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Trail Racing vs. Road Racing - (Same Effort & Sub Ultra Distances) (Read 136 times)

xhristopher


    And why?

    Tweeeked


      I'd say trail would be slightly harder on the body, mostly because you are working a lot of extra muscles (stabilization for uneven and potentially unstable ground) plus the wide variation in elevation change. Road races would have their own challenges on the body though, pounding pavement can be a lot worse than a soft trail (assuming same effort).

      2016 Goals:

      • 5k: sub-16:30
      • 10k: sub-36
      • Half: sub-76
      • Full: 2:45 in Boston
      BeeRunB


        I've never tripped on a tree root and gone flying during a road race. Although once I did trip on a raised manhole cover and went flying in front of a few hundred people at Vermont City Marathon. I guess there are dangers on the road like potholes and defrocked Irish priests in berets and kilts, too, but overall I think it's a tad more probable you'll get a an injury in a trail race.

        TeaOlive


        old woman w/hobby

          mostly because you are working a lot of extra muscles (stabilization for uneven and potentially unstable ground) plus the wide variation in elevation change. 

           

          Trail is harder for me due to this^^

          Plus the fact that the fact that I fall down entirely too much.

          steph  

           

           

          keeponrunning


            I don't think ones necessary harder on the body, but they are different.  I find that certain muscles such as my quads hurt after a road race, while trail racing gives me more of a general ache in the legs.  However, the worst I've done is twisted my ankle on streetcar tracks during a road race, while I've long a significant amount of skin in trail races.    Also, the trail races I do are usually more challenging courses elevation-wise than the road races, so that does play into it.

            Sulphur Springs 50km-- Ancaster, ON-- May 28, 2022

            Tally in the Valley 12 hours-- Dundas, ON -- July 30, 2022 (Support SickKids Toronto)

            Stokely Creek-- 56km-- Sault Ste. Marie, ON-- Sept. 24, 2022

             

             

            bhearn


              "Sub-ultra trail racing" is almost an oxymoron.

                Last time I ran a Trail Race (little over a month ago) I fell 5 times (got to learn to pick up my feet when I run on trails).   I've never fallen in a road race....

                 

                Trails are definitely harder but fun....

                Champions are made when no one is watching

                DigDug2


                  Not sure what this means - there's a ton of trail racing between 10K and marathon.

                   

                  "Sub-ultra trail racing" is almost an oxymoron.

                  DigDug2


                    I would say it's a toss-up (setting aside injury risk) - sharp climbs and steeper descents on the trails hurt more, but the reduction in pounding probably offsets this.

                    LB2


                      I voted "about the same", but I really think that trail running/racing is easier on the body than road running/racing. I think the pavement really pounds you, and I tend to overstride when I run on the road at a hard effort. I never overstride on the trail, but there are certainly dangers on the trail that can cause you some issues that you don't see on the road, like roots, rocks, extreme grades up and down, extremely sharp turns, whiskey at aid stations, etc. But I really like roots, rocks, extreme grades up and down, extremely sharp turns, and whiskey at aid stations, etc.

                      LB2

                      kcam


                        Easier.  I do the majority of my training on trails and the majority of my racing on the roads.  What trail racing I do (mostly XC 3 to 7 milers) is markedly easier on my legs than road 5K and 10K races.

                          It depends. I've only done a few actual trail races (not counting xc) and those were not very competitive races, so comparing the effort to say a Grand Prix 5k is really tough.

                           

                          Based on the training runs I do on trails I'd say it really depends on the trail. Some gnarly single track with relentless ups and downs over rocks and roots (a.k.a. the Skyline trail in the Fells) is way harder than any road run and I wind up way more sore. But some trails are like a nice soft, smooth road with no traffic.

                          Runners run

                          rlopez


                            I've never understood the whole "trail running is easier on my body" crowd.

                             

                            Road running makes me sore.

                             

                            Trail running makes me sore.  And sometimes I fall down. Or turn an ankle. Or both. "Free tattoos".  Etc etc.

                             

                            I can run roads and turn my brain off. Or focus my brain on a real world problem.  I do that for five seconds while trail running, and I might fall off the trail.  Or off the mountain.

                             

                            Yeah. In no way is trail running easier.

                              Not all trails are created equal, and there can be a huge difference in terms of difficulty.  Ultrarunning.com has a difficulty rating based on elevation gain and surface rated 1-5.  1/1 would be a typical paved/flat bike path and 5/5 would make a lot of people ready to give up by 50k.  I would say on a 3/3 course effort during the run is harder than roads but I also find recovery is much faster the next day.

                               

                              For comparison, my 10 mile PR on a trails is about 6 minutes slower than on roads with the 10 mile trail race about a 3/3 and the road race a 2/1.

                              bhearn


                                For me there's just too many variables here, not least of which is my current state of what's on the verge of injury. Achilles limits my road speed. So does hamstring... but hilly trails are an issue there too. Whereas hip flexors I think are happier on the flat. I guess on balance the softer surface and slower pace makes trail racing easier on my body, and I don't fall, so I don't have that factor. But my trail races are generally ultras, which take more recovery anyway. I don't have much experience with sub-ultra trail racing.

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