What to expect
This page covers what to expect on a Runaway social.
You will find information on pacing, how we grade our difficulty level and what a typical adventure entails.
Get in touch if you have a question 🙂
Pacing
Each social will be paced at either an easy, medium or hard speed.
Average pace
6:45min/km (10:50min/mile)
Average pace
6:00min/km (9:40min/mile)
Average pace
5:30min/km (8:51min/mile)
Note - The pace will vary dependent on the terrain/elevation, so there are times when we go faster, slower or hike.
Difficulty
Each social is graded out of five.
This grading reflects the amount of elevation you will encounter and a measure of how technical the terrain is.
A level 1 run is predominately flat on very runnable terrain.
A level 2 run is a mixture of flat and undulating sections on runnable terrain.
A level 3 run is undulating throughout and/or has an increased level of technical terrain.
A level 4 run will be hilly throughout and/or has very technical terrain.
A level 5 run is very hilly throughout and/or has extremely technical terrain.
A typical adventure
Below we've mapped out a classic social to give you an idea of what to expect.
Meeting up
For most people the adventure starts at one of London’s train stations where our guide will be waiting to whisk you away into the countryside.
It can feel a little bit early to be on the move, so you won’t be alone in being a bit sleepy, coffee is recommended but not essential.
If you purchased your train tickets on our website, the guide will have these waiting for you.
The train journey
We board the train together and relax into the journey. Here you can meet and get to know the the other runners or sneak away for some extra sleep, we don’t mind.
Don’t forget to visit the onboard facilities before we arrive - Not all rural train stations have toilets!
Arrival & briefing
We arrive at our destination and meet up with any locals or drivers that are also joining us.
The guide will allow 5 minutes for everyone to get ready and wait for any late comers (unless it’s freezing). We then carry out a short briefing giving a details on pacing, safety and most importantly where we're having lunch.
Running
Our runs are not a race, so the pressure is off. However the toughness and pacing can vary, so make sure you check this suits your fitness level before booking.
Our guides will look after you and we often adjust the pace slightly to match the group, terrain and weather conditions.
There will be one or two short breaks along the route to help keep the group compact, so don't expect to be running continuously.
Finish & lunch
The finish line will arrive near a pub/cafe where we have lunch and a drink together to refuel. You are of course welcome to leave at this point, but we would love it if you stayed.
Heading home
After lunch, most likely about 14:00 we will board a train back into London.
This journey is normally a little quieter and often features many runners opting for a post run snooze.
On arrival we say our goodbyes and hope to see you back for another run soon.
Please get in touch if you have any questions, otherwise we look forward to seeing you on a run soon.