{"id":19585,"date":"2015-05-30T06:15:46","date_gmt":"2015-05-30T10:15:46","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/?p=19585"},"modified":"2016-07-14T16:01:01","modified_gmt":"2016-07-14T20:01:01","slug":"beginners-guide-trail-running","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/fitness\/beginners-guide-trail-running\/","title":{"rendered":"The Beginner\u2019s Guide to Trail Running"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"The<\/a>
Photo: Pond5<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Whether you\u2019re stuck in a running rut, bored by your neighborhood routes or just plain hate the treadmill<\/a>, it might be time to leave the road behind and head to the trails. And you won\u2019t be alone: More than 5.8 million runners around the country have already discovered an all-natural running high in the great outdoors. According to a recent\u00a0Sports and Industry Fitness Association<\/a> survey, trail running in the U.S. increased by more than eight percent from 2011 to 2012. But fresh air and tranquility are only a few of the reasons people are running away from the busy streets and into the wild woods.<\/p>\n

The Benefits of Trail Running<\/b><\/h3>\n

“Trail running burns 10 percent more calories\u00a0than road running.”<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Compared to hitting the pavement, trail running burns 10 percent more calories<\/a>,\u00a0while improving balance and agility. Runners get a tougher workout because the uneven terrain demands more lateral movements (think dodging branches and avoiding rocky patches) that keep the core engaged. Trail running also works different muscles with every step, while a shorter stride strengthens ankles and hips and reduces the impact on joints. Many runners, even at the highest level, incorporate trail running into their training to prevent overuse injuries.<\/p>\n

RELATED:<\/strong> 14 Trail Running Adventures to Try Before You Die<\/a><\/p>\n

But endurance runner\u00a0Ian Sharman<\/a>, a trail running expert, certified NASM personal trainer and USATF coach, says trail running is also about adventure. \u201cI first got started with trail running in 2004 when I saw Marathon<\/a> of the Sands<\/i>, a documentary about racing in the Sahara Desert,\u201d says Sharman, who wasn\u2019t even a runner at the time. \u201cI called up a friend, convinced him to train with me, and 18 months after seeing the film I ran the\u00a0Marathon des Sables<\/a>.\u201d Sharman has since completed more than 180 marathons and ultramarathons, most recently winning the grueling 2013\u00a0Leadville Trail 100 Mile Run<\/a>.<\/p>\n

How to Get Started<\/h3>\n

If you\u2019re ready for an adventure of your own, follow Sharman\u2019s lead as he shares some of the best tips beginners should know before hitting the trails. We\u2019ll cover everything from gear to etiquette to conquering those hills \u2014 and how to stay safe every step of the way.<\/p>\n

1. Blaze a Trail<\/h3>\n

You don\u2019t have to trek into a deep, dark forest to begin. \u201cTrail running includes anything that is off-road and away from paved surfaces,\u201d Sharman says. \u201cIt could be as simple as a bike path or just running in the grass, dirt or sand.\u201d Beginners can get started on flat terrain, perhaps with a cross-country run in the grass of a park. \u201cSince you\u2019ll still be around other people, you don\u2019t have to worry about getting lost,\u201d he says. From there, consider joining a local trail running group or\u00a0find popular trails in your area<\/a>. While it may seem intimidating at first, trail running \u201cis a very welcoming, friendly community and something anyone who enjoys the act of running itself can do,\u201d Sharman says.<\/p>\n

2. Grab the Right Gear<\/h3>\n

While you\u2019re probably not going to reach\u00a0mud run<\/a> levels of filthiness, you\u2019re still likely to get pretty dirty in a more rugged environment, so wear clothing you don\u2019t mind getting messy or ripped. As for shoes, whatever running sneakers you normally lace up are generally fine \u2014 again, as long as you don\u2019t mind them getting dirty or wet. Many people think trail-specific footwear, much like a hiking shoe, offers runners more stability. But the act of trail running, with all its bouncing around, actually strengthens your ankles all on its own. \u201cSpecialized shoes<\/a> do become important in trail running when you need more grip on trails that are muddy and slippery, or more cushioning for rougher, sharper terrain,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n

And just like any adventure, it\u2019s best to come prepared with some basic essentials. These include water (usually in the form of a sleek handheld bottle or a hydration pack), bug spray and a headlamp if you plan to run when it\u2019s dark outside.<\/p>\n

