Global Running Day – The Best Trails in Lincoln

June 7th marks Global Running Day when we can celebrate the benefits that running has as a sport. It keeps you active, gives you a reason to leave the house and can also be great for stress relief. I’ve been a keen runner since I joined University and have found that when deadlines are piling up, it can help me clear my head. So, what are the best running trails around Lincoln? 

The Arboretum 

The Arboretum is one of Lincoln’s most well-known green spaces and during the summer months, it’s where a lot of people go jogging. The water fountains in the Arboretum are really scenic and this can help add to the running experience. There are also lots of benches in the Arboretum in case you need a breather and even if it isn’t the sunniest day ever, it still looks really nice. 

West-Parade 

West-parade is another well-known green area in Lincoln, and it’s about a 10 minute walk from the University Campus. The space itself is massive so depending on how much of an experienced runner you are, the trail you opt for can be changed. West-parade is divided by concrete so if you’re relatively new to running, it might be an idea to stick with that for the first few times and then build yourself up towards the grass routes which can be more difficult. During Summer, west-parade looks incredible but when it’s raining, the grass can get slippy so just be careful for that. 

Steep-Hill 

For the more experienced runners, going up Steep-Hill can be a great way to build up your stamina and resilience. It can be a bit exhausting to walk up so using it for a running trail may be an even bigger challenge where you need both incline and speed. Fortunately, steep-hill has several different benches which can act as great pit stops if you need to catch your breath and once you get to the top, you’re right by the cathedral and castle where you can have a little explore. 

Foss-Bank 

This set of land past the Brayford Waterfront is a great running trail regardless of whether you are a complete beginner or more experienced. You go past the houses on Foss-bank and the further you go, the more into nature the trail goes. You get to see the different animals and people sailing their boats and it’s a part of Lincoln which you might otherwise not get to experience. My recommendation for this trail would be to run as far as you feel comfortable running, have a 5-10 minute rest to enjoy the river views and then turn back. 

And that’s some of the best running trails around Lincoln. With global running day, I think it’s important to remember that no matter how experienced someone is with running, they all started somewhere so if you’re not as fast as you want to be or didn’t manage to cover a certain amount of distance, don’t let that hold you back. Keep going with it and you’ll be able to build up the resilience and experience to develop even further.