How to hit the trail, running
PHOTO BY 5PEAKS TRAIL RUNNING SERIES
BY JOHN KLICH
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“THERE’S SOMETHING ABOUT running through the woods that appeals to the deeper being.” That observation came from Eric Martinat in these pages four years back. It’s still true today. Like any physical activity that requires mental focus, trail running connects the mind to the body, and natural surroundings reinforce that connection. To understand it, be aware of the unique physical demands that are involved. Anyone deciding to take their running off-road this season knows there are risks. The greatest involves falling, which can mean an ankle sprain or a skinned knee. However, falls occur a lot less frequently than risk of insect bites and poison vegetation that can leave you itchy and scratching. In rare instances, animals or mountain bikers may pose a threat. (Sometimes, it’s a jungle out there.) Despite these irritants, trail running can breathe new enthusiasm
OTTAWAOUTDOORS SPRING/SUMMER 2006
into your stride and make you a better runner overall. With preparation and patience, the transition from road to trail can be both rewarding and safe. Trail running and road running have many similarities, but are not identical. Runners are faced with different physical demands as they move through forests, meadows, wilderness or backcountry areas, usually on singletrack dirt, rock, scrag and woodchip paths. These uneven surfaces have roots, logs, leaves, mud and rocks – a clutter that makes foot placement and weight transfer challenging. Climbs on a trail run can be steep, winding and frequent, with your whole body involved in maintaining balance and forward momentum. More muscle groups are at work, and because your metabolism is kicked up a notch, a trail run will feel much longer than a road run of equal distance. Recognizing and appreciating these demands can help anyone become a stronger and more efficient trail runner. The challenges also require more from the body in order to perform efficiently and safely. It’s not just running anymore, so it’s important for runners to assess their core strength, balance and agility. Your core is what connects your lower body to your upper body; as such, it’s the foundation for sport movement – running, jumping, throwing, lifting. It involves more than just “six pack abs,” but all the muscles you don’t see as they stabilize the pelvis and spine in every direction, not just in a crunch.
You can strengthen your core in many ways (e.g. yoga and Pilates), although some simple exercises are often all that is needed to do the trick. Traditional and one-legged variations of a push-up position are a good start to engaging your core. Hold the position for 20-30 seconds and repeat a few times. When working from your core, think balance. Good balance requires “proprioception” – the feedback system built into the body that tells you where it is in space. Using information from muscles, inner ears and eyes, the brain gets a picture of body position. Then neuromuscular response kicks in with the right combination of muscles acting with the right force to hold a body position. One simple balance exercise involves standing on one leg. Increase the difficulty by closing your eyes while standing. Or, stand on an unstable or uneven surface. Or, incorporate movement (e.g. jump from one leg to the other and hold the position). On trails, balance is the key to keeping your body from falling victim to gravity or momentum as you climb or descend a slope. With adequate core strength and balance, the next step to improving your running involves developing agility. Agility means being able to move in a controlled manner through a set pattern – like hopscotch. This is the start of the mind-body connection. Begin by going through a movement pattern slowly and deliberately, focusing on each step. The pattern can be something as simple as jumping back and forth across a line
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PHOTO BY 5PEAKS TRAIL RUNNING SERIES
Getting your core in shape will make the difference
