Getting Started in Trail Running

Ready to convert from road racing to trail racing? Been running trails for years to get in shape and want to step up to racing on them? Nothing should hold you back, especially if you properly prepare for your first trail race, which begins by acknowledging the many distinctions between trail and road racing.

Spontaneous combustion is one of the biggest problems that first-time trail racers suffer, especially if they are long-time road or track runners. They will typically go out way too fast and blow up, which is why it is a good idea to wear your sunglasses around rookie trail racers. Such incendiary starts are embarrassing, wreak havoc on one's confidence, and can lead some runners to quit trail racing before they have given the sport a real chance. Think negative split, especially if the second half of the course is easier than the first.

Trail races are almost always slower than road races, and pace is crucial to enjoying - much less finishing - your first trail event. Never try to set a time goal in a trail race that correlates directly to a road or track race of equivalent distance. Some trail races are already rough enough and demand almost double the time it takes for a road race of the same distance. Even comparing the same trail race from year to year is not a fair measure of your performance because trail conditions can change dramatically due to elements such as weather, wildlife, trail maintenance, and other exogenous factors.

Trail races are often run on hilly terrain, and many trail events are held at higher elevations. They are also run on some pretty challenging terrain that slows runners down to a cautionary, injury-prevention pace in order to avoid ankle twists, blown knees, or major falls. Your lateral stability in trail racing is at a premium, so practice using your hands and arms for balance as you descend rocky trails, leaping from footstep to footstep. Weather and trail conditions also play a role in the game. Mud, ice, snow, or all three may bog you down. Route-finding can also cause you to greatly reduce your pace, especially at high altitudes where marmots are wont to eat flags and other trail-marking materials. And don't forget the chance encounter with moose, bears, wildcats, and other wildlife.

Return To Top

Unlike roads, which are often graded and winding in order to avoid steep ascents, trails frequently run straight up mountain faces. If the trail is extremely steep and the race is long enough to warrant energy conservation, then it is often best to power-hike some of the ascents. Some people are more efficient if they climb uphill leaning forward a bit at the hips and swinging their arms to match an equivalent leg stride. Maintaining a consistent rhythm is crucial to powering up a big climb. Other runners find it best to trudge along in a running motion, taking baby steps in order to keep up their cadence as they make it to the top of the ascents. Practice both, and try to determine what is ideal for your running style, body type, the course on which you will be racing, and the length of the race.

Some other things to consider when you contemplate your first trail race is the potential difficulty associated with passing people on single-track. There is a certain etiquette involved in gracefully telling the bozo in front of you to shove over and move his lard butt so you can sneak on by. Practice makes perfect, so go out on your local trails and try zipping by people without starting any fights.

Speaking of fights, keep in mind that most trail runners are pretty laid back, and that the prevailing attitude in most trail events is that of: "We are all out here together to have a groovy time with nature, dude." Trail races tend to be less "competitive" than road races; racers will often help each other along, and coordinate finishing in unison. It is considered bad form to run into the finish with someone and surge in front of him/her in the final meters, unless he/she was pushing the pace and being competitive by drawing first blood. In that case, just trip them up or push them in a mud bog. What do they think this is, a race or something?

Finally, if you are used to drinking from cups and tossing them on the pavement in your road races, or leaving gel or energy bar wrappers on the road-race course, you should be immediately disavowed of that habit. Trail races are conducted with a strict "leave no trace" ethic, and many race directors will disqualify those who litter the course. Public stoning is probably a more suitable punishment!

Return To Top

Another alternative to choosing a trail-running companion is to run with a group, especially for your first trail outing. One frequent comment I have gotten from women is the worry that they'll be the slowest people on the trail. With a large diverse group, you can always find someone to run at your pace. Most people don't like running alone on the trails; they would rather share their experience. One of the groups that I run with schedules one- to three-hour runs on Sunday mornings. I know that when I get to that workout, I can go at my own pace. Everyone takes off together from the meeting point, and if I want to run with someone, I must either match their pace by slowing down, or speed up to catch the person in front of me. There has always been someone in front of me, sometimes within my line of sight, sometimes not. Since I'm a better downhill runner, I usually make up the time on that portion of a run. I figure that you can always make up more time running down than you can by running up. In a group setting, you always seem to go a little harder and a little further than you might have gone on a solo run. One of the best parts of the group that I run with is that people hang around until the last person finishes. The cheers are often the loudest for the person who is out on the trail the longest. This doesn't undermine the effort; rather, it encourages and rewards the achievement.

For your first run, think about time - not distance - and pick a trail that has relatively easy terrain. If you get with a group that runs one to three hours, choose the shorter outing. Too often women get discouraged because they pick a trail that is too long or too difficult, or they have been goaded into doing something they are not prepared for. Conversely, someone who thinks that they know the trail and the time it will take to run from start to finish can always get into problems. I took a friend of mine on a nice one-hour trail run a few springs ago. I assured him that I knew where I was going as I'd been on the same trail numerous times. Well, I'd never been on the trail in the spring and it looked a bit different (as trails often do in the different seasons). We (I) got completely lost. The weather was changing, we had no jackets or warm clothes, and we had run out of water. After nearly two hours, we finally ran into a mountain biker who steered us in the right direction. Another hour passed before we finally made our way back to the car exhausted, with me apologizing profusely for getting somehow turned around in the woods.

Return To Top

Ease yourself into the trail experience; do not head up a five-mile, single-track chute with a 45-degree pitch your first time out. Choose a trail that is gently rolling with some obstacles (like logs, rocks or creek crossings) and some nice vistas. If you are comfortable running for an hour on the roads, you should be equally comfortable going for one hour or more on the trails. You'll be on softer surfaces and you won't be running quite as fast as you would on the roads due to the variable terrain. Intersperse walking with your running - it's ok. You'll enjoy yourself much more by taking in the scenery at a walk or standstill than you will be while running. Plus, your potential to fall or misstep is greatly reduced. I have learned this the hard way. Because I have always been super competitive (and still am), and felt that walking during a run was taboo, I would often miss the scenery and peaceful surroundings afforded by trail running. When I would look up long enough to enjoy a vista, I would lose my concentration and my footing. I took my share of falls before I realized that I could walk during my training runs, and still enjoy my trail experience just as much.

Although there are different techniques to learn on the trails, you'll catch on quickly, and you'll develop some new muscles in the process. Trail running also provides a boost for your mental attitude. Not only are you communing with nature and enjoying a stress-free environment, you develop mental toughness by taking on the challenges inherent in the sport. Like me, you will feel empowered and your self-esteem gets a lift when you run further and faster than you initially thought possible. Once you're out on the trails, you become a mentor for other women in a sport that has traditionally been dominated by men.

Article borrowed from Adam W. Chase. If you'd like to read more from Adam, check out "The Ultimate Guide to Trail Running" by Adam Chase and Nancy Hobbs Return To Top