Beyond5k

I’ve been a keen runner for about five years, clocking up over 4,200 km on trails and roads. Experiencing a proper running track had become a significant goal (our school track was just grass!), and I was genuinely thrilled when I booked a session at the Woking Sportsbox track with my coach for January. So when I injured myself and was “out” for all of January and February, the disappointment was crushing.

I finally got my chance a few weeks ago and stepped onto a 400m running track for my first ever track session. It seems ridiculous at my age, but my excitement levels were off the charts! Just being there, on a real running track, was a significant and thrilling occasion. I think my heart rate was in Zone 3 before I had run a single step, such was my excitement.

I absolutely loved it.

Now, let’s be honest, a 400-meter oval doesn’t exactly scream “excitement.” It’s flat, it’s repetitive, and there are no surprises. I’ve run intervals round Woking Park many times, using trees, benches and other bits of park furniture as my distance markers. But stepping onto that track was different. It felt like stepping into another world.

So what is it about the track that makes it feel so special?

A Measured Simplicity

There’s something incredibly motivating about being able to see the distance. One lap. Just 400 meters. It becomes a mental game that somehow feels easier to play. Need to do 1K intervals? That’s 2 and a half laps instead of once round Woking Park and then onto the second bin. You know exactly where you are at all times – no GPS glitches, no wondering if a corner cut the distance short. It’s running, distilled down to its purest form.

A Space for Focus

Without the distractions of traffic, rutted footpaths, ramblers, or prams the track lets you dial in completely. You can focus on your form, your breathing, your pace. You can do intervals with scientific precision, with a consistent surface and no excuses. It’s just you, the rhythm of your steps, and if you’re lucky, the encouragement of your coach.

And when the track is empty in the early morning, when you have it all to yourself? That’s when the real magic happens. It’s just you, the lane lines, and the sound of your feet. There’s a calm clarity in that solitude – something almost meditative.

A New Challenge

If you’re used to roads or trails, the track offers a fresh challenge. The intensity feels different. There’s nowhere to hide from the pace. But that’s also what makes it exciting. It pushes you. It teaches discipline and control. It gives you a new appreciation for speed and consistency.

After just 2 track sessions, the first with my coach and the second alone doing intervals that my coach recommended, I reduced my 5k PB from 21:56 to 21:36. That’s 20 seconds shaved off just by incorporating track work into my training!

Even if racing isn’t your thing, adding the occasional track session can transform your running. It can sharpen your fitness, build confidence, and inject a fresh dose of motivation into your routine.

Bonus: access for all at Woking Sportsbox

If you’re local to Woking, you’re in luck. Woking Sportsbox offers access to the track during the day without requiring membership, making it easy to add a track session to your week. Whether you’re squeezing in a workout after the school run or sneaking away from your desk for a speedy session, it’s a great time to experience what the track has to offer.

So if you’ve never tried it, give the track a chance. But be warned – it is very easy to get carried away and set off far too fast (I speak from experience!), so I highly recommend you go with a coach who can help you warm up properly, refine your technique, and suggest sessions that suit your goals. Go when it’s quiet. Run a few easy laps. Soak in the silence, the symmetry, the sense of purpose. You might just discover, like I have, that this humble oval adds a whole new dimension to your running life.