RELATED:<\/strong> Ultrarunning: Are We Meant to Go the Distance?<\/a><\/p>\n

3. Put Safety First<\/h3>\n

If you do progress out of the local park and go more remote, think of trail running with the same precautions you would use for hiking, Sharman advises. Tell someone where you\u2019re going and bring a map and cell phone (in the off chance you get lost). It\u2019s also a good idea to run with a friend if possible and do a little research on what wildlife might be lurking in the area.<\/p>\n

Sharman also suggests leaving headphones at home so you\u2019re able to stay tuned in to your surroundings and mindful of other runners (plus, research says a strong connection to nature does the mind and body good<\/a>!). As for keeping your eyes peeled, proper road running form<\/a> generally means keeping your gaze tall, not down at your feet. But with trail running, you\u2019ll need to be more conscious about where you\u2019re stepping. As you run, look a few yards ahead of you on the trail to watch for trail markers \u2014 and so you don\u2019t trip on tree roots or land head first in a muddy puddle.<\/p>\n

4. Take It Slow (Or Even Walk!)<\/h3>\n

On smaller trails, it\u2019s proper etiquette to be courteous to walkers and hikers. So don\u2019t blow right by them just because you\u2019re faster; maintain a safe distance between other runners and let faster runners go ahead of you.<\/p>\n

\u201cIn road running and racing, it\u2019s about competition and times, but trail running is a bit more relaxed and for fun,\u201d says Sharman (the same guy who holds the record for fastest U.S. time in a 100-mile trail race, mind you). If you\u2019re obsessive about crunching your Garmin\u2019s numbers, recognize that trail running is more about effort level than splits and pace per mile.<\/p>\n

Runners will usually be much slower on trails than they are on roads, due to the challenges of the natural terrain and its unforeseen obstacles that force you to slow down. In a recent race, Sharman says he switched from a 20 min\/mile to 5 min\/mile when he was faced with a massive hill. Unlike road racing, walking is not frowned upon or considered \u201cgiving up\u201d and is seen as one of the most important ways of getting to the finish line. \u201cWalking is a very valid part of trail running, especially the longer it gets or the tougher the terrain is,\u201d says Sharman. \u201cMany people, including myself, say they \u2018run 100 miles,\u2019 but very few people literally \u2018run\u2019 every step.\u201d<\/p>\n

5. Find Your High<\/h3>\n

Trail running may still sound challenging to beginners, but Sharman stresses that time away from the streets \u2014 and eventually up in the mountains \u2014 should be fun. \u201cOnce I\u2019ve done a big climb, I just love the feeling of hammering it downhill,\u201d he says. \u201cIt feels like playing and I don\u2019t always feel like I\u2019m playing when I\u2019m just logging miles on the road.\u201d<\/p>\n

RELATED:<\/strong>\u00a0From Day Hikes to Mount Kilimanjaro: Why More Women Are Hitting the Trail<\/a><\/p>\n

When you\u2019re on the trails, try to capture those special moments that get you<\/i> most excited. It could be as simple as taking in a mighty view. Sharman has run all over in the world in scenic locations including the Himalayas, European Alps and of course, the Sahara Desert. But he says one of his favorite things about trail running is its unique vantage point to unearth the beauty of your own backyard.<\/p>\n

\u201cAround San Francisco where I live, I run a lot in Marin County,\u201d he says. \u201cI could be running along a trail and as I crest the hill, catch a glimpse of the very top of the Golden Gate Bridge. That\u2019s the kind of magic you don\u2019t always get in road racing.\u201d<\/p>\n

For more trail running tips, follow Ian Sharman on Twitter at <\/i>@sharmanian<\/i><\/a>. And to find a trail near you, visit the directories from the <\/i>American Trail Running Association<\/i><\/a> and <\/i>Trails.com<\/i><\/a>.<\/i><\/p>\n

Originally posted October 15, 3013. Updated May\u00a02015.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Sick of your standard running routes or boring treadmill? Spring is the perfect time to take your runs off-road and into the great outdoors. Read on for essential trail running tips. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":17,"featured_media":19588,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_seopress_robots_primary_cat":"","_seopress_titles_title":"","_seopress_titles_desc":"","_seopress_robots_index":"","site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"categories":[21,24,6],"tags":[288,289,108,84,341,357,118],"class_list":["post-19585","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-cardio","category-exercise","category-fitness","tag-cardio","tag-exercise","tag-running","tag-safety","tag-tax1living-well","tag-tax2running","tag-vacation"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/19585","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/17"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=19585"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/19585\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/19588"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=19585"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=19585"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=19585"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}