Living in London and training

[alicia_h]

I'm *thinking* about moving to London for a job. I have a bunch of hesitations about London, though, and one of them is how it would be as far as running. I like off-road ultras and hills--will I be miserable in London? Or is it okay running on roads during the week and getting out in the country at the weekends? Or is there anywhere close enough for off-road running to go after work?

anything you can tell me is much appreciated! Thanks.

[southernsoftie]

Whereabouts in London?

[alicia_h]

The job is in the City but I'd be happy living anywhere in, say, zones 2-4.

[FarFromTheFells]

Hi Alicia

there's a few people on here that live in London from what I can see. I work in central London and am lucky enough to live in North Kent - right on the North Downs, so i can get some semi-decent hill work in on off-road terrain (though not strictly fell terrain). The North Downs are fairly do-able at weekends from London, and if you have a car you can get further afield to South Downs etc.


Epping Forest around Chingford isn't bad if you're after something inside the M25 (there was a 'fell' race there at the end of June !)

I tend to do a short road-run (3 miles) once a week on my way to work and then fit in an evening middle distance run (6-12 miles) off-road on 1 weekday evening a week (might be more diffciult now it's getting dark), and then a long hill-run on a weekend on the North Downs, anywhere around Detling/ Medway/Shoreham areas.

Not perfect but it can be done if you're prepared to travel around a bit, and worth it to get to a race once a month or so...

Best of luck with whatever you decide.

[alicia_h]

Thank you, that's really helpful! Any ideas on the best areas to live closer to central London? I'd prefer somewhat northwest because I also climb and want to be able to get up to the peak district as easily as possible.

[FarFromTheFells]

Thank you, that's really helpful! Any ideas on the best areas to live closer to central London? I'd prefer somewhat northwest because I also climb and want to be able to get up to the peak district as easily as possible.

Then that has to be somewhere near the Westway climbing wall

Westway Sports Centre
1 Crowthorne Road
London
W10 6RP

http://www.westwaysportscentre.org.uk/climbing/

[Stef F]

Thank you, that's really helpful! Any ideas on the best areas to live closer to central London? I'd prefer somewhat northwest because I also climb and want to be able to get up to the peak district as easily as possible.

Rickmansworth is further out but is a nice place to live. Lots of nice eating places. Lakes for recreation. More rural. Close to the M25 and on the tube line. It's also on the Grand Union Canal.

I used to lodge there and my morning runs were along the canal. I regularly saw the kingfisher, heron and lots of ducks geese and swans.

Hillingdon running club is great and is close by if you can stomach a road running club! They have a mini gym in the club house.

Good luck with it,

Stef

[southernsoftie]

Thank you, that's really helpful! Any ideas on the best areas to live closer to central London? I'd prefer somewhat northwest because I also climb and want to be able to get up to the peak district as easily as possible.

Mill Hill in Barnet. NW7. Right on the edge with great transport connections to centre. Mill Hill B'way to city 25mins. 5mins from both A1 and M1. Surrounded by country parks, some good XC runs nearby. Where I used to live! Still visit my folks there from time to time and take in some of these runs.

[SouthLondonWelshman]

Sutton to the south of London is ok (zone 3 I think). Good train link into central London, easy to get down to Boxhill for some good hilly trails. There's also a newish climbing wall there - not particularly high, but some good bouldering.

SLoW

[alicia_h]

Thank you all very much! It sounds like I'd be able to get some reasonable runs in during the week then. Now if I could only decide on the other factors in the decision...