5 Tips To Get Stronger on the Trails

Want to be stronger on the trails or possibly run your first trail race? Trail running can be a lot more fun and a lot less intimidating than you think. Here are a few helpful tips to get you started-

1️⃣Be patient and consistent. You may be an experienced road running extraordinaire but trail running utilizes all sorts of small stabilizing muscles that haven’t been firing up during road running. Put in the time, stay consistent (hit the trails 2-3 days a week) and in 4-8 weeks you will be amazed at how far you’ve come.

2️⃣Try run-walk intervals. They allow you to enjoy the trails without being overworked or miserable. My two beginning suggestions are 3 minute run 2 minute walk or 4 minute run 1 minute walk. Repeat this for the duration of your run.

3️⃣Do a proper warm up. Do 5 minutes of dynamic drills (walking lunges, butt kickers, hip swings, etc), followed by a 1/2 to 1 mile warm up on the road by the trail head.

4️⃣Bring water. You may be used to leaving water at home for your shorter road runs but on the trails bring water and take a sip every half mile. Trail running can often burn more calories and leave you feeling more fatigued.

5️⃣Sign up for a local trail race. There’s nothing like a race to get you excited and keep you motivated and focused to get you through hard workouts. If you have a solid running base (running at least 25 miles a week), pick a race 10-12 weeks out. If you are completely new to running or have taken a running hiatus, start with a shorter trail distance like a 5k or 10k and give yourself 3-4 months to train properly.

Trail questions? Fire away