How To Start Trail Running

However, the reality of trail running can be a bit different, especially if you’re new to it. Here, guest blogger and Trail Running Guide at Run the Wild Karin Voller, shares her advice on how to get started on your trail running journey, from choosing the right kit to finding a route. 

Have you ever had to step off a pavement to make way for an oncoming buggy? CONGRATULATIONS, you’re officially a trail runner! Yep, it’s that simple. Trail running takes many different forms, from park runs to those slightly scary sky races. Yet, its essence is straightforward, running on unpaved surfaces and in nature. Most of us enjoyed running as children and trail running really does bring back that true sense of freedom. It’s physical and mental health benefits are profound. With some specific kit and a little preparation, the world becomes your oyster. 

At Run the Wild, we look to help people along their running journey on the trails, and a few questions repeatedly crop up: How do I find routes? What kit do I really need? Is it safe? Won’t I twist my ankle? I can only run after work so surely I can’t run trails in the dark? So, let’s address those key concerns. 

As a trail runner, suddenly all routes are available to you. You can step away from the congested roads and pavements, but that can feel daunting and the thought of getting lost possibly terrifying. The easiest way to find routes in your local area is to jump on Strava and see what other trail runners are doing in your area. If you want to create your own route, there are several online apps such as Outdoor Active and Kamoot, which allow you to plot out a route and follow it live when you’re running. Many even have a ‘snap to route’ feature which automatically connects two points via the shortest trail route. These apps will show you the amount of ascent or descent and total distance, so can give a decent estimate of how long the route should take. 

You can also have a search for Park Run and they kindly show you a map of all their 5k routes. While some of these are paved, many aren’t, and can be a great starting point for a 5k loop. Join a local running club or come along to a Run the Wild run. Our routes have been specifically planned to be as scenic and interesting as possible! Wherever you go, make sure that if you're on your own, you tell someone your proposed route. Run the Wild also offer navigation courses to help build confidence in map reading and route creation. The key thing is to build your confidence and competence before taking on bigger challenges. 

Trail shoes and a waterproof jacket will be your best investments, everything else depends on weather, distance and time of day.  

In summer, we often get asked whether trail shoes are necessary. The answer is yes! They have a number of features that are necessary, the obvious being lugs for traction and harder-wearing uppers (road shoe uppers are primarily designed to be lightweight and breathable, rather than offer some resistance against trail debris, and also robustness against repetitively getting wet/muddy and drying). Plus, the grip pattern and compound of the sole, with some similar to climbing shoes, better grip wet and dry terrain. There are winter and summer trail shoes, and then you have ones which try to do a bit of both. 

A running pack gives you the flexibility to take more kit, food, water and other essentials with you, so you can explore longer trails. Packs nowadays are so light and clever, with numerous bungee-style mechanisms for tightening the pack so you can fit them securely to your body. I generally find a 5-litre pack is adequate for runs up to 2-3 hours. Beyond this, I like my 12-litre, just so I don’t have to cut corners on what I carry. As a trail runner, you need to be more self-sufficient, so a basic first aid kit is a really good idea.  

With the UK weather, a waterproof jacket is going to be a great investment. It’s light, windproof, and it will keep you warm and dry. Even if it’s sunny, it’s always a good idea to pack some layers.  

As a female runner who typically runs trails alone, safety is important. However, my personal biggest fear is meeting a herd of cows!

As with road running, always tell someone where you’re going, your expected return time, and if possible, give them a way to track you. The ‘find my phone’ feature is really useful. Risk is a personal choice but as a new trail runner, we recommend running in daylight with a friend and in an area where you can get to a road easily, until you gain confidence.  

Briefly, back to running through a herd of cows, stay calm and walk. This is a good rule for dealing with all other trail users! From dogs to mountain bikers and horse riders, there are a lot of people sharing the trails. It’s important that we all look after each other and observe the countryside code. 

Trail running is an all-body workout, so it’s great for strength, endurance and for road runners wanting to cross-train. If you want to improve, then you’ll need to do some strength and conditioning. Work your leg muscles with exercises like squats and your core with planks and leg raises.  

There's one other key strengthening tip we have for you, and that is to strengthen your ankles! It’s the most common running injury, but with some work you can reduce this risk. I’m most likely to turn my ankle while road running, stepping on and off pavements or over a dodgy paving slab, but there’s a reason for this.  

When trail running, because you think you’re more likely to fall, you naturally pay more attention to the terrain. Without the need to worry about traffic or other pedestrians as road runners do. On the trails, we’re naturally drawn to look down more and think about foot placement. Pace is naturally slower due to the conditions, giving you more time to react and adapt. However, trails do have steep descents. Although it’s the most exhilarating part of trail running, you should be extra cautious when running over uneven stony sections. 

Strength exercises like calf raises build strength and reduce reaction times on rough ground. Running with a higher cadence also puts less reliance on each individual step, so you’ll feel lighter on your feet and the risk of a catastrophic ankle turn is reduced. If it does happen, then get to a physio and build back up. 

To make the most of running in the UK you’ll need a decent head torch. We don’t all have the luxury of daytime running, particularly during the winter months when there’s approximately 8 minutes of daylight each day! I personally prefer a head torch to a chest torch because I only need to turn my head to be able to scan the trails. Choose a torch with at least 200 lumens that you can recharge. A battery on the back stops it bouncing, while wearing a buff or headband underneath means no red splodges on your forehead for the rest of the evening.  

Ideally, run a trail you have run in the daylight, so you know what to expect. It’s amazing how different things look at night, you lose the long-range vision of being able to see features further away, and everything becomes greyscale rather than vibrant colours. Ideally, run with company, but don’t be completely put off running in the dark. You’ll be amazed at how much wildlife comes out after dusk. I also find a nice dose of adrenaline tends to make me run faster! 

Trail running really is all about freedom. Freedom to run where you want to and leave behind everyday life. The benefits of running in nature are huge and once you gain confidence you’ll want to explore more. It’s really worth the little bit of extra effort to get started. 

Written by Karin Voller, Trail Running Guide at Run the Wild 

Run the Wild is all about helping runners on their trail running journey, don’t hesitate to get in touch if you have any questions or need some advice.  

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Thanks for sharing your knowledge with us, Karin! Have you been inspired to hit the trails? If you’re headed out, make sure you’re in the right footwear to support your run. Speak to one of our kit experts and book a free gait analysis to find the perfect-fitting trail shoes so you can run with confidence.

Learn more about gait analysis and book a free appointment today.