Road Running vs. Trail Running

It was my very first road race and I was expecting to catch the “race bug” as people called it. Supposedly one gets “hooked” to racing once you run with a crowd of people and the adrenaline kicks in.

It didn’t happen like that for me.

I got through with my first 5K race and thought, “That’s it? That was quite boring and there were entirely too many people in my way.”

Now, don’t get me wrong. I wasn’t physically in shape to go much farther than a 5K at that point, but I didn’t find it interesting in any way, shape or form.   

My brother and sister-in-law encouraged me to run a 5K trail race with them the following month. Talk about exhilarating! The hills became like a roller coaster to me. You never knew what was going to be around the next bend. Were we going to have to jump a creek, jump a log, or run down a steep hill with twisted roots under foot? As we emerged from the woods, I launched into a full out sprint to the finish line. I had so much adrenaline pumping and I wanted to run it again! This trail running race had “hooked” me and I was completely in love.

Trail running is a completely different experience from any other running. You have to pay attention to your footing at all times. There are rocks, roots and stumps all along the way. Making sure to keep your eyes on the ground and pick your feet up is crucial. Otherwise you may end up flying like Superman for a moment only to land on your face. These trail runs test your ability to pay close attention to what you are doing while also building incredibly strong leg muscles. The different angles that your feet land on the trails build up some very nice muscles in your upper and lower legs. If you desire more muscle definition, this is certainly a fun way to do it!

I use trails as my “long run” once a week. My very first Half Marathon was even on trails! I encourage each of you to go out and try a trail run with a buddy. Remember to always be safe when going trail running. Take your cell phone, water and pepper spray with you. You never know who or what you may encounter on your journey.  It is always better to be safe than sorry.

Happy Trailing!