RunningAHEAD - Topic: Trail Running - who does it? (page 2)

jlynnbob

You'll ruin your knees!

posted: 4/9/2007 at 11:22 AM

Quote from Sockoni on 4/9/2007 at 11:12 AM:

It would be nice to have the tongue connected to the shoe to ward off debris and possibly a waterproof layer, but eh.

Something that would help and allow you to keep the shoes you are comfortable with is gaiters! Check this out...http://www.dirtygirlgaiters.com/ These cover the laces and ankle and really help keep stuff from getting in your shoes. Lynn B

""...the truth that someday, you will go for your last run. But not today—today you got to run." - Matt Crownover (after Western States)

mikeymike

posted: 4/9/2007 at 1:08 PM

Quote from jlynnbob on 4/9/2007 at 10:17 AM:

Well, I do a little...

Ha! And by a little you mean rarely more than 50 miles at once?

Runners run

Peke98

posted: 4/9/2007 at 1:42 PM

Trail running will also help you keep in touch with your local hunting seasons. I didn't know the local town forest permitted hunting until I ran by the seated man with a shotgun across his lap. I now know in my neck of the woods that after Thanksgiving & before Xmas is muzzle loading season for deer. At the right time of the year hunter orange is a beautiful color.

Sockoni

posted: 4/9/2007 at 2:40 PM

Quote from jlynnbob on 4/9/2007 at 11:22 AM:

Something that would help and allow you to keep the shoes you are comfortable with is gaiters! Check this out...http://www.dirtygirlgaiters.com/ These cover the laces and ankle and really help keep stuff from getting in your shoes. Lynn B

Hey! Those are pretty slick! They look like they'd work well. And they even have animal prints to impress the inhabitants of the forest! Way cool. I'm definately going to try them out. Thanks so much Lynn!

Wingz

Professional Noob

posted: 4/9/2007 at 2:41 PM

Quote from mikeymike on 4/9/2007 at 1:08 PM:

Ha! And by a little you mean rarely more than 50 miles at once?

*snerk* Better make that 150! I prefer trail running and do it as often as possible. Sure, I trip and fall down more often, especially when I'm tired, but it reminds me to pay more attention and to try to land softly. There's something peaceful about the sunlight filtering through the trees... the sound of the river moving along... the dance you get into as you go down that hill trying to time your jumps just right to avoid the boulders and roots. Jumps? Yes, jumps. It's that or walk. Wink

I love ~~trials~~ trails..

Roads were made for journeys...

Mississippi

posted: 4/9/2007 at 2:54 PM
modified: 4/9/2007 at 2:54 PM

Quote from ABCGreys on 4/9/2007 at 9:12 AM:

I felt like a little kid out in the puddles after a rain storm.

I can see me enjoying that!

Michelle

lasdinaub

posted: 4/9/2007 at 3:23 PM

Come join the Special Trail Runner forum at, and please ignore the typo in the "Trail Gaiters" post: Big grin

http://www.runningahead.com/groups/Trails/Forum Big grin

A forum/group is only as good as it's members are active!

Next up: A 50k in ? Done: California-Oregon-Arizona-Nevada (x2)-Wisconsin-Wyoming-Utah-Michigan-Colorado

corb

posted: 4/9/2007 at 3:41 PM

Yeah... running trails in the dark is probably not a good thing. I can usualy expect at least one fall or near fall every time I run one and that's during the day.

Mississippi

posted: 4/9/2007 at 3:47 PM

Quote from Peke98 on 4/9/2007 at 1:42 PM:

Trail running will also help you keep in touch with your local hunting seasons. I didn't know the local town forest permitted hunting until I ran by the seated man with a shotgun across his lap. I now know in my neck of the woods that after Thanksgiving & before Xmas is muzzle loading season for deer. At the right time of the year hunter orange is a beautiful color.

Wow - I think my heart would have stopped if I ran by a man with a shotgun, hunting season or not! Gross...I just had a flashback of when my dad used to hunt and let the deer hang to drain on the tree in the back yard at my aunt's house (in Lewistown PA)! NASTY.

Michelle

Mississippi

posted: 4/9/2007 at 3:48 PM

Quote from jlynnbob on 4/9/2007 at 10:17 AM:

1) trail running puts me closer to nature, something that is quite appealing to me 2) trail running is easier on the joints...yes, ankles and feet take more abuse, but I have as many issues with knees and hips as I do when I run on harder surfaces...and ankles get stronger 3) races on trails are much more fun, more community, kindof like getting together with some of your very best friends for a great time (even the best friends you have never met!) 4) the aid stations are waaaaaaay better at trail races 5) there tends to be as many people hanging around cheering for the last person to finish as there are for the first person to finish (often, the crowd includes the first person cheering for the last person...just don't see that in road races) 6) not uncommon in trail races to have the fast frontrunners shouting encouragement to those further back in the pack on an out-and-back section of the course...that's way cool! 7) how many times have you ever been out running roads and come around a corner and be stopped dead in your tracks because the amazing view has just sucked your breath away! 8) in trail races, I tend to look more at where I finish in the field rather than what my pace was! 9) I have YET to find a trail runner that wants to argue the merit of 400 meter repeats versus 800 meter repeats for speed work... Don't worry too much about shoes/gear (oh, yeah, we got gear!) yet...just keep in mind you socks will never be the same! Lynn B

See, that all sounds good. Thanks!

