Running is a popular form of exercise that is a great way to challenge the cardiovascular system. It helps provide a great base level of fitness to build off for other activities as well. While road running still has the highest levels of popularity, trail running has gotten more popular over the years. The ability to cover varied terrain with scenery is very enticing for those bored with miles of asphalt or concrete paths. There are significant differences between road running and trail running, and those who are use to road running will need to take a few things into consideration before stepping out onto natural surface trails for a change of scenery. We will discuss all these aspects in our blog today and give a bit more insight to trail running, to see if it is something you would like to work into and expand the horizons of a workout routine.
Footwear
The first, and arguably most important, thing to consider is footwear. While it may be tempting to try and use your regular road running shoes, a pair of trail specific shoes is necessary. This is for several reasons with one of the most pertinent being longevity. Trail shoes will have more robust rubber compounds in their outsoles that are made to handle trails. These outsoles will also give better grip on the varied surfaces that will be encountered. Road shoes will tear up very quickly if used on improper surfaces. Another important factor with trail shoes is stability. A trail specific shoe will have built up areas for medial-lateral (side-to-side) stability to help with prevention of ankle sprains. This is similar to what is seen in other athletic shoes such as basketball or tennis. One other area of consideration is high-top vs low-top shoes. This is mainly down to preference, but in my experience I vastly prefer an over-the-ankle trail running shoe. This style of shoe has greatly helped with injuries, especially lateral ankle sprains. There aren’t nearly as many options for this style but the Altra Lone Peak is my shoe of choice.
Differences between road and trail
There are several differences between road and trail running. The most obvious being the surface itself which means mile times are going to be slower. This needs to be taken into account for trip and route planning. If the plan involves trail running in the high country, slower times may mean the difference between a beautiful day in the mountains and getting caught in an afternoon storm. Trail running also usually involves more elevation changes. Most people tend to focus on the uphill since this is the more strenuous portion from a cardiovascular perspective. However, it’s the downhill that is usually harder on the knees and will lead to more soreness. Downhill running involves significantly more eccentric contractions which are a breaking force to slow the runner down compared to uphill running which involves more concentric contractions. Eccentric contractions actually involve greater forces through the muscles and joints and leads to greater soreness.
Another significant difference is the type of focus needed in road versus trail running. When road running, the surfaces changes very little and the focus is generally more internal such as on keeping form, managing pace, etc. With trail running, the surface is different with every step and the runner must constantly be aware of foot placement to avoid injury. While this sounds fairly obvious, the practical implementation takes time, especially if you are used to zoning out and listening to music for many miles. This cannot be done with trail running and the here-and-now is very important.
Training
Finally, when it comes to training ideas for specific areas and muscle groups, the ankle stabilizers are one of the most important. The lateral or outside muscles are called the peroneals or fibularis group and help provide most of the dynamic control on this side of the foot. The way the ankle is shaped means people are much more likely to roll and sprain the lateral side of the ankle versus the medial or inside portion. Having strong and active peroneals can help limit the chances of injury. One other option that is useful, esp if using low top trail running shoes, is ankle braces. The clinical practice guidelines for ankle sprains were updated in 2022 and found the highest level of evidence for prevention of sprains was with the use of lace-up ankle braces. I don’t personally use these all the time but they can be useful, especially for those with a history of sprains.
One area that is similar regardless of trail vs natural surfaces is with progression. A good rule of thumb is to follow a 10% rule, meaning you shouldn’t increase distance greater than 10% each week. In practice, I usually follow mile progressions instead and try increase my long runs by a mile from week-to-week. A similar area to remember is elevation and this should follow a progression as well.
Trail running is a great workout and challenges many different systems of the body. If you keep in mind some of the differences between road and trail running, train well, and have the correct footwear, it can provide excellent exercise. The Grand Valley has many excellent trail systems and the fall is a great time to get out and explore them.
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