Gnarly trails and magic roots (Read 825 times)

For those who don't know, the author of this essay is an accomplished ultrarunner. I know some of you already have a good appreciation for running on trails, but given some of the recent posts (slow down, for example), I thought it might be a good piece to share with the group. Yep, you generally go slower on trails, maybe due to the (gnarly) terrain. I submit that some of the "slower pace" may be due to simply following Matt's line of thinking (although he ain't slow!). Enjoy, Lynn B Gnarly trails and magic rocks By MATT CARPENTER www.skyrunner.com I remember that first gnarly trail to this day. I found it on my standard out/back run from the dorm. What looked like a little path turned into quite the discovery! Soon the whole cross county team started running it on a regular basis. In the past we had always sought out new training runs sometimes resorting to taking a van to distant places to log our miles. But this trail was different. We could run it over and over but it never got old. We called it the gnarly trail because it had everything: hills, creek crossings, mud, rocks even a few Tarzan vines. Time had no meaning because we never bothered to look at our watches. Simply put — this trail was fun! Now, almost fifteen years later, I find I spend most of my running time on trails. I have grown accustomed to hours passing without notice. The excitement of never really knowing what lies around the next corner. The hunt for the next gnarly trail. But then again I am a trail and mountain runner. What’s in it for the road runner? The next time you go on a run take notice of what happens when your foot strikes the ground. What happens when the next foot strikes the asphalt? And the next? If you are like most people the same thing happens again and again. The repetitive nature of running on a road can bring about our least favorite word — INJURY! Contrast that to a trail run. I am talking trail here — not a paved bike path. Each individual foot strike is just that — individual. Throw in some rocks, slanted trails, and gravity defying curves and you give your feet and legs a well deserved natural break. The same goes for the rest of your body and mind. On the road your running form seldom changes except for interruptions — cars, intersections, and the occasional whatever that always seems to break your zombie like trance. Even your mind rarely gets much excitement on a road run. After a while you may find yourself thinking of everything you were trying to get away from when you went on your run in the first place — work, bills and all those nasty little thoughts that creep in unless you run so hard that you only think about stopping. This tedium and monotony can bring about another not so favorite word — BURNOUT! On a trail you must lift your knees to get over the rocks, torque your body to keep from falling over on the slants, and swing your arms wildly to keep from flying off the curves. Most of the time you are thinking about only one thing — the trail! You rarely end up in a zombie trance without having to pick yourself up off the very trail you so rudely forgot to think about. The workout a trail run gives you may leave you feeling beat up but it will never leave you feeling beat down. A good trail run has an invigorating-one-with-the-world-who-cares-what-the-neighbors-say feeling. However, to get this feeling a good trail should have one or more of the following elements: Magic rocks and roots the ones that trip you but you can never find afterwards. Surprises the occasional fallen tree, psycho mountain biker, bear, horse poop, etc. Scenic stopping points something so awesome that you actually feel OK about stopping for a few seconds and saying wow! Note: The actual time will vary depending on your little understood obsessive compulsive gene (OCG). A small dose of risk lets face it, magic, and not so magic, rocks can hurt you. A small dose of fear of getting lost and ending up in another state. Remorse a good trail always makes you feel sorry that it is over no matter how tired you are. After you find a trail with some of these elements — or a gnarly trail with all of them — you may find yourself not wanting to get back onto the roads. It’s a risk with many rewards! Wherever I travel I almost always manage to find an off-road adventure that has something new to get excited about. Even the biggest cities often have a park or a river with a trail around them. Sometimes however I find myself back on the roads where it seems like I constantly look at my watch. I am never quite sure if I am timing how far I have run, or how much longer before I get to stop.

Thanks for the article. I used to love running on trails (back when I was running regularly). I used to run with a group that did its long runs on unmade trails. The coach used to say it was great for our stability muscles mainly around the ankles. It seemed to work as I never had lower leg injuries. Now I only run on footpaths or on the treadmill and I constantly have sore feet/ankles. The only down side of trail running is seclusion - I get scared We don't have bears but we do have creepy people and deadly snakes. I remember running over a black snake, it didn't move until i had just passed it - one way to measure your maximum heart rate Poppit

Claire, That is an awesome looking race. One thing you may want to consider is to sign up as a volunteer in this year's race. This will be an experience that you won't forget. You will get to see the course up-close and personal, meet those of a trail-running persuasion and get a much better idea of what trail running/mountain running is all about! You should plan on a run on the race course either before or after the actual event (not the entire distance, just an out and back from the point you are assigned). You are an amazing runner and you have lots of options available to you, based on what I sense is a free-spirit in you, I predict you will love the trails! I would love to come to NZ and running with you would be an added bonus! I still have lots of places within North America that I need to visit first! Lynn B

Cool article. I entered my first trail race this Fall. Since then I've tried to incorpoate some trail running into my workouts. For scheduling reasons, I'm primarily a night runner so it's tough but, I can totally get where the author is coming from. The Bruce Trail sounds awesome. So does, Tararua. Myself, for the moment I'll settle for the occasional jaunt into the Groton Town Forest & Leominster State Forest. Maybe on my next day off...

I really enjoyed this trail-running manifesto- the sentiments ring true to me and I have some more of my own thoughts about it– trail running is my way of connecting to nature while living most of my life in the midst of suburban lawn expanses and rock-hard cement sidewalks. I’ve been known to drive half an hour or more to run through the woods on a trail. I honestly scour maps for nature reserves and parks wherever I travel in hopes of experiencing a new trail or two. When I see a trailhead that I haven't seen before, I mark it in my mind to come back later. Cross country races always held my heart though I was better on the track distances. Yes, you may run slower on a trail, that doesn’t reflect what is actually happening out there. More often I feel like I am flying on a trail than I do on the roads. When you’re running a gnarly trail, your footfalls are calculated, sometimes shorter, sometimes longer, sometimes zooming down a trench and up over a hill. And sure I’ve taken some spills running these, but over time my ankles, knees, and stabilizing muscles have grown strong and sure, protecting from both acute and overuse injuries. You build a different kind of strength running trails than you do running track intervals or even hill repeats, strength that I think translates even to nicely-paved flat road races. This doesn't mean to take away from those who run on pavement all the time - trails are, very sadly, hard to come by in a lot of areas - but it's usually worth the drive, I'd say. Just a few thoughts, because I am always pushing trails on my runner-friends. -Sean BTW Arlene, I was visiting Niagara this weekend and meant to find the trail you mentioned, but never got a chance to run. It was pretty bitter cold, but the falls were beautiful this time of year.

Some of my absolute favorite runs have been at night. Particularly when I can match up with a full or bright moon! Trails rule! Lynn B

The two trails I've been using are in Town Forests that are closed at night, I wonder if I'd get ticketed or towed. I also wonder how long I'd have to be missing before my wife & daughter would start looking for me in the woods. Actually, I wonder that even on my evening runs around the neighborhood. Sometimes I get home & they've gone to sleep already & they're always locking me out of the house.

Crabby? Didn't you just tear your meniscus? What are you doing out dancing with wolves?

Addict.