I am going loopy

After 20 years of r*nning I am starting to find that I prefer doing a loop to an out and back course.

How about you?

And why?

[for dut read either cut or do]

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Comments

  • Of course out and back has its advantages:

    It is hard to get lost.

    Then so does going loopy:

    You don't see the same thing twice.

     .

     .

    Feel free to start a couple of lists.

  • I like a out and back with a loop at the end. like a giant lollipop
  • Out and back:

    It is hard to get lost.
    It is easier to do an exact distance.

    Going loopy:

    You don't see the same thing twice.
    You can be spontanious.

  • Out and back:

    It is hard to get lost.
    It is easier to do an exact distance.
    Once you've run the 'out' part, you have no choice but to run back, thus eliminating potential laziness.

    Going loopy:

    You don't see the same thing twice.
    You can be spontanious.
    You can run the loop a couple of times and you'll only pass the same point twice but if you run an out and back more than once people could potentially see you pass up to 4 times and think you've gone a bit bonkers.

  • I'm with marshalini, the lollipop route seems to suit me best

    Out and back:

    It is hard to get lost.
    It is easier to do an exact distance.
    it's easy to give up short of the planned distance by turning round early

    Going loopy:

    You don't see the same thing twice.
    You can be spontanious.
    Once you're committed there might not be an option to shorten it if it's dreadful.

  • H.L

    If you have the right loop, you can cut back to home any time you find it too much.

    Out and back:

    It is hard to get lost.
    It is easier to do an exact distance.
    it's easy to give up short of the planned distance by turning round early
    Every half mile out will be a mile when you've finished.

    Going loopy:

    You don't see the same thing twice.
    You can be spontanious.
    Once you're committed there might not be an option to shorten it if it's dreadful.
    A long loop is only a short straight line home.

  • How narrow does a loop have to be before it becomes an out and back?
  • I think you need to do a bit more than cross over the road for it to be a loop.
  • Out and back's psychologically harder for me - you've run it once and felt ok, but second time around it feels sooo much harder because you're fatigued.

    Loopdy loop for me anyday.

  • I'm loopy, me.

    Actually, I do loops on loops so that I can add or remove them to run any number of distances.

  • Loops always, never been an out and back kinda guy.
    Kind of reminds me when I go shopping with the OH up and down the High St - come to think of it, dont like that either image
  • limperlimper ✭✭✭

    Another vote for being loopy.

    Lollipops are OK though.

    Or getting dropped off somewhere and then running home.

    Or out and back.

    Oh heck, ANY kinda getting-out-there is good image

  • I did a loop today. I wanted to do 12miles and did 12.42 according to my Garmin.
    From where I live in Lufbra, canal path, footpath over the big meadow, bridal path to Hoton, road to Barrow, paved footpath to Quorn, footpath to Woodthorpe and road back home.
  • when i initially started running i did a lot of out and backs, now i;ve merged my out and backs into a giant loop of the local area somewhat subconciously (if that makes sense). well my longer runs anyways.

    as for true looping a route, i;ve only done it once, it was quiet encouraging once i had completed the route, knowing exactly what to expect as i continued round again.

    i am one for seeing new things when i run, so i like to adjust where i run. i don't mind the potential of getting lost, i tend to suss the area out on map my run before i go anywhere.
  • I do a sort of zig-zag route. I run approx 3Ks out, turn up another road and run approx 2Ks back then turn again on yet another road and run 2-3Ks out again. Then I turn back another 3Ks then I end it with a loop round my immediate area of approx 5Ks. These distances can vary depending on how I feel on any one day.
  • I like point to point best but that does involve a lot of faff with the cars if both of us are going out running.  I usually do out and back one way and then out and back the other way (canal towpath) that way if I get too tired I haven't got a huge trek back to the start.  Sort of all over the place loopy loop if I'm setting off from home though.
  • Have I missed out on something? I only ever run loops! I once did an out-and-back race with nothing but a marshall stood where you had to turn round. It's never occured to me to run out and back really. If I like a loop and I fancy a change I'll run it in the opposite direction.

    I'm now tempted to try an out-and-back - question, do you just get to a point and turn round? I'd be most likely to go up the old railway lines as they go on for miles and miles and are more scenic than running through town, so no road to cross over or anything.

  • FreemersFreemers ✭✭✭

    Out and back means it is very tempting to cut it short, whereas once you are on a loop (or at least once you're more than half way round) you have to complete it.

