somebody asked me recently why i used a track to PB a 5km. good question. here’s the honest answer: because it removed every excuse i normally have.

set distance, so no guessing if my usual route is actually 5km or if i’ve been quietly running 4.7km for months. no interruptions, no lights, no cyclists cutting me off, no waiting to cross at lakeshore. no hills, which sounds small until you realize how much a “flat” toronto route actually isn’t.

take all three of those away and it turns out i can run faster than i thought. who knew.

when a track actually helps

if you’re chasing a specific number, a PB, a specific pace, a track gives you the cleanest version of the effort. it’s just you against the clock, nothing else to blame.

it’s also good for structured speed work if you don’t trust yourself to hold pace on your own. lane lines keep you honest in a way “i’ll just run fast for a bit” on your normal route does not.

when it’s not worth it

anything longer than intervals and the track turns into a special kind of mental torture. going in circles for 8km is not it.

it’s also not the move if your race isn’t on a track, and waterfront half is definitely not 400m ovals. some training should feel like race day: pavement, slight elevation, other runners, real turns you have to navigate.

and if getting to a track means a drive across the city and rearranging your whole evening, it’s probably not worth it for a casual comeback runner. the best workout is still the one you’ll actually do.

toronto’s honest answer

track for the PB attempts and specific speed sessions where i want zero excuses. street for everything else, especially long runs, because that’s what waterfront day is actually going to feel like.