RunningAHEAD - Topic: Trail running/racing help

ty1986

posted: 4/11/2009 at 7:35 PM

I hope to soon combine my love for running and hiking in the mtns. I saw an advertisement for a trail running race called the north face challenge. This year the bear mtn ny race sold out but i want to give it a try next year. Has anyone done such races? If so... Aside from running these trails how else should i prepare? Anything important i should know thats off the obvious? I have more experience in the woods than i do running.. I would imagine the race rules would be different for saftey. I would like to here Any info/stories/advice you may have

http://www.climbingamerica.blogspot.com

DoppleBock

posted: 4/11/2009 at 8:02 PM

I believe that this is a 50 mile trail race? They might have other options, so is that what you are in for? Are you mainly a hiker? Or do you run a lot? If you run - How many hours a week? What terrain? How many hours per week do you hike? I generally run marathons, but have done well in the 2 50 mile trail races that I have done - Marathon to 50 miler is all about pacing and run vs walk strategy + Fueling. A little more info and people can give better advice.

Long dead ... But my stench lingers !

AKTrail

posted: 4/11/2009 at 8:17 PM

Do it! You'll have a blast. I haven't done any of the North Face races, but any race worth doing in my book is a trail race. Smile

I generally do about 4-5 a year (5k to 40 mi). Race rules for the most part are just trail etiquette, although races with aid stations or that allow crews may have desginated areas where you can receive aid. My races generally don't have aid stations. I'm trying to think of any rules we have that aren't just simple trail etiquette - like staying on the trail and not cutting switchbacks. You guessed right - running trails is the best training. Many people try to find out about the course - both elevation profile and footing issues like stream crossings and loose, rolly rocks - and do training specific to that. You may not be able to find a trail near you with all the details, but on various training runs practice different aspects - uphill, downhill, rock hopping, whatever - then in the race you get to put everything together, kind of like a final exam, but more fun. Wink

If you already hike trails, you may be ahead of other runners in terms of foot/ankle strength and proprioception. But if you wear sturdy hiking boots for hiking, you may have weak ankles. Oh, and don't worry about pace. Just run by duration and effort / breathing. Enjoy the scenery and the challenge. And you might want to stop to enjoy the scenery unless you want to risk face plant. Wink

Have fun! RA has both ultra and trail groups that you can join.

"So many people get stuck in the routine of life that their dreams waste away. This is about living the dream." - Cave Dog

ty1986

posted: 4/11/2009 at 8:20 PM

They also have 10k and half marathon distances. Thats what i would sign up for. I run very often ( more than i have logged on this sight)... And have raced 10k and half marathons. I have also climbed most of the highest peaks the new england area in remote settings. I havnt ever combined the two and ran rugged trails. On average when it is warm i run 10 to 20 miles weekly and hike 1 day a week, for most of the day. Most of my runs have small hills. My hikes are straight up and down steep terrain

http://www.climbingamerica.blogspot.com

ty1986

posted: 4/11/2009 at 8:24 PM

That definetly sounds like my cup of tea. Thanks for the comment

http://www.climbingamerica.blogspot.com

Hobbyjogger

posted: 4/13/2009 at 1:30 AM

Quote from ty1986 on 4/11/2009 at 8:20 PM:

They also have 10k and half marathon distances. Thats what i would sign up for. I run very often ( more than i have logged on this sight)... And have raced 10k and half marathons. I have also climbed most of the highest peaks the new england area in remote settings. I havnt ever combined the two and ran rugged trails. On average when it is warm i run 10 to 20 miles weekly and hike 1 day a week, for most of the day. Most of my runs have small hills. My hikes are straight up and down steep terrain

Lots of things people will suggest you do to prepare, I'll add a couple. Learning to run well on trails takes a very long time. You can have a lot of fun with little experience but just don't have really high expectations about how fast you will go. Expect to slow down a lot for the same effort. Hills require a lot of mental recalibration. You can just plan to hike them (which many runners will do) or if you run them slow down a lot. Hills you run on roads may let you lie to yourself about how fast you can go. You power over them for a few minutes and then the hill is over with most of your effort coming from temporary oxygen debt. Get on a hill that climbs 1000 ft of elevation and you need to either slow down a lot more or fear God's Wrath Big grin

a few minutes into it. As much time on similar trails as possible, maybe a couple of days doing serious trail hills just to calibrate your mental processes. Oh, and start getting used to carrying a water bottle with you when you run.

Trail running/racing help (Read 399 times)