On a weekend trip to Vail a couple years ago, I decided to sign up for the GoPro Mountain Games 10K trail race. I'd run several road marathons at that point, and could easily run a 10K under an hour. What I didn't account for: the starting elevation of 8,000 feet (I lived at sea level at the time), the 2,000-foot climb straight up a grassy ski hill, and the nonstop exposure to the relentless Colorado sun. I would have given up a quarter-mile in if there had been an easy way to turn back down the mountain. Instead, I ended up "hiking" a majority of the race. While my 10K PR stands at 47:01, I clocked this race at 1:42:39. Woof.
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All About 75 Hard not translate to trail fitness. But that shouldn't stop you from signing up for a trail race! Trail running is one of the world’s fastest growing sports, according to the World Athletics, and getting off the road can have all kinds of mental and physical benefits. But to tap into those, you have to understand what you're getting into and prepare your mind and body for the reality of running off the beaten path. Here's how the pros recommend first-time trail runners set themselves up for success.
1. Do your research
Health & Injuries know the course is going to be clearly marked and that you’ll be surrounded by other runners and volunteers. That’s not always the case on a trail. Before race day, “take the time to learn the course, the terrain, how technical it is, temperatures around race day, and the location of aid stations,” says Jeff Le, an RRCA-certified running coach and four-time 100-mile trail race finisher. “Trail races vary wildly, and those logistics will impact your race-day strategy and training.”
If you’re not getting enough information from the race website itself, turn to the wider internet. “I literally Google the name of my race and add ‘blog’ or ‘race report’ or ‘race review’ to the search to learn about the terrain, the potential weather, how well the trail is marked, avoiding cut-off times, food at aid stations, etc.,” says Science of Speed coach Kristin Halley, who placed 3rd overall female at the 2020 Ironhorse 100K trail run. The more you know ahead of time, the better prepared you’ll be when you toe the starting line.
2. Prep your body for the terrain
If you're training for a trail race, you should be running on trails—or something that simulates the terrain as closely as possible—in as many of your runs as possible. While you can use any How to Actually Prep for a Trail Race, According to Pros for the distance you're racing, you want to make sure you get to the dirt at least once a week, if not for every run.
Also, while dirt, gravel, and grass tend to be easier on your body than concrete or pavement, they’re rife with obstacles that could pose more challenges than a flat, groomed road. That means your training shouldn’t just include runs on actual trails, but strength training sessions that will beef up the muscles you’ll engage on the trail: Your calves and hamstrings Races - Places quads on the downhills, and all those little stabilizer muscles in your lower leg, especially around your ankles. “Single-leg exercises not only help overall balance, but build ankle strength and stability so you’re less likely to trip,” explains Amie Dworecki, head coach of Running with Life in South Bend, Indiana. Aim to squeeze in strength sessions one to three days per week.
Also, know that falling is a definite possibility. “It goes with the territory,” says Halley. If you take a tumble, “dust yourself off and keep going!” she says. “A good rule of thumb is to try and walk off the initial jarring sensation for a few minutes, but if it still hurts or the pain is getting worse, reassess and decide if you need to stop.”
3. Gear up for your circumstances
Road races are all about minimalism; the less you carry, the faster you can move. On a trail, what you wear and carry with you can make all the difference, especially considering you might be running for hours between aid stations, says Halley. “Most trail runners carry hydration packs—some races require you to be able to carry a minimum of 1.5 liters—as well as food and a rain jacket, maybe even a light, like a headlamp,” she says. Depending on your race, you may also want to tote trail-specific items like toilet paper (you never know!) and a map of the course (just in case).
Advertisement - Continue Reading Below race day shoes, it’s super important to train with this stuff ahead of time.“You want to mimic race conditions as much as possible and get used to what it feels like to run with a full pack, how to use or swap out your bottles or bladder, and where potential chafing could be,” says Le. The less distractions you’re dealing with from your gear, the more dialed in you’ll be on the run.
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4. Forget about pace
The holy grail of road racing may be negative splits, but that means nothing on a trail. “Road racers need to realize that a trail race of a similar distance will normally take longer due to elevation changes and differences in terrain,” says Dworecki. Think about trail racing in terms of total time on feet versus individual miles. If you study the course ahead of time, you can also figure out where you might slow down or speed up depending on the terrain, so you can be smart about where you use your energy.
quot; a majority of the race. While my rate of perceived exertion (RPE)—or how hard you feel like you’re working in any given moment. “Learning to run by perceived effort is key for trail running,” says Halley. For example, you might be faster on a downhill and slower on an uphill, but you can exert the same level of effort on each—say, aiming for a seven on a scale of one to 10 for both, no matter how much your pace changes.
5. Embrace the power hike
There’s this sort of shame associated with walking during road races, but walking during a trail race—especially the parts with major elevation gain—can actually be strategic. “This is the biggest surprise to road runners,” says Dworecki, but you should go into your race with a plan on how to tackle the undulating terrain. That might mean power walking or hiking uphill and running the downhills and flats—and practice that in training as well.
Walking and hiking use different muscles, which can actually be to your benefit. At slower paces on an uphill, it’s easier to draw Join Runners World+ today for exclusive access to racing and training advice from the experts and give your tired calves and hammies a much-needed break. On inclines steeper than 15.8 degrees, athletes can reduce their energy expenditure by walking rather than running, research published in the The 30 Best Gifts for Hikers in 2022 found—making it easier to pick up the pace when the route flattens out. Instead of just strolling, “use the walk to eat, adjust your clothes or pack, maybe take on or off a layer of clothes—just keep moving,” says Halley.
