{"id":88295122,"date":"2011-12-23T03:37:00","date_gmt":"2011-12-23T03:37:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blog.mikehedman.com\/trail-running-basics"},"modified":"2013-12-01T03:35:51","modified_gmt":"2013-12-01T03:35:51","slug":"trail-running-basics","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/mikehedman.com\/blog\/trail-running-basics\/","title":{"rendered":"Trail running basics"},"content":{"rendered":"

Trail running is a great break from miles on the road, or hours on the treadmill.\u00a0 Trail running is also a key part of\u00a0Ultramarathons<\/a>.\u00a0 Here are some tips to make your experience fun and safe.<\/p>\n

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Hydration<\/strong><\/p>\n

One of the first things you’ll discover about trail running is that you often have to be more self reliant than you might otherwise be.\u00a0 While you may know every park and schoolyard in your neighborhood that has a drinking fountain, five miles back from a trail head you will hurting if you don’t bring your own.\u00a0 You should also plan on carrying extra fluids, just in case (see the Navigation section below :|).\u00a0 A Camelbak comes in very handy, because in addition to providing an easy way to carry lots of fluid, they also typically have room for stowing some extra gear – either to put on if it gets cold, or to hold things that you strip off as you warm up.<\/p>\n

If you plan on being way out in nowheres-ville, you should know how to make water safe out on the trail – typically this means carrying some sort of chemical treatment like iodine tablets.<\/p>\n

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Critters and plants<\/strong><\/p>\n

One of the great treats of trail running is seeing wildlife.\u00a0 One of the worst things about trail running is seeing wildlife :?.\u00a0 Hitting the trails in the early early morning almost guarantees you a sighting or two.\u00a0 Common animals on the trails\u00a0(at least in Northern California) are rabbits, deer, coyote (they’re WAY\u00a0more afraid of you than you are of them!), the occasional (and very illusive) bobcat, snakes, gophers, squirrels, and all manner of birds.\u00a0 And then one morning I came around a bend and saw a chewed off deer leg lying in the middle of the trail – probably the victim of a mountain lion.\u00a0 Yipes.<\/p>\n

OK, some big predator tips.\u00a0 Unless you have crazy speed – don’t run.\u00a0 Running triggers a “catch the prey” response that you DO\u00a0NOT\u00a0want to trigger!\u00a0 The general rule is get BIG.\u00a0 Stand up tall, raise your hands out, and talk defiantly to the cat\/bear.\u00a0 If they do attack, fight back.\u00a0 (Note, some might say that playing dead for a bear is better – but I’ve never had occasion to have to figure that out).<\/p>\n

Poison oak and ivy are a continual concern. \u00a0There’s a special soap called Tecnu that does a good job of washing off the offending oils\u00a0– and can also be applied pre-run if you are pretty sure you’re going to be exposed.\u00a0 A note about these plants, they are still dangerous even if there are no leaves. \u00a0So be cautious kicking branches out of the way – you can still get a good stripe of painful itch.<\/p>\n

Ticks can also be a concern.\u00a0 Always wear a hat, and give yourself a look over after the run.\u00a0 Dogs running free are magnets for ticks – if Fluffy is running with you, be sure to check her out as well.<\/p>\n

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Navigation<\/strong><\/p>\n

Trail running almost always means getting lost sometimes.\u00a0 Make sure you have a trail map which often available at the trail head,\u00a0or sometimes you can download them from the park’s website.\u00a0 One thing is for sure – trail signs are very, very often not enough for you to successfully navigate a large area with many trails.<\/p>\n

If you can, run with someone who is familiar with the area and the trails.\u00a0 A GPS can help…if you know how to use it!\u00a0 A Forerunner type device will give you some help – but again, you have to know how to use it.\u00a0 If you’ve never played with the GPS functions, start by taking it on a familiar road run.<\/p>\n

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General Safety<\/strong><\/p>\n

Be aware.\u00a0 No really, that’s one of the most important tips for trail running.\u00a0 If you can “only” run with headphones – deal with it and don’t wear them for a while.\u00a0 You NEED to hear the sounds around you.\u00a0 You\u00a0should<\/em>\u00a0be aware, particularly on singe track trails, of other people on the trails.<\/p>\n

Until you get very comfortable running on trails, and even after that, it’s also critical that you focus on what you are doing.\u00a0 One of the joys of running on roads, tracks, and treadmills\u00a0is zoning out and just hammering.\u00a0 You just can’t do that on a trail.\u00a0 Rocks and roots,\u00a0mud and branches.\u00a0 When you fall (notice that wasn’t an “if” ;)), take a quick second and think back to what was going on in your mind – probably work, what to cook\u00a0for dinner tonight, etc., etc. – but it\u00a0was\u00a0something other than “trail”.\u00a0 It always happens…you’ve been warned.<\/p>\n

Run in the middle of the trail\/fireroad.\u00a0 You are much less likely to brush up against harmful plants, and much less likely to surprise a nasty critter.\u00a0 Many snakes will try camoflage first, then rattle, then strike – staying in the middle of the trail helps.<\/p>\n

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Gear<\/strong><\/p>\n

The best thing about trail running is your free license to spend $$$\u00a0on GEAR!!<\/p>\n