Information about Trail Running

Trail running or sky running is a variant on running that differs markedly from road running and track running. Trail running generally takes place on hiking trails, most commonly single track trails, although fire roads are not uncommon. A distinguishing characteristic of the trails is that they are often inaccessible by road except at the trail heads. The trails tend to traverse varying terrain; hills, mountains, deserts, forests, and narrow passages are common. Likewise, steep inclines or rough terrain sometimes may require hiking or scrambling. Runners participating in trail runs must often descend these same steep grades. It is not atypical for trail runs to ascend and descend thousands of feet.

Trail running is growing in popularity and is enjoyed throughout the world. As of 2006, there are over 6.7 million regular trail runners in the United States, and over 40 million worldwide.[1] It has a particularly heavy following in the Mountain States, the Western US, and California.

Equipment

Most runners participating in trail running use specially designed shoes, which have nobbier and stiffer soles, and are generally more rigid and protective than road running shoes. Most athletic shoe manufacturers in the US make shoes specifically designed for trail running. The North Face, Montrail, Salomon, Inov-8 and Vasque specialize in these types of shoes. Other manufacturers like New Balance, Saucony, Brooks, and Nike also produce trail running shoes. Over 580,000 pairs of trail running shoes were sold in 2005.[2]

Other commonly used equipment includes wicking garments, water bottles, sunscreen, sunglasses, gaiters, and ivy block. Some trail runners prefer to use hydration packs to carry their water, which consist of a bladder, a suck tube, and a small low profile backpack. A trail runner might carry the Ten Essentials to reduce the hazards inherent in wilderness travel.

Training and events

Trail running takes place in both organized trail races, and as a recreational activity. Trail running is usually an individual sport, although training is commonly done in groups.

Common distances in races are 5 km, 10 km, 20 km, 30 km, Marathon (42km), 50 km, and 50 miles. Anything over Marathon distance is considered an Ultramarathon, and many "ultras" range beyond 100 mile mark. The quintessential 100 mile trail run is the Western States Endurance Run, also known as the Western States 100. There are also many Trail Running Series that combine multiple races over the course of the season. There is also a New England Trail Racing circuit, called the "Grand Tree". In Great Britain, the new "Lakeland Trails" is the biggest trail running series with over 3000 competitors in 2006. The Rhodes Trail Run and the Skyrun are two events staged in the southern Drakensberg mountains of South Africa. Trail running stage races, such as the Cape Odyssey, are also becoming popular in South Africa. The 'Big Daddy' of South African Trail Running since 2000, the Kalahari Augrabies Extreme Marathon, is a 7-day, 250km self-sufficiency run through the Kalahari Desert.

Trail races differ considerably from other races, since runners enjoy the solitude of nature for the bulk of these runs. In addition due to the smaller number of participants, the odds of running with no other participants in sight are very good. Similarly, runners in these events must rely on their own inner resolve, since crowd support is very limited given the inaccessibility of the courses. Trail races are commonly equipped with aid stations supplying food and beverages every 5 to 10 kilometers. Nevertheless, runners in trail races, particularly longer ones, usually carry their own water and food along the course.

During training runs, carrying one's own beverages is a necessity. Additionally, navigational skills are much more important during training runs, where one invents the course oneself, compared to organized races where the courses are very well marked. Carrying maps when training in unfamiliar areas is highly recommended, as runners cover large distances and veering off course is not uncommon, especially in areas where signage is limited.

See also

• Adventure racing
• Hiking and hillwalking
• Multisport

External links

• Cape Odyssey Trail Running Stage Race
• Runner's World Magazine (U.S.)
• Running Times Magazine
• Run The Nation
• TripleBlaze - Trail Runs
• Trail Runner Magazine
• All American Trail Running Association
• UK's premier Trail Running website
• Western States 100
• Envirosports
• Australian Trail Running Site
• TrailRunner - Route planning software for offroad trails
• New England Track and Trail trail running club
• WasatchSpeedGoats Trail Running from Utah's Wasatch Mountain Range
• Run 50 Miles to Feed 2000 Kids | a Mountain Masochist 50-Mile Trail Run Project