Why You Should Run on a Football Field

Walking up to my high school’s football field, I can hear the fans chanting and gathering into stands, the concession food heating up, and my teammates getting ready for the big game.

I had to close my eyes. Standing on the turf with nobody else there, I can envision everything and everyone that was there in those moments. When I open up my eyes, those memories inspire positive feelings of joy, high self-regard, belonging, and meaningfulness in life.

Running gets stale once you do the same route and the same distance. So by switching it up and trying new ways to train in new ways.

Since I don’t want to get burnt out from running or feel like it’s bland, I took my running to my high school’s football field and revisited those nostalgic memories of high school football.

According to Simplifaster, running on a football field will help you boost your speed, agility, and overall conditioning.

Do you want running to be something you do for the long-term and not turn into a passion that died out? I hope not because without running, I don’t know what else I’d rather be doing for fitness.

Let’s waste no time and dive into the world of running on a football field.

Football Fields are Great for Speed Training

If you’re looking to spice up your running regime, then football fields are a great place to do just that. You have plenty of space to conduct several different short-burst exercises.

My top three favorite speed training exercises are:

1. Half or Full Gassers (Sideline to Sideline)
2. Suicide Sprints (5 yards come back, 10 yards comeback, etc.)
3. 40-Yard Dashes (Straight sprint for forty yards)

By having a variety of football field exercises, I’m able to work on different muscle groups and train my breathing in ways that traditional long-distance running wouldn’t do for me.

According to USA Football, “Track teaches runners to relax the body and exert the minimal amount of energy to attain top speed, increase productivity and conserve energy.”

Sprinting on the football field is very similar to the way track runners train and exert the minimal amount of energy to attain top speed.

The great thing about being on a field is that you’re able to take breaks from the running and work on abdominal exercises and knock out some push-ups or burpees as well.

Over time, you’re going to notice that you’re a lot faster than a runner.

Your bursts out the gate and throughout your runs will be noticeable, and you’ll feel way more agile than before.

Grass or Turf is Easier on Your Knees

The majority of us runners prefer to run on roads, trails, or paths. The common theme with all of these platforms is that they’re hard surfaces, which put a lot of pressure on your knees and can cause long-term issues.

By running on a football field’s grass or turf, you’re not going to feel that aching soreness in your knees that forces you to take days off.

You can lose your footing sometimes, so it’s essential to wear shoes with a good grip or even bring cleats if you have them.

According to Fox News, “College football players suffer knee injuries about 40 percent more often when playing on an artificial surface compared to when they’re playing on grass.”

The big takeaway here is that these are athletes who are playing football — a very lateral movement type of sport that naturally results in more injuries.

But as a straight-forward head-on type of running style to get faster, you don’t need to let the fear of an injury stop you from working out on a field.

You Will Understand Your Body More

With all of the speed training involved, you must use your best judgment whether or not to workout on a field if there’s a rainy forecast. Slipping, falling and hurting yourself is possible, and precautions should be taken.

A football field allows you to go at your own pace and understand your body better without putting so much impact on your knees.

By running on a football field, I’m much more in tune with my body and aware of its strengths and weaknesses — which is incredibly empowering.

Every time I finish one of my speed training on a football field, I’ve noticed that I’m not painfully sore. I could technically keep going and absolutely be ready for the next day’s workout. You can feel the same if you give it a chance.

The Endgame of Running on Football Fields

The main point of the story is that in order to spice things up in your running, you should try exercising on a football field with some of the exercise methods I mentioned.

1. Half or Full Gassers (Sideline to Sideline)
2. Suicide Sprints (5 yards come back, 10 yards comeback, etc.)
3. 40-Yard Dashes (Straight sprint for forty yards)

You’re only going to improve your fitness as a runner based on the types of workouts you expose yourself to.

Take the leap of faith and try speed training even if you never have before, and you may surprise yourself. It’s an addicting feeling to run at top speed and feel yourself getting faster.

Find a workout style you enjoy.

Make a commitment to yourself.

Go for it.