A Beginners Guide to Trail Running

I belong to a number of FaceBook running groups and one of the questions that is often asked is; how do I get into trail running? Often the answers are, to my mind, over complicated and rather daunting, so I thought that I would give my considered view on the subject. But first, a bit of my own story.

Coming of Catbells on the Ascend Events' Derwentwater Dawdle

When I first started running again in my early fifties, I preferred running on the local footpaths where we used to walk the dog, as opposed to running on the streets with all of the noise and traffic. Woods and hills are just more interesting. I'd never heard of the term trail running, but I was a trail runner without knowing it. Generally, on winter evenings I'd run on the streets, but the rest of the time, I'd run through the woods of the Chilterns where we lived at the time.  I'd been doing this for about three years before I even discovered that there were special shoes for trail running - though by coincidence I actually had a pair of trail shoes because that's what the salesman had sold me in a running shop, but I didn't know any better.

And that's it really, if you want to be a trail runner, run on footpaths and bridleways rather than on the roads, that's all it takes. In essence, trail running is just like going for a countryside walk, only you do it faster. 

So how do you find trails to run on? The problem here is the mystique associated with the word "trail". To be honest, trails are nothing more than the regular footpaths and bridleways that crisscross the country. You can find them on OS maps, by looking at specialised apps such as Komoot and Strava. However, perhaps the easiest way is to Google search for local walks and then run them, instead. There are a wealth of routes available online and many local authorities and community groups publish walking guides to particular areas. It really isn't rocket science.

However, the big question is equipment. People like me post photographs of all the equipment that we need for races and it does give the impression that you need to carry all sorts of high-tech gear if you are going out for a run, but that couldn't be farther from the truth. Again, the analogy of going for a country walk is a good one. If I take the dog out for an hour locally, I probably won't take a rucksack with lots of equipment and spare food and water. However, if I'm spending a day walking the Lake District, I'll make sure that I have the right kit to keep me safe and to help me in the unfortunate case of an accident. The same is true with trail running. For a short run near home, you really don't need anything special. However, if you are going up into high or lonely country or going for a really long run, then you need to be appropriately equipped.

My kit for the Montane Summer Spine Challenger. This race has one of the most extensive kit lists I've come across. Though the winer version of the race requires you to carry far more. I also had a drop bag with more food, a change of cloths and shoes and a kitchen sink.

For runs up to about ten miles, I carry a bum bag for my phone and maybe a snack and a small flask of water if the weather is warm. Beyond that, especially if I'm going into wild or high country, I carry a backpack with more water, food, spare clothing, full waterproofs, a medical kit and a survival bag. That might seem a bit over the top, but running keeps you warm, but if a twisted ankle means that you have to slow down, then you can get very chilly very quickly. 

If you decide to enter a race - especially a long one - you may find that there is a mandatory kit list. Generally, this means that you will need to carry the sort of thing that I listed in the paragraph above. One specific issue is that the waterproofs will be required to have taped seams - this basically means that they are very waterproof. That is something that you will need to look out for.

People often ask questions such as which are the best trail shoes, waterproofs or what have you. In response, you will get people who say that only a certain brand of shoes are worth using or that if you don't spend £250 on a running jacket you are wasting your money. I ran for years in cheap trail shoes and a five quid waterproof from Sports Direct. It wasn't ideal, but I had an awful lot of fun in those early days. In truth, no kit is perfect. Shoes that work well on hard packed paths might struggle in mud or on rocky mountain paths. Unless you can afford tons of pairs of shoes, you will always be making a compromise. Find what is comfortable for you and stick with it. If you already run on the roads, go for trail shoes made by the same company as your road shoes. It is worth considering why you might want special trail shoes as opposed to ordinary running trainers. Basically, road shoes are built to perform well on hard, even surfaces which are not particularly slippy. Trail shoes are adapted to a variety of terrain and generally have much better grip. Last winter, I went out for a fifteen mile road run and while I was out it started to snow quite heavily. My road shoes were like ice-skates, while I know that my trail shoes cope with snow perfectly well. 

Certainly, a £250 waterproof will serve you well, but you can also get taped-seams ones for around £50 that will serve their purpose. Of course, the cheaper one won't be as light, won't pack down small and might make you sweat like a bin-liner, but it will keep you warm in the wind and wet and that's what you require. With all of your kit, set your budget and stick to it.

Basically, if you are going out for a short. summer jog on local footpaths, you don't need special equipment, just get out there and have fun. However, the longer you plan to run, the wilder the country and the worse the weather, then you do need to think about keeping warm and safe. 

Dress for the weather.

It's worth remembering that trail running is always slower than road running; don't worry about your 5km personal best when you are running over muddy footpaths. 

Enjoy the countryside, take photographs and have a great time. However, you might find that running off-road becomes addictive. I'll write a follow up to this post about choosing a first race and about some of the things you might like to think about if you start to take trail-running more seriously. In the meantime, this video shows why I do it.