Take to the Trails

(an extract from Runners' World - a Salomon advertisement written by Adam Chase, president of American Trail Running Association)

Take to the Trails
~ Why trail runners are not just fast hikers or road runners who couldn't find pavement, and why you should be one.

If variety is the spice of life, trails are the zest of running. Moving rapidly on trails is all about adventure, challenge, and excitement. Dealing with constant change defines the sport of trail running, as no two steps are the same on the natural terrain. Even trail runners who return to the same trail know that they have lives of their own: one day dry and hard, the next wet and slopppy. The dynamic of the variables - the flowers and animals - breathes life into running.

A Zen-like Experience

Trail running is an almost zen-like experience with intrinsic value, and many trail runners never race. They feel no need for measure, or to gauge themselves by running faster than others. Trail races or "events" are different from road races. The atmosphere is support rather than competitive.

When runners complain of overuse injuries, it is often the result of road running. Pounding on the pavement with little variation in stride or strike takes its toll. Trail running casualties are of the more flesh-wound variety. It is so much more impressive to be covered with dirt and dried blood than to be sidelined because of some ITB or shinsplint flare-up.

The attitudinal distinction between road and trail runners is a dichotomy of speed and distance, vs pursuing something for the inherent, immeasurable experience. Road runners tend to be into measurement - pace, heart rate, time, target zones, distances, calories. In contrast, trail runners rarely know how far they have run, measuring instead by destinations or views enjoyed.

Unlimited Playground

The off-road experience offers a liberating escape that recharges your emotional and spiritual batteries. A beautiful track. Trails provide freedom and quiet, offering a retreat from the masses. The mild distraction of scouting each footstep can lull you to a meditative peacefulness. The challenging surface slows runners down as a cautionary reflex to avoid falls.

So step off the treadmill, tarmac and track, lace up the trail-runners and hit the trails.