When most people think of running they think back to grade school when they had to run the mile for afitness test. The thought of running four laps around a track is painful to most people. Some people may be surprised by this but I feel the same way. Unless I am doing a track workout (i.e. repeat 400s or 800s) I dislike the notion of running around a track. I can't think of many other things that are more boring than just running lap after lap as I see the same thing. If I were forced to just run around a track I would probably run 2 days a week max. However, there is a solution for runners who are willing to venture out of their comfort zone and experience the benefits of trail running.

A few years back I was introduced to trail running for the first time. I live in Springfield, PA which is a suburb of Philadelphia. When I heard about trail running for the first time I thought that I would have to travel to the Poconos to experience it. For me when I think of trails I think about running thru Vail, Colorado or Jackson, Hole Wyoming (two beautiful places that I highly recommend to everyone). To my surprise I was introduced to some great trails both within the city limits of Philadelphia as well as the suburbs of Philly. In an effort to try and convince you to change your running program below I have listed both the benefits as well as risks of running trails. Enjoy!

1. No cars: You don't have to dodge any cars as you run thru a trail or breathe in any exhaust from gas guzzlers. Instead of dodging a car you can weave thru trees or run across a stream.
2. Running on soft surfaces: If you run on pavement you know what I am talking about. After awhile your knees and ankles start to hurt due to the impact of the concrete. On most trails you are running on either hard packed dirt or loose gravel. By simply changing from concrete to dirt you should see a reduction in your ankle or knee pain.
3. Peaceful: Instead of hearing horns beeping or whistles blowing from coaches you are surrounded by nature. This allows you time to enjoy the run rather than having to worry aboutgetting "runners rage" from a car that drives to close to you on the road.
4. Increase in energy: Ok, I don't know if this is actually the case physiologically speaking but every time I run on a trail I feel like I have more energy. Maybe it's the extra oxygen from the trees or the flowers but either way I always feel like I have more energy when I run on a trail.
5. Feel like a kid again: Think back to when you were a kid and you were running with your buddies thru a park or the woods (ok, sometime when we were running thru the woods it may have been due to bad choices). This is the feeling that I get as I run. Instead of just taking step after step on a boring road you are forced to jump over streams, run around trees or jump over a fallen tree. For me, this kind of running brings back very good memories.

1. Don't run alone (especially females or kids): I know it's not easy to always find a running partner but for safety reasons I would recommend that you always run with a running partner to ensure that you are not putting yourself in harm's way. If you are planning to run in a wooded area do yourself a favor and find a training partner. If you are new to an area go to a local running store (i.e www.runbmrc.org if you live near Philadelphia) and talk to the owner about group trails runs.
2. Start on an easy trail: An ideal trail to start with is a hard packed trail with no rocks or roots. This may be hard to find but do some research on easy trail runs. Again, check with your local running store. If you live in Philadelphia a great place to run with a group would be Forbidden Drive (Wisahickon Park).
3. Work on ankle