"rolling out and back" course - meaning?

gallerygirl21

I googled, but I cannot find a definition. I am running my 2nd 5K tomorrow and the course is described as this.

TIA!

LeanButNotMean44

It means there are some hills. You will run out probably about halfway and then turn around and come back the same way you went out. Out and back. Good Luck!

BrianSharpe

But, the hills shouldn't be too scary or else it would have been described as hilly.

Have fun!

gallerygirl21

HAha... thanks! The "hilly" part scared me, but if they would indicated it as hilly if there were bad, I'd be worried.

I appreciate the help!

rickloving

For your future 5K's..how I interpret (or describe) a course description…. (some common ones)

Point to point - Start and finish are not together and generally the course does not overlap on itself.

Out and back - Run the same path out to the half-way point, turn around and run the same course back.

Lollipop out and back - run part of the start and same stretch of the finish on the same course but a loop or circuit in the middle instead of a turn around.
Loop – Starts and ends at the same place but uses all different roads/paths..
Double loop – Starts and ends at the same place but does 2 passes of the same course

Flat = generally means minimum elevation change
Rolling hills = some mild or longer elevation changes but overall not hilly
Hilly = just what it says...prepare for climbs and descents..

Now keep in mind that this is geographical... big difference between "flat" in the mid-west vs a mountain region and really different between hilly in the mid-west and a mountain region.