Michelle

rockenmamaof5

posted: 4/9/2007 at 4:24 PM

Done some trail running and would love to do more!

Your toughness is made up of equal parts persistence and experience. You don't so much outrun your opponents as outlast and outsmart them, and the toughest opponent of all is the one inside your head." - Joe Henderson

run4rock

posted: 4/9/2007 at 7:34 PM

Trail running is THE BEST FORM OF RUNNING to me personally...and the most fun!! I've been doing it since 7th grade (primarily due to cross-country) and love to be able to run through forests, on muddy paths etc. The more terrain variation the better. I would definitely reccommend trail running because for me, it doesn't seem like running, as an experience, is complete without at least some trail running. Cool

I would say that the level of fitness required to run on trails all depends on what type of trail you are considering. A very hilly, treacherous trail at a higher elevation for example, would likely require the fitness of someone who runs regularly and on hills of some sort. As far as increased risks of injuries, I have been lucky and never injured myself worse than a sprained ankle and sprained calves. In cross-country races at a local military base near where I live there is much variation in the course and it has PLENTY of hills, to include "Gut"/"Killer"/"Suicide" Hill. I have twisted my ankle about 10 times during my racing career there but due to my high adrenaline flow I recovered within the 60 seconds following the twist. As far as I know, trail running is actually better on a person's knees than road running/treadmills, especially when it is on grass of some sort, because it allows for much cushion and absorbs much more shock from body weight than asphalt or some other less forgiving surface. One should watch out for the occasional ditch/ravine, and maybe any wild animals in the area, but other than that, trail running is one experience I could not live without. :]

olethros

posted: 4/10/2007 at 5:32 AM
modified: 4/10/2007 at 5:35 AM

I almost always run off-road, varying from forest roads to muddy trails, to traceless rock and grass slopes. If you run in hard-packed dirt trails you will not need special shoes. As soon as you start hitting big inclines, however, you might want to swap to shoes that are as low-profile as possible. This is especially important in lateral traverses. Shoes with high heel lift make uphills much easier but downhills harder and in my opinion should be avoided in extremely uneven terrain. To me, flat road running definitely feels more stressful than trail running. Just take it easy on the downhills. Also, watch for ticks or other potentially dangerous wildlife.

perfesserr

Imminent Catastrophe

posted: 4/10/2007 at 8:51 AM

Bottom line---trailrunning is FUN. My road marathons have all been ordeals--my trail marathons/ultras have all been a BLAST!

"Able to function despite imminent catastrophe"

"To obtain the air that angels breathe you must come to Tahoe"--Mark Twain

"The most common question from potential entrants is 'I do not know if I can do this' to which I usually answer, 'that's the whole point'.--Paul Charteris, Tarawera Ultramarathon RD.

√ Javelina Jundred Jalloween 2015

Cruel Jewel 50 mile May 2016

Western States 100 June 2016

Kolbe

posted: 4/13/2007 at 1:35 PM

Quote from jlynnbob on 4/9/2007 at 10:17 AM:

Well, I do a little... The first rule about trail running is that we don't talk about trail running! Just kidding! Most of my races are on trails...as much of my training as possible is done on trails. The appeal for me comes on many different fronts. 1) trail running puts me closer to nature, something that is quite appealing to me 2) trail running is easier on the joints...yes, ankles and feet take more abuse, but I have as many issues with knees and hips as I do when I run on harder surfaces...and ankles get stronger 3) races on trails are much more fun, more community, kindof like getting together with some of your very best friends for a great time (even the best friends you have never met!) 4) the aid stations are waaaaaaay better at trail races 5) there tends to be as many people hanging around cheering for the last person to finish as there are for the first person to finish (often, the crowd includes the first person cheering for the last person...just don't see that in road races) 6) not uncommon in trail races to have the fast frontrunners shouting encouragement to those further back in the pack on an out-and-back section of the course...that's way cool! 7) how many times have you ever been out running roads and come around a corner and be stopped dead in your tracks because the amazing view has just sucked your breath away! 8) in trail races, I tend to look more at where I finish in the field rather than what my pace was! 9) I have YET to find a trail runner that wants to argue the merit of 400 meter repeats versus 800 meter repeats for speed work... I started out on the roads, stumbled into a trail race and have never seriously considered going back...IF I run a road race, it is mainly just an excuse to see how much I have slowed down (slown down?)...I tend to think that trail running makes me slower, but I don't think my marathon time has suffered all that much in the last 6 years! Don't worry too much about shoes/gear (oh, yeah, we got gear!) yet...just keep in mind you socks will never be the same! Lynn B

I agree with this! I love trail running Smile

I've done two trail half marathons and I'll do it again for sure Wink

Trail Running - who does it? (Read 948 times)