So You Want To Be A Trail Runner?

For some of us, we fell in love with running for the monotony of running in a straight line. Although I ran cross country in high school and college in Wisconsin, trail running in Colorado was quite the transition: I wasn’t quite prepared for the elevation gain and the jagged rocks ready to trip me up. So that poses the question:

What does it take to successfully transition to trail running?

1. Agility (the ability to tolerate quick changes in direction). Trails often mimic more of a soccer game than a track workout. Be ready for not only corkscrew turns but also blind/unpredictable rocks and changes in terrain around those turns.

2. Excellent Ankle and Foot Stability: You need an amazing sense of balance to quickly detect moving rocks under your feet and be able to quickly hop from one small rock to another.

3. Greater hip and quad strength to withstand steep climbs and descents and save your body from losing balance.

4. Fast Feet: Successful trail runners often adopt a greater cadence than road runners to quickly transition between different surfaces. Long-leg reaches are always a gamble and puts too much stock in surfaces that you can’t count on.

5. Learning to Lift Your Legs: If you were one of those kids whose parents yelled at you to pick up your feet…trail running will be your nightmare. You’ve got to learn to pick up your legs higher and frequently or learn how to fall.

6. Eyes of a Hawk: Your gaze needs to switch often between close and far to anticipate what is directly below you and what’s coming up.

If you are interested in learning how to improve your ankle and foot stability, agility, and strength to help you cruise the trails, reach out today and ask about our run coaching:  https://www.trailtransformation.com/contact

Amanda Gresl, PT, DPT, OCS