Street – circuit of Cathedral – King Street – Knotts Lane – St Radigunds – Causeway – Station Road West – under railway bridge – footpath to St Stephens Close – Birleys Sport Pavilion.
- Route D (medium / tough – distance 6.5 miles appr, approx 300 metres ascent) : Birleys Sport Pavilion – St Stephens Road – footpath alongside St Stephens Church / Birleys Field – Farleigh Road – Tenterden Drive – The Terrace – Manwood Avenue – St Stephens Hill – Giles Lane – Parkwood Road to outdoor sports centre – loop round Parkwood Estate – footpath to main University Sport Centre – Giles Lane – Whitstable Road – Whitstable Hill – Clifton Gardens – Harcourt Drive – Westgate Court Avenue – Fisher Road – footpath to Victoria Hotel – cross London Road – footpath to Queens Avenue – Whitehall Bridge – Whitehall Gardens – St Dunstans – Kirby Lane – Station Road West – under railway bridge – footpath to St Stehens Close – Birleys Sport Pavilion(Option longer run = London Road – Rheims Way -Castle Street- Cathedral – St Radigunds – Causeway)