    So I try and do loops except where I really have no choice - like the other weekend where I was on a loop but from (seemingly) out of nowhere a dog appeared and started running with me. I couldn't tell which house it had come from, and there was no one around. It was early in the morning too on a Sunday, so I didn't fancy knocking on doors and getting people out of bed. The dog wouldn't leave me, so I just decided to turn my run into an out and back and hope that on the way back it would find its home. Thankfully it did, but not before he'd run about 6 miles with me. It was a sheepdog so had boundless energy, and I certainly enjoyed having a four-legged running partner image

  • Hi Carrot,

    just run somewhere and then turn back on yourself as you;ve done already image i started by running along a trail we have where i live, The Tarka Trail. it runs between Ilfracombe - Braunton - Barnstaple and Bideford in north Devon. the trail covers some 40 miles i believe. lots of people use it for hiking, cycling and of course running. i used to run to a certain point then run back on myself, i'd pick out certain landmarks as my goals to increase my distances etc. naturally you get bored easily running along the same routes.luckily where i live it is scenic everywhere image

    at first i used it as it was free of traffic, fairly remote so you didn't have every tom dick and harry using it.Another reason i used it was never running out on the open roads before i was really conscious of people seeing me run, seeing me run only short distances and then cough up a furball from being so out of breath lol

    now i am happy for everyone to see my struggling efforts - not image, the old trail (out and back routes ) great confidence builders lol
  • I prefer loops if I'm honest, I tend to run reservoirs so you can't often cut them short even if you wanted to. Luckily for me I live 10 mins away from some fabulous countryside and several good reservoir runs which can be joined together for extra distance ranging from 3.5 miles up to about 20 or so and the whole route is easy on the feet and scenic image

    Some of these end up as a lollipop and some a figure 8, others are just a straightforward loop round one or two reservoirs. 

  • I did a loop today.

    It was very windy, and I chose to go out into the wind and uphill.

    Which meant that my return journey was downhill and with the wind behind me. Weeeeeeeeee!

  • BD i like you have been running a long time 29 years & i love to run out & back i tend to feel good on the return tripimage
  •  I usually do loops but but I did an out and back today.

    I turned into a very tough run due to the wind. I ran from Brighton to Rottingdean (wind at my side) along the cliff top and back. Was running into the wind all the way back to the Palace Pier. It was so windy it felt like I was running just to stand still some of the time.

     Saying that I did really enjoy the run as I love windy weather and I also spotted a few kestrels many to just 'float' on the air currents.

  • Hi B.B!
    Hi Anne!

    I am still mixing out and backs with the loops,

    This weekend I have been breaking the "rules".
    I am always advising beginners (which I am not) to have one or two days of rest, but I did 8miles Friday, 6 Staurday, 8.5 Today & I intend to do a few more Tomorrow.

    But I feel good, and I will rest later in the week. Honest!

    [All of those were loops]

  • My long run is an odd one. I don't exactly go out and back, but neither is it a loop.

    The first few miles I don't retrace, then I go up on the downs from the race course at Lewes to Jack and Jill windmills and back again, the final part of the run is different. I take small loops to my right going up and down hills both on the way out and on the way back so I don't exactly retrace steps, however I do follow the general path. This is just to include as many hills in the run as I can.

    Most of my planned runs follow this sort of general pattern. I criss cross, lolipop (I like that mmm yes lolipop runs, has a ring to it image), zig-zag my way on my runs.

    I often find myself retracing my steps on a new run that I haven't done before as it's quite easy to go wrong. image

  • Big David, I have you to thank for me trying out-and-back! Been doing this for my last few long runs, and I've found there are more pros than cons:

    PRO:

    • You actually get the mileage done, as once you have gone 'out' you have to come 'back'
    • You only need to stash one bottle for your long run, eg hide it at 7 miles, have a quick drink, re-hide it and collect it on the way back at 13 miles
    • That fab feeling when you have turned round and you are on the way home
    • There's no way you can get lost

    CON:

    • If it is windy, it's possible that it's going to be in your face all the way home

    It's an out and back run for me tonight image

  • There are 2 good off-road routes about 5 miles from my house and I do a cycle then run lollipop, so I don't have to ruin my off-road shoes on tedious roads with too many pedestrian crossings.  I lock my bike up either at a garden centre near the start of the run or at bicycle racks on t'other run.  From my house I do regular loops around a local huge park/woods/fields area which is usually different every time as I have a terrible sense of direction which always makes running interesting.  I have only ever led one club run and they've never asked me again. image

  • Some of them never returned ......
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