An Introduction to Trail Running

An Introduction to Trail Running

While most people are comfortable and happy to just run on their streets or local roads, or even in the gym, there are some who much prefer to be out where the setting is more rustic. Before embarking on exercise of this type, it is best to review an introduction to trail running to see if it best suits what a particular runner wants to achieve.

There are a great many differences between the daily jogging done by most runners and working out by following a trail. Besides the obvious differences in the environment and the terrain, very often the attitude of the participants is different from the common athlete. Those that do this type of exercise regularly understand the need to be more focused on their surroundings to be aware of hazards such as cliffs, uneven paths and winding roads.

One thing novices need to learn about this is to not be distracted by the nature around them. The natural instinct is to try and enjoy the beauty of the landscape, but it is also an easy way to get injured. Staying aware of the road surface and what is around can help avoid rocks and tree stumps that can lead to twists, sprains and scrapes.

One trick many use is to try and focus vision only three feet in front of them on the trail. This helps in avoiding the distractions that every bush, tree and rock can cause. Being patient and letting the body process at its proper speed will allow for better pace and better footing.

An important factor of this type of exercise is pace and knowing when to slow down. Too many runners when first starting out try to tackle everything at excessive speeds because that is the way they are used to running on the track or on the road. Fast times and finishing quickly should not be the goal of this workout. Learning to enjoy the method and not obsessing about the time is one of the joys.

Understanding the need for walking is also important to this type of running. While that may seem contradictory, participating in this brand brings about many more steep hills, both up and down, that are much safer to walk on. The willingness to know when to walk and slow down can be very important and safer.

Many areas where jogging on trails takes place often have creeks that need to be crossed. Taking care to see how deep the water may be before crossing and if there are objects to step on to cross is vital. Making sure to move slowly through muddy waters can help to avoid injury on unseen obstacles like rocks and tree branches.

With a brief introduction to trail running, hopefully the experience will be more enjoyable. People seeking to do it for the first time will be more aware and thus relish their first encounter and every time they venture out into the woods for a run.

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