sugnim
This might be a dumb question, but why are trail races typically much longer than road races? Sometimes it seems that trail running is synonymous with ultra running. There are road races everywhere from 1 mile to the marathon, but I notice that trail races tend to be much longer. I think that the shortest trail race in my area is a half marathon, and most are much longer. Any thoughts on this? Thanks.
We have a lot of short ones out here... so maybe it's just a geographical thing?
Same here. All kinds of distances.
That said, the 50ks, 50 milers, and 100 milers may be more noticeable and you don't find a ton of road ultras. There are a few, though... including two really famous ones - Comrades and Badwater. (and a bigger-than-a-handful group of less famous ones).
We run the whole gamut of distances where I am (southcentral Alaska) although winter trail races are more likely to be ultras. Fairbanks (interior) seems to have a greater variety of winter trail races than we do with more snowshoe races (snow is unreliable here). I might have to drive 1 hr to get to a race, but that's regardless of the distance.
Lots of distances in the Indianapolis region, too. The DINO trail series offers a 5K and 15K option at each race; another organization (Planet Adventure, I think) does a handful of 5K/10Ks and their nighttime winter trail marathon also offers half and quarter distances (1-4 loops of a 6.x-mile trail). Several other trail HM and marathons, too.
And there's a 5.4-mile (roughly, billed as 5 miles but always over) trail race in March about a mile and a half from my house. That's the race that inspired me to switch from road to (primarily) trail.
flashlight and sidewalk
I see a range of races near me also...these are some thoughts I've had on this topic:
If the pace is governed by terrain instead of distance, I think it might be tough to empty the tank on a trail 5k/10k.
It would be difficult to do a lot of passing on narrow trails over a short distance.
You experience more while moving at a slower pace.
Theres not always convenient short loops on a trail.
Trails are not always near a population of runners...I try to follow a rule of "it should take longer to run the race than to get to the race".
Following these trail forums is making me have a distorted view on distance (oh, its only a short little marathon...not even a 50k).
**Ask me about streaking**
Very few trail ultras down in my neck of the woods, but no road ultras that I know of off hand. Well, I guess you could consider Rouge-Orleans some sort of hybrid race. It is run on the gravel road that runs atop the levee from Baton Rouge to New Orleans (126.2). I have no interest in running anything that is not on mostly single track trail, though. However, it does seem like the term "trail" and "ultra" are used interchangeably all the time.
We have a number of 10K to half marathon trail runs down here, but I rarely have much interest in anything less than a 50K. I just like being out there for hours...
LB2
Go to the race calendar put out by Running in the USA. Tons of shorter events.
One reason anything shorter than 25k does not interest me--spacing. Too many people on a tight trail is just frustrating. At least in a longer event things can spread out.
Wow! I had no idea this was a geographical thing. I always figured I was just a weakling on the trails. (Well, I still might be.) Thanks!
running under the BigSky
you've got the Mt Sentinel Hill Climb that is a mere 2.1 miles
actually go the runners edge, racemontana.com and the winddrinkers sites (Bozeman area) and you'll find some "shorter" trail runs, but you are correct- in Montana most of the trail races are in the 13 mile+ range; I think they figure the country is so beautiful why waste it on a short run
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You're right! I forgot about the M climb, probably because I didn't do it this year, which I believe was the 1st time it was held. And the trails around here are indeed gorgeous. I'm hoping to really work on my strength & balance training this winter & participate in some of the longer trail races in 2013. (I was dead last in the Pengelly Double Dip this year & learned that trail miles are way harder than road miles!)
There's always Pengelly Single Dip...unless you need revenge on the Double.
hope to see you this year at the Double Dip, maybe I can claim dead last this year
The Double is a gorgeous course. Plus, the growler says "Double Dip." And the single is partly on the road. And, yeah, there is that revenge thing you mentioned. I'm looking forward to it!
Slower than you
We have a lot of short trail races here in the Athens/Atlanta area, but also many longer ones, so it's a good mix. The problem is, I don't really want to drive very far for a 5K or 10K trail race and the shortest drive for a race is about 45 minutes.
"Yeah, well, you know, that's just, like, your opinion, man" - The Dude
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