is this one more effect of ageing?
granted I’ve got mild drop foot issues – but have had a couple sprawls that rival spills on the bike for rashy aftermath. The ones on tarmac are the worst. A sizeable number of my (older) friends also trip a fair bit.
have you experienced this more as you’ve gotten older ? or more tired?
There’s a lot of anecdotal evidence of trail runners finding that they trip more often when underfueled/bonking.
My own experience is in line with this.
I don’t want to be alarmist BUT progressive foot drop as you get older during exertion (especially when you get heated or overheated) is a symptom of MS and other such issues.
It could be nothing, you may just be getting clumsy as you age. Perhaps you have some ankle stability issues that get worse as you fatigue.
BUT my 2 cents is you should get with a good Doctor ASAP.
thanks for your concern Jamie! I’ve been comprehensively checked out by specialists, inconclusive so far. Oddly, the drop improves markedly with duration.
in any case i was born with the clumsy . . .
Man, I don’t know why but I’ve had a few falls and they suck. I have Sasquatch-like size 15 feet. You?
There’s a lot of anecdotal evidence of trail runners finding that they trip more often when underfueled/bonking.
My own experience is in line with this.
I absolutely get clumsier at the end of a trail run when I am tired. Same thing goes for mountain biking.
I honestly just kind of suck at standing upright.
Man, I don’t know why but I’ve had a few falls and they suck. I have Sasquatch-like size 15 feet. You?
definitely not dainty. I run in five fingers or trail gloves to minimise the bulk – can’t imagine doing it in Hokas.
There’s a lot of anecdotal evidence of trail runners finding that they trip more often when underfueled/bonking.
My own experience is in line with this.
I absolutely get clumsier at the end of a trail run when I am tired. Same thing goes for mountain biking.
I don’t run on trails as much as I’d like but have experienced on my mountain bike many times and it’s always when I’m underfueled/bonking. It’s almost like my body is a split second behind what my brain tells it to do. Such a weird feeling.
Do you frequently cross your legs? If so, you might be impinging the peroneal nerve. Try not to do that.
-Robert
I do more than half of my running on trails. (I much prefer trails.) I find that when doing long runs on the road, I trip a little here and there. Partly due to wearing out, but more so because my simple mind tends to wander. But I’ll trip more on flay roads! I’ve never fallen, but I’m sure it looks amazingly graceful. I have hobbit like feet as well, but for me, it comes from fatigue and a neandering mind!
Don’t really think it has anything to do with aging. I have been running since around 1980 and have tripped and fell on about 6 times. For some reason they all stand out in my mind. The first time was in college, the last time was about a month ago in the early morning darkness on an uneven sidewalk. I wear size 13 btw.
Yes! Always the uneven sidewalk…
“Tripping on the run” - that’s not what LSD means in this context 
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nope, wrong kind of acid
peace out anyway to the stoners
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Yeah, I do this. Not sure if it’s getting older, running in the dark (with a good headlamp) or a combination, but I seem to have a good tumble every 6 months or so.
My wife thinks it’s related to always listening to audio books and podcasts when I run, which it may be, but I’m not giving that up.
Happens to me a few times per year. Often it’s on perfectly flat terrain, and usually sidewalk or pavement. It’s always a slow, drawn out, several staggering step fall, and once I get up I look to see if anyone saw. The worst is getting cuts on the palms.
I’d try a ninja roll next time to dissipate the fall!
take a look at this video, as I have gotten older and slower my run form has grown worse and my recovery foot is just skimming the ground and sometimes scuffs
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M36rR_txnRY
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then compare to this video, it has some good slow motion
Only my left foot trips.
When I trail run if I concentrate on my left foot landing when I tire I don’t trip. My right foot is almost irrelevant to the process as I never recall tripping myself on my right foot.
Note: I definitely am left handed, which might suggest that is the dominant foot.