Anyone doing this? Does trail running have a place in tri training ?
could imagine it helps for strength and also it’s less pounding due to softer surface
Unless I want to run dead flat (which isn’t often) where I live pretty every run is a mix of trails and road. It’s still running
Be careful in doing too many miles too quickly if you are new to regular trail running. I developed minor strain in my foot from the uneven surface of the trail when I started doing all my long runs off-road. I didn’t give my legs enough time to get acclimated to the new running surface.
I’m gonna do it this year!
Only run on the road when I really have to. Trails all the time, anytime. Focus on a stable mid-section, upright stance letting the legs do all the work. Oftentimes I’ll actually feel like my mid-section has had a really good workout; a bit like that feeling you get when you’ve done a whole heap of crunches/curl-ups.
I run the road 90% of the time, but am aiming for a trail 1/2 marathon in Feb. Trail shoes? Check! Snow on the ground in Nashville? Check! Insanity to run trails tomorrow when its -10C? Check! Seriously, I enjoy trail running to mix up the ‘normal’ routine. So the ambition to focus on a trial 1/2 mary seems totally normal…sort of…
Absolutely, running is running to a significant extent. As data-centric as Tri geeks tend to be, you just have to let go of the compulsion to worry too much about specific pace or other commonly quantifiable metrics to the degree that we typically do on the road/track. I’ll usually hit the trail for my longer runs when I just want to log, say, 90 min or 2 hrs at a moderate pace and allow my mind to wander (or only concern myself w/ form or breathing, etc) rather that trying to focus in on any detailed time/distance benchmarks ~ since those can be too arbitrary depending on terrain and surface condition (sometimes even trying to compare times on the same piece of trail can have huge variance between dry vs wet).
Absolutely! You should do the June Lake Tri. Almost all trail run - kicks everybody’s butt.
One thing I’ve learned though is that 100% trail running doesn’t equate to speed. I live in a mountainous region where trail runs with 3,000 feet of climbing/descending and those runs aren’t like tempo runs. Nonetheless, trail runs are so fun that who needs speed? The flowers are so pretty… I actually have gotten to the point where I’m done with intersections and cars and pedestrians and traffic signals and sidewalks and curbs and people and all that. I’ll run on the street, but only because I’m pinched for time and during races.
definitely a big part of my training, especially for the long, easy stuff, and for strength/hill work. all my quality, though, is on the track or the road. i find it’s the way to go when precision and consistency matter.
-mike
Anyone doing this? Does trail running have a place in tri training ?
could imagine it helps for strength and also it’s less pounding due to softer surface
I do most of my running on paved surfaces, but it’s fun to throw in some trail running. Mostly for the change of scenery, but also for the different muscle groups and motor skills involved.
However, I’ve never seen the “less pounding due to a softer surface” aspect of trail running. It could be different where you live, but in the desert southwest US, the trails are as hard as concrete. Throw in the potholes, gullies, boulders, and random tree branches, and the risk of injury actually increases. It’s definitely not a chance to get in some speed work.
But do it! You’ll enjoy yourself.
Short answer… absolutely, absolutely, absolutely.
Regards
David
Yep. I do about 90% of my running on the trails. Really helped get me running again after a knee injury, and after a couple of frustrating years of start-get injured- rehab cycle, I’m back to running 40 mile weeks. It’s also s good overall workout, and quite meditative at times.