I just did my first ever trail running race today. It was a local race only 5km from home and had 7.5k, 17.5k and 25k events. There were around 100 people in total. I have run cross-country races for close to 30 years and figured that a trail run race would be pretty much the same. I was wrong! I was first across the line in the 17.5k race but the format for “winning” was closest to their predicted finishing time and I was waaaaaaaay off of that. The course had hills and lots of mud and water. I didn’t have spikes or trail shoes and just ran in my Asics DS-Trainers which I love but really suck for traction in mud and lateral ankle support… next trail race I’ll be better prepared 
I ended up running 6 minutes slower than I thought I would due mostly to a couple of falls, knee-deep stream crossings and mud slop on a large portion of the course. I have an awful lot of scrapes from branches and my back aches from one of the falls but for some reason I’m stoked to do another one of these since it was a lot of fun.
that sounds like a great time
thom / dirt.
I do nothing but trail runs for training. I hated running on the road, I have bad hips and knees. Trail running is a blast.
How do your hips and knees deal with all of the lateral forces from the rocks and uneven terrain? I know that I wasn’t running very fast today but my legs are sore Do most trail races follow “regular” cross-country type trails compared to the uneven, rocky, mudfest that I ran on today?
It was the constant and consistant pounding of pavement they hated. I do much better with moving all over the place. I was sore the first few times and now I’m fine.
I have not done an actual off road race yet, but I run some very steep sections with rocks and occassional mud.
G’day Allan,
Your legs are sore I can barely walk today, I’m going to get tortured big time on the mtb ride this morning. Great day for a race yesterday I loved the “non-competitive” format and even though I ran in trail shoes I had a hard time running through the “frost coming out of the mud slime”. I can’t say I’ve had as much fun running through knee deep just above freezing water since I was a puddle stomping rugrat. Plus now I don’t have Mom scolding me for getting so muddy Great race.
PEACE
Peterp
Congratulations! Isn’t trail running a blast?
Do most trail races follow “regular” cross-country type trails compared to the uneven, rocky, mudfest that I ran on today?<<
Around NorCal, you will find both, depending where the race is. There’s even one race that follows the Coastal Trail where the trail is so narrow along the cliff that you have to go single file.
clm
“There’s even one race that follows the Coastal Trail where the trail is so narrow along the cliff that you have to go single file.”
Don’t run with any unfriendlies in that one.
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