Serious Running Blog

There are a lot of costs associated with running in general, but specifically for trail running there can be a bit more of a cost.  I’m here to help you mitigate those costs.  It’s cool to be frugal in a bad economy.

A must for trail runners is a proper pair of trail running shoes.  You can run trails in road running shoes, but that isn’t as effective.  You leave a lot of speed and agility out on the trail.  You can’t afford to lose any speed and agility.  If you want to start trail running I suggest you invest in a pair of trail running shoes.  You can do this without increasing the cost to your overall running shoe buying habits.  Instead of putting more miles on those road running shoes, you will be putting more miles on a more rugged pair of trail running shoes, resulting in less running shoe purchases over time.  Think long-term growth.

There is a cost to learn a new sport, like trail running, but the best part of trail running is that it doesn’t take a lot of effort to enjoy it.  Of course, there are many techniques and practices to learn for trail running, but you don’t need to know anything before your first trail run, just go out there and run.  The rest you can learn OJT baby, or “On the Jogging Trail…training.”

There is a cost to traveling to the trail head.  Most of us don’t live within running distance (notice I didn’t say “walking” distance, walking is for suckers) of a running trail so we have to drive to the trail head.  If you want to experience other types of trails then you always have to travel far to go trail running.  On an unofficial survey I conducted on twitter, trail runners drive an average 20 miles to get to a trail head.  So how do you mitigate this cost?  Take a friend with you and share the gas!  It’s fun to share gas with friends!

So now what is your excuse for not trail running?  Sorry, being lame is not a valid excuse.

What do you do when you can’t get to the trail for a trail run?  You should go for a non-perfect substitute for trail running I like to call Urban Trail Running.  Urban Trail Running gives you the training, health benefits, and excitement that trail running does while staying in the city!

Running in a city can lead to many types of injuries because of the continuity of the flat paths and the rigidity of surfaces.  Animals tend to take the path of least resistance, but you’re not an animal, you’re a human, take the path with resistance, your body will thank you.  The mechanics of running on a flat/even surface makes every step the same.  This can cause damage and stress to particular areas of your body.  One of the most common injuries to runners is the iliotibial band syndrome which is caused by muscle imbalance because running on flat surfaces does not work your stabilizer muscles.  The hard concrete running surfaces can aggravate these types of injuries as well as create injuries on their own like shin splints.  Shin splints are caused by the repeated stress on the shin bone, often as a result from running on concrete.  So what should you do?  Urban Trail Running of course.

Urban Trail Running is taking the exercise benefits and some of the excitement you get from Trail Running to the urban environment.  Of course you want to run the trail, but you can’t always make it out so Urban Trail Running is your next best option.  First focus on finding differing surfaces, this is often the most difficult task in an urban trail run.  Look for parks and other grassy areas, small running trails, or windy roads.  You may be able to find paved paths in your city that curve a lot which is good for working on your balance.  Anything that varies your terrain or route will help you work on your lateral movements and stabilizing muscles.  Personally, where I live there are many small parks with large hills that I like to run through to vary my steps on my run.  If you don’t live in an area with small parks then look for culverts.  Anywhere there is water there is usually uneven terrain that you can run on.  When running on the street try to run on as much asphalt as possible.  Not only is asphalt not as rigid as concrete, but it is sculpted at more of an angle, giving you more of an uneven surface to run on.  If in a ultra urban environment like Manhattan, look for steps and other uneven surfaces to vary your run.  Run down the subway stairs, hurdle the entrance stall, run a half circle inside the subway terminal, then hurdle back over the entrance stall, and then run back up the stairs. Trust me, Manhattans have seen much stranger.

Overall, to Urban Trail Run you need to vary your surface and terrain as much as possible.  Jump over benches instead of logs, run down embankments instead of steep hills, and hop over steps instead of roots and rocks.  Urban Trail Running is going to be the new craze.  All the kids will be doing it!  Don’t you want to feel like a kid again?

Some trails are too soft.  Some trail running is too hard.  But some trails are just right for running.  Now you have to find the right trail run just for you, Goldilocks.  Finding the perfect trail can be a process.  Some people run thousands of miles to find the perfect trail run.  Some people never find it.  Some runners live 10 minutes from their perfect trail run.  Here are some tips to find what we are all looking for in our trail running: the perfect trail to spend the rest of your life with. *tear

The first place you want to go to research a great trail to run is the trail running section of SeriousRunning.com.  We have almost 900 trail runs listed all over the nation.  How did we get such a large database of trail runs?  From our users.  Your fellow trail runners are the ones that submit the information about cool trails to run anywhere in the country.  In fact, we even have a $25 gift certificate contest going on right now for submitting trail runs.  Here is how it works.  The point is, use our database with directions, reviews, and pictures to research the best trail running trail near you; its pretty much the most efficient process ever.

But before you get excited about National Trail Running Day and decide to run your heart out on an expert trail, think about what you are looking for in a trail.  First look to see who else uses the trail.  Mountain bikers, hikers, cross-country skiers, Canicrossers? The reason is because you want to be alert if there are mountain bikers racing around corners or be more careful not to run over hikers that may be on the trail.  Don’t worry, trails are not like surf spots, anyone can run them and you won’t be chased off by the locals, braw.  Plan your route before starting.  Think about if you want to do an out and back to make sure you get the right amount of miles in and have the option of turning around early if you are tired.  Or possibly you can do a loop course, not giving yourself the turn around option, thus making the run a little more extreme.  Also think about the scenery you are looking for.  Do you want to check out some cool views, looking for wildlife, or want to be completely surrounded by trees?  I’m always looking for a cool scene, but it usually just ends up being wherever I am anyway.  Lastly, check out the elevation, mileage, rest areas, and exposure to the sun for your trail running.   You need to be careful on the trail not to overexert yourself.  Help may not be readily available like it is when road running.  Better yet, bring a friend with you, nobody likes to celebrate National Trail Running Day alone.

Keep trying as many trails as possible until you find the right trail for you.  Trust me, when you find that perfect trail run it will appreciate all of the experience you will have from the other trail you have runs.

Running is recession proof, but runners are not.  That’s why we at SeriousRunning.com are going to help you out.  In celebration of National Trail Running Day we will be giving out 2 x $25 Gift Certificates to either REI.com or Amazon.com, your choice, to the top two members who add the most Trail Data from now until one day after National Trail Running Day, August 22nd.  Contest ends on September 1st.  That way you can do your gnarly Trail Run on National Trail Running Day, go home and sleep off your dehydration headache; wake up the next morning and upload all of the great data you got on National Trail Running Day and then do it again the next weekend.  Everyday should be National Trail Running Day.  Contestants will receive credit for adding Trails, Trail Reviews, and Trail Photos to the Trail Running section.  The amount that you contribute will be quantified as follows to determine the two winners as such:  3 points for reviewing a Trail Run, 2 points for submitting a new Trail Run, and 1 point per Trail Run photo submitted, up to 5 per Trail Run Listing.  The winner will be picked randomly but entrants will be put in the “hat” one time for every point that they earn.  Bottom line, the more points you earn the better your chances you of winning!  You must be signed in to receive credit for your submissions.  SeriousRunning.com:  giving back to the Trail Running community, one trail run at a time.