I have been an active runner since I was 10 years old. When I started, I would tag along to a road race in the D.C. area with my dad and attempt to win my age group in a 5k or 10k. My idea of “training” was to run a few miles on Wednesday or Thursday before a Saturday or Sunday race. I was a very active kid and played soccer so I was fit.
This is my attempt to qualify in words what trail running means to me at this phase in my running journey. I know I am a marginal writer at best, however, if nothing else, it was important to me to memorialize why I have been enjoying this phase of running and maybe inspire others to try trail running.
Phase 1 - pre-high school - Road races and junior olympics
Phase 2 - High school Cross Country and Track
Phase 3 - College Cross Country and Track
Phase 4 - The post College blues
Phase 5 - Running Clubs, marathons, shorter ultras, coaching
Phase 6 - Trail Running
Phase 7 - Walking / hiking :) - not there just yet, hoping to make it until 60 before I hit this phase
I have always been fortunate to be good at running. I have never found another form of exercise that tires me out as much or feels as natural as running. Over the 40+ years of my running adventures, I have participated in track races, cross country, team races, road races, marathons and ultras. It has only been within the last 2-3 years that I have fully invested in pursuing trail running.
Specifically, coming off the pandemic and approaching 50 years old, I needed to consider redefining what makes me happy about running. Up until the pandemic, my running had always revolved around training blocks that led to a goal race. Races kept me mentally and physically focused on a goal to train and push myself. My training measures were pace and distance. My racing measures were overall place.
As a result of the safety constraints of the pandemic there were no opportunities to race. While some runners turned to virtual events and Strava segments, neither were of interest to me. I prefer head to head racing especially since at my age, I am never going to win or even place well in a pure time trial format. Because I have been fortunate to have experienced so many types of races the past 40 years, I started to consider what is my true bucket list of running experiences that I have not yet experienced.
While I said I was previously not a trail runner, I do have a love affair with the Grand Canyon. I didn’t really train as a train runner until my last two Grand Canyon trips (2023 and 2024). I dabbled in trails in 2012, but as evidenced by how much I suffered crossing the Grand Canyon at that time, I was not yet a trail runner. To-date, I have been in the Grand Canyon seven times in my life including a Rim2Rim (2012 - South Rim to North Rim; approx 23 miles of running with 5k elevation drop and gain), Alternate Rim2Rim2Rim (2023- Last few miles of the north rim were closed due to trail repairs so we went 41 miles in the canyon) and then the proper R3 (May 2023 - approx 44 miles, South to North Rim and back for 1 continuous run).
During the Alt R3 build up, I began to log heavy time on feet on trails in preparation for the challenge of the Grand Canyon. I found myself dreaming during the week about the upcoming Sat am adventure on a trail. I began investing in learning how to prepare for the trail and how to mprove as a trail runner. It was like a new sport but yet the same familiar process. I enjoyed researching state and national park trail routes, trail and weather conditions, learning how to properly fuel, and what gear to use. I enjoyed the lack of stress and anxiety of preparing for a race. I learned to check my ego on miles and pace as often because of the challenge of the terrain, you can be on a trail for hours and have far less miles to show for it vs what you could have netted on the roads.
I learned and began to love walking! As a competitive runner my whole life, walking is a big deal. It was always something I would never do. At times on a trail, it is just too steep or technical to run and is more efficient to walk. I sometimes just walk for stretches to take in the scenery more and to relax my body before another tough segment of the trail comes up. Alternatively, on a trail, I can also push myself really hard for a stretch. The freeing part is it is always on my own terms vs. a race where you are usually always pushing because there is a distance and clock measuring you.
I absolutely love being on a trail! In my opinion, safety should dictate any trail run especially if you are deep in the woods away from most humans. However, despite the risk, I find solo running on a trail euphoric. When I am truly in a flow state on a trail, my body almost goes into autopilot for all the mechanics required to navigate a trail. Subconsciously my body finds where my feet need to land and how my body should balance. I scan the terrain ahead so that I can navigate how I should approach the upcoming sections of the trail. It is an almost out of body experience to absorb the beauty of the surroundings (woods / mountains / streams / waterfalls / plants / animals). I can also let my brain wander as well to think thru whatever might be on my mind.
Because the trail runs I do are often several hours, I can find myself pushing the pace for portions of the run, listening to a podcast or music for a stretch of time, or engaged in a great conversation with a friend I am running with.
Largely because of the challenges of scheduling a run a few hours away in the mountains with other like minded runners, I have done a lot of trail running on my own. I have really learned to enjoy this solo time.
I equally love catching up and chatting with a fellow trail running friend to share the challenge of the terrain and laugh and enjoy each other’s company.
On a really long trail run if you are lucky enough, two or more runners can flow together. That is almost magical. For me, I find myself observing the cadence of my partner(s) so that I can make adjustments about where my body strikes the ground based on their pattern. I can sit in the back and "rest" for my turn to lead or I might not be feeling as good and need that other runner to tow me along. When I am leading on the trail, then I have the freedom to control the pace. I can find the cadence that stretches me but is comfortable enough for the others to sustain as well.
A long trail run tires me out. I am not sore like a road run but, I do experience a deep dull ache in my legs and much more of a full body workout than a road race. Despite the lengthy time on feet, the soft surfaces seem to enable my body to recover faster. I get the satisfaction of tiring myself out, pushing myself, enjoying the trail, and an adventure to a new place I have never seen or am not able to visit often.
Like any running type I have experienced over my years, you get better at the specific activity the more you do it. What I thought was a technical trail two years ago, my body can now effectively float through with minimal concern for a fall or chopping up my stride to make an adjustment. Am I still terrified of snakes and have concerns about a nasty fall onto a rock when running at high speeds? Yes! But that is also part of the thrill of it all.
At 51 years old and counting, I know I am only going to get slower and weaker as I age which eventually will relegate me to a hiker rather than a trail runner. That is fine as I will embrace that phase of my running journey when it comes. But for now, I can’t wait for the next trail day I have! Every now and then I get an itch to do a track workout, run a tempo, maybe even run a road race or marathon. For now though, those experiences are very secondary to the joy I derive from running on a trail.
