I've been very lucky to do a few FKTs this year and this is without doubt the least glamourous of them all. In fact almost all the FKTs have been so stunning and enjoyable that I would have no trouble encouraging others to try them.
I think I would struggle to advise a friend who lived in Colchester to do this one - sorry!
It's just housing estates and big nasty roads to cross. When you are out in the country it is mostly just running around the sides of flat fields. The few bits that are ok are in the local woodlands and they are very short. It was interesting to see Essex University - I am not a fan of campuses that are just in the middle of nowhere. You get to run all around the infamous Colchester Army baracks.
I know some folk love brutalist architecture - I mean I love the Barbican - but what you see on this route is for the dark lovers of brutal.
It was an unsupported attempt and short enough that I could carry everything but there were a few places to get food/drink and the good thing is you are never far from Colchester train station....