January jogging season gets going

London Fields triathletes’ training involves more than the usual jog. Photo: Colin Streater

This month, as tradition dictates, we see a wave of keen new joggers hit the streets of Hackney, eager to sweat off the cheeky pounds gained over Christmas. But, as some of the borough’s more regular runners will tell you, Hackney is something of a jogging haven all year round, whatever your exercise tastes.

As the capital’s greenest inner London borough, would-be joggers can more or less take their pick of whichever marsh, deer-inhabited park or open space they choose, often getting there via a pleasantly picturesque route.

“The canals form a great pathway to Victoria Park,” says local jogger Ellie Bowden. “Victoria Park is large enough to mean you can run a few miles round it. It’s great for green space. It’s also well looked after – leafy trees and rose bushes line pedestrian walkways”.

Those willing to brave the crowds will see that the East End’s parks have not gone unnoticed by some of the biggest global names in fitness. Autumn 2008 saw the opening of a free ‘adiZone’ outdoor gym in Mile End Park with facilities including a chest press, cross trainer and treadmill. Hackney has since gained its own adiZone in Mabley Green, with similar machines that joggers can make use of mid-run.

Such facilities prove crucial for those unable to afford sky-high London gym prices. “It would be brilliant if the council could introduce more ‘outdoor gyms’” says Victoria Park village jogger Kate Gresswell. “Spaces like Victoria Park [in neighbouring Tower Hamlets], where many families and older people who are put off by expensive gyms often visit, would benefit from more outdoor fitness equipment.”

Unsurprisingly, pleasant green areas in the borough can get somewhat congested, so determinedly lone or shy joggers might seek to avoid the busier areas. “I’ve yet to try out London Fields,” adds Kate.

“Unfortunately it seems so crowded whenever I wander down there that I worry about embarrassing myself (probably by tripping up or being so slow!) in front of all the families and fitness fanatics.”

Nevertheless, jogging for fitness needn’t be limited to pleasantly trimmed park areas and flowerbed-lined walkways. If doing laps round a playground fails to appeal, one can always resort to ‘urban jogging’, integrating running as a practical way of getting around in everyday life.

“Rather than hunting down a little taste of the country in Hackney, I prefer running from A to B,” says Ellie. “It means you’ll be jogging along roads, but it is a great way to see this city, and often jogging takes roughly the same time as public transport.”

Those less familiar with the local area might benefit from planning their route online beforehand, through website such as WalkJogRun. Users can share the pre-set routes they’ve found particularly successful, as well as check the distance and gradient of their own planned jogging paths.

iPhone applications such as Runmeter can also help city joggers track their progress and measure their running distances. Information entered by the user after each run is stored, with impressive performances recorded and compared against less noteworthy efforts.

Finally, Hackney is home to several running projects and clubs for those joggers who need a little more of an incentive to get up and go.

Local initiative Hackney Marshes parkrun brings athletes from across East London together to run a 5km course against the clock; top times are then posted on their website. A mixed run taking in tarmac and grass, the course loops the Hackney Marshes, with views of the Olympic site and the River Lea.

From March, the council will also re-introduce Run in England sessions in Hackney Parks. Routes are selected to make them as accessible as possible, and groups are overseen by a trained leader – not the workout of a lifetime, but perhaps a nice way to ease into the jogging routine.

Green and pleasant it may be, but Hackney remains an inner city London borough, and as such a certain level of caution still needs to be taken when running in the area. “Safety is something I’m really concerned about when out jogging,” says Kate.

“I definitely jog a lot less in the winter, when darkness sets in earlier, and I simply refuse to run anywhere with inadequate lighting – it just makes you feel very unsafe when out on your own. It would be a vast improvement if areas such as parks and other recreational spaces were better lit,” she adds.

Being aware of when the sun sets each day is vital, so as not to get caught in poorly lit areas mid-run with dusk falling. Better still, many joggers choose to run early morning and in pairs both for safety and motivation.

Few other forms of exercise require quite so little equipment and have quite so much scope for exploring your local area. With green spaces, unique urban areas and exciting local initiatives, the humble jogger need look no further than Hackney.