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If you want to try trail running, first start with specific shoes designed to give you stability, safety and protection on uneven terrain.
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Start gradually with few kilometers, mix asphalt and dirt, deal with gradients gradually.
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Accept a slower pace, focus on experience, alternate road and off-road outings to improve strength and endurance.
Movingfrom road running to trail running is a transition that is anything but obvious and trivial. Deciding to go off-road is certainly an adrenaline-pumping choice, but at the same time not to be taken lightly. If you are thinking of trying your hand at this new discipline there are a few things you should keep in mind that will help you have the best experience.
Shoes
Let’s start with the basics, which for runners means choosing the right shoes. Whatever terrain you decide to try your hand at, your choice of shoes must be at the top of your priorities. With an unsuitable shoe you run the risk of having a distorted perspective of the experience, having probably failed to enjoy it fully.
Trail running shoes offer stability, safety, and protection from rocks, roots, and any obstacles you may find running on uneven terrain such as trails. This type of shoe generally has a reinforced toe box to protect toes from impact and soles with different thickness and height lugs to provide traction and grip on all surfaces. Investing in a good pair of trail shoes is necessary to best experience the transition from asphalt to dirt.
There is land and land
Each trail offers a different supporting surface: there are dirt, rocky, gravel trails and countless other varieties. Moving from running on a linear surface such as asphalt can be, to an irregular and unpredictable one such as trails, requires a new mental set-up.
Technical skills in dealing with certain surfaces are also not to be underestimated. Road running requires the execution of a single movement that is repeated consistently over time. Running off-road involves a higher rate of variability and requires a greater ability to adapt and adjust pace and rhythm according to the terrain.
The type of movement also changes: we are of course still talking about running, but on trails there are many more lateral movements due to changes in direction, while on the road, in most cases, the movement remains purely frontal.
Kilometers and elevation gain
When changing habits, it is always advisable to go step by step, incorporating a few off-road outings into your weekly training plan, without overdoing it in either difficulty or length.
Start with a few miles, perhaps mixing asphalt and dirt terrain, to begin to become familiar with the change of terrain. Avoid trying your hand at vertical ascents on overly technical trails right away. For those there will be time. Approach the elevation gain a little at a time, and don’t forget the Pietropoli coefficient that allows you to “convert” the miles of an offroad outing into the equivalent miles of a road outing. Just multiply the kilometers run by 1.6 (approximately) and the conversion is done! It’s a nice way to remind you that the miles you run off-road are worth a little more because you add the variable of elevation gain, which affects your training in terms of fatigue, effort and time.
Changing pace
Uneven terrain and variable elevation gain inevitably affect the pace of your run. This should not discourage you because it does not mean you have become slower. It is a completely normal phase that everyone goes through. Again you simply have to make your bones, or more accurately, your breath and legs. Accept this transition phase and focus on experience rather than speed. Don’t compare with the pace you’re used to on the road, forget about the numbers and focus on the rest, for example, on the track you need to follow so you don’t lose your way.
Mix and match
Combining on-road and off-road outings, getting the best out of each discipline, will only make you a more ready and prepared runner for each new challenge. By running on the road you can work on your speed while on trail running outings you will increase strength, agility and mental endurance.
Deciding to switch from road running to trail running (but also vice versa) will open you up to a new world of possibilities and challenges. Whatever discipline you naturally lean toward, changing and alternating training stimuli in your routine will enrich your personal background, helping to make your athletic journey even more fulfilling and rewarding.
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