Chelmsford, Essex
There are some great local routes to be enjoyed in and around Chelmsford. Get yourself out of the gym and get some fresh air! Not only will your mind feel so much better for you doing so, you’ll burn more calories as well! Here are a few to whet your appetite: (if you have any other suggestions please let us know, we’re always up for a new challenge and will post the best)
Sprint Work:
A great site for some sprint intervals is Hylands Park. Instead of the usual entrances, park in front of Widford Church, on the A414, just as you come off of the Widford roundabout. Jump over the stile and immediately in front of you is a hill declining to the River Wid.
Use this hill for your sprint intervals, or for a shorter but steeper incline jog across the field and use the hill next to the hedge.
How To Do:
After a warm up that should include mobilisation, active stretching and a few sub-maximal runs, pace out the distance you wish to work – 40, 60, 80m or whatever your preferred distance – and blast them out! Of course, your rest periods depends on your training goal. If you are not used to sprinting prepare to ache some!
5 km Route:
Start at the side of Virgin Gym Chelmsford, run over the bridge into Central Park, Chelmsford, bear left past the tennis courts and go under WaterHouse Lane into Admirals Park. Cross the Chelmer, twice, after which turn immediately left and follow the path along the sports grounds of Old Chelmsfordians Club. Turn left and follow the path over the river, carrying straight onto the bridal path which will bring you onto Writtle Road. A little further along from the Blue Bridge turn left, passing the entrance for Hylands School. Continue straight over at the traffic lights, over the rail way (a good hill to sprint up to elevate heart rate) turning left at the traffic lights onto London Road. From there straight down the decline, left at the traffic lights into New Writtle Street, and home to Virgin Gym.
12 Miles:
A particularly good route starts at Sandon Lock. From here carry along the River Chelmer as far as you wish to go, counting each lock as roughly one mile. You can run along into Heybridge, journeys end, which is approximately 12 miles. For the endurance athlete reading this, turn around and come back along this quite, track – beautiful!
