Why You NEED to Start Trail Running

The benefits of trail running are both physical and mental. Trail runners build strength and prevent injuries better than most other runners. It’s also often talked about that trail running is good for your mental health, helping you to relieve stress and tension by getting out and running on beautiful trails and footpaths.

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There are so many reasons why tail running is great for you. Not just the obvious ones!

When keen trail runners usually talk about it, the conversation is usually about how beautiful the scenery often is when compared to pounding the pavements, how much more enjoyable it is to get away from the busy roads and traffic, and how good for your mental health trail running can be.

All of these things are of course true, but there are some other powerful benefits of trail running that should make it a no brainer for every type of runner.

Let’s take a look at each of them, one by one:

First, let’s take a look at what happens to your feet when trail running in comparison to road running.

Running is obviously a very repetitive movement, and when you’re running on a flat even surface like a pavement or road, your feet experience a very similar loading pattern with every step.

But as soon as you start trail running, and have to negotiate uneven trails stride by stride, the little muscles and tendons in your feet and lower legs will get a slightly different workout with every stride.

Given that most of the injuries runners sustain come from overuse, adding variety to the workout that your feet get will help to prevent running injuries like plantar fasciitis and achilles tendonitis.

The next benefit is all about your approach to pacing. The comparatively even nature of roads and pavements, running on trails, especially more technical trails, will slow your pace somewhat.

So rather than getting frustrated about the slower pace your running watch is showing on the trails, take the opportunity to focus on your breathing and rate of perceived effort as you run. If you do want to use data to keep on top of your effort levels as you run on trails, I’d suggest focusing on heart rate, not pace.

In addition to the varied workout your feet will get when you add more regular trail running into your training week, the mixed terrain out on the trails will also force the muscles around your hips and core to work harder.

I’ve certainly found that after running off-road events I wake up the following day feeling that muscles like my glutes and those in my lower back have had more of a workout than similar length runs on roads.

In my experience of treating injured runners, I’ve seen far fewer trail runners with overuse injuries like ITB syndrome or high hamstring tendinopathy, in comparison to road runners.

So if you do have a history of running injuries, I’d seriously consider adding more trail running into your regular training week to help you become a stronger runner.

Let me know in the comments how often you currently get off-road and whether you plan to do more…

As with everything in running, don’t throw yourself headlong into trail running. Instead you can perhaps aim to hit the trails and get off road for one run per week, the over time build towards two runs per week. You could also replan some of your regular running routes to incorporate sections of trail.

And of course, they don’t need to be super technical mountainous alpine routes. Simply swapping the pavement for a dirt track and getting out to explore the countryside will deliver all the benefits. Although that said, there is a certain running strength that only hills will give you!

One of the things I love about trail running is that it seems to give you the subconscious permission to slow down, feel more present on the run, and enjoy your surroundings.

Of course, even though you’re running at a slower pace it’s important to maintain proper running technique.
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ABOUT ME: I'm James Dunne, a runner, sports rehabilitation therapist (similar to physical therapist) and coach based in the UK (Norwich and London).

Since 2007 I've been working with athletes focusing specifically on helping distance runners and triathletes overcome injury and improve performance through developing their individual running technique.

Running biomechanics and physical therapy are real passions of mine. I love to help runners run strong and stay injury free.

WEBSITE: https://www.kinetic-revolution.com

#Running #JamesDunne #TrailRunning

Видео Why You NEED to Start Trail Running канала James Dunne