The Amateur’s Guide to Trail Running

“That sounds like a train.”

Our footsteps echoed through the tunnel as we ran on the unseen tracks. Sean’s silhouette was framed by the distant light at the exit. The walls were wet and the ceiling dripped water on our heads. A rat ran across the rails and a train sounded in the distance.

“We should probably run faster.”

Our casual jog broke into a sprint. We had a few hundred yards to go and we couldn’t see the floor of the tunnel. Tripping over broken rocks and railway ties, we pushed hard to escape the tunnel.

Now, the tracks turn immediately from the tunnel into a small bridge over the Patapsco River. As soon as we escaped into the warm sunlight, we slid down the dirt hill and ran away down the industrial-sized sewage pipe that paralleled the river.

Road runners can no longer complain about cars. We have trains now.

Welcome to trail running.

Like most people, I started running on roads. But when I moved to Baltimore, I discovered a fantastic network of trails that I could run on near my house. I haven’t run on the road since.

My friends will all confirm that I fiercely defend trail running and look down on road runners with an air of complete supremacy.

Why is trail running the absolute greatest genre of running? If it isn’t immediately obvious, here are a few things to consider:

Roads are boring. Trails are not. I remember my road running days – I never stuck to a steady running schedule because I always got bored after a couple days of running on the same roads. Even when I switched my routes, roads and houses and front yards always look the same. Trails, on the hand, are never the same. They change with the seasons and the weather. Even if you run the same trail every trail, nature changes and offers new surprises. Flora and fauna and so much better than suburbia to keep your mind engaged.

Trails force your mind to work. Along the same vein, I could never run more than three miles on a road without zoning out and thinking about other things. When I’m running I want to think about running, not about my to-do list for tomorrow or whatever happened at the office that day. Trails force you to keep your head in the game. You have to leap over rocks and dodge tree roots. Rivers and cliffs and trains keep you grounded in the moment. It’s an exercise both physically and mentally, and it’s incredible.

Trails are better for your joints and muscles and other such important body parts. Road running is constantly touted as an awful sport to put your body through. While people who say that running is dangerous are completely and utterly wrong, it is true that excessive running on a road can do some damage. When I was a road runner, I suffered shin splints and I tore the muscle in my sole—it wasn’t from one particular incident, but rather from an unsafe amount of running. Since those two injuries, I had to significantly limit the amount of running I did or else the pain would come back.

Since switching to trails, though, I haven’t felt any pain. At all. Everyone warned me that I would twist an ankle or break my leg or fall off a cliff, but that doesn’t happen nearly as often as they say. The truth is that the constantly changing terrain of a trail prevents you from places repetitive stress on one muscle and the softness of the dirt cushions your joints from the harsh jolts of the road.

Trails are in nature. This might not be as important to you, but I am in love with the wilderness. Nature is my altar and Chris McCandless and Henry David Thoreau are my prophets. Given my current housing situation, I can either run through the streets of Baltimore or through a pristine forest trail. There’s no contest.

Transitioning to trails

Trail running is inherently different from running on the road. When you make the switch, don’t worry about mileage. Don’t worry about time. Pick a decent loop and get used to running on a trail. Get comfortable with rocks and trees and dirt. Learn to focus a couple steps in front of you and don’t twist your ankle.

Once you’re used to running through the woods, tailor your training to your own goals. Some people want to build up endurance and run 100-mile marathons and some people want to run shorter, more intense routes.

If you need motivation, browse through race calendars and sign up for a race in the near future. You’ll see races ranging from insane distances to more manageable 5K’s. There are even some races that have no set distances, but are measured by time period (three hours, six hours, etc.). Pick one and train for it.

If you do start getting bored with your trail (or if you just want to change up your routine), go to Trail Link and find another trail near your house. I typed in my city and found about forty trails and parks within thirty minutes of me. I’ve never even heard of some of these places, but a couple of them look promising.

What about gear?

One of my favorite things about running is the simplicity. Shoes, shorts, and a shirt, and you’re good to go. A lot of salesmen and magazines will try to sell you specialized “trail running shoes” at a disgusting price. Unless you have abnormally weak ankles, don’t bother. Buy a sturdy running shoe and it’ll treat you well on the trails (I’m on the New Balance diet myself). Replace it every couple hundred miles and it’ll work beautifully.

That’s it. Human beings are born to run (literally – not in the Bruce Springsteen sense of the phrase). The technique will come naturally. Your personal stride and form cannot be learned. Run and embrace the inherently natural movement of sprinting through the woods. Our ancestors did it. They didn’t run for fun or for exercise – they ran to catch food and to survive. Embrace that spirit and run with it.

And for your viewing pleasure, here is a video of Sean and I running our standard route: