12km Canal, Road and Aqueduct Steps Workout: Building Endurance Through Mixed Terrain

Today’s workout was a challenging but rewarding 12.03km session combining roads, canal paths, and the famous aqueduct steps. The route provided a great mix of steady endurance running, recovery sections, and strength work from climbing the 40 steps.

Workout Summary

• Distance: 12.03 km
• Duration: 1 hour 30 minutes 2 seconds
• Average pace: 7:29 min/km
• Calories burned: 927 kcal
• Average heart rate: 120 bpm
• Maximum heart rate: 164 bpm

A Varied Route with a Real Challenge

This wasn’t just a straightforward road run. The route included sections along the roads, a stretch beside the canal, and the added challenge of climbing 40 aqueduct steps. The changes in terrain helped make the workout more interesting while testing both endurance and leg strength.

The canal section provided a more relaxed rhythm, while the steps and road sections increased the effort and pushed the cardiovascular system. Mixing different surfaces and gradients is a great way to build overall fitness and prepare for more demanding routes.

Splits and Pacing

The kilometre splits showed a pattern of faster running combined with recovery sections:

• 1km – 10:02
• 2km – 4:56
• 3km – 9:16
• 4km – 4:56
• 5km – 9:17
• 6km – 4:36
• 7km – 9:06
• 8km – 4:36
• 9km – 8:42
• 10km – 4:14
• 11km – 9:29
• 12km – 10:32

The quicker kilometres show good leg speed, especially the 10th kilometre at 4:14. Keeping some faster efforts within a longer endurance session is a useful way to improve fitness without turning every run into a hard effort.

Heart Rate and Training Effect

An average heart rate of 120 bpm indicates this was mainly an aerobic endurance session. The maximum heart rate of 164 bpm likely came during the faster efforts or the aqueduct steps.

This type of workout helps improve stamina, calorie efficiency, and the ability to handle changes in pace and terrain. It is a good example of functional fitness that combines cardiovascular training with strength and endurance.

Final Thoughts

A 12km mixed-terrain workout lasting 90 minutes is a strong training session. The combination of roads, canal paths, and steps created a balanced challenge that worked endurance, strength, and pacing control.

Sessions like this are a reminder that training does not always need to be a perfectly paced run. Sometimes the best workouts come from exploring different routes and embracing whatever challenges the path provides.