I sometimes think to run on soft track. More and more runners have decided to run in country roads or natural parks because they don't like running on hard asphalt roads.
Yesterday I decided to run outside the town near a small river with thick mediterranean woods (1 hour and 5 minutes). I don't like running on my own but I enjoyed last training because the valley is beautifull and the country road is soft. Then the distance follows the course of the small river, consequently it's a level road and there aren't hard up hills. Maybe, running on soft roads will do backbone good. Naturally we can't run there when weather is rainy.
In the two pictures you can see the small river surronding the town in the northern part and the final rush of the last Civitavecchia halt-marathon (I'm number 1125). An image of the 3 comuni half marathon is here: http://www.fotosports.it/images/20060129B/02-km2-5/pages/image185.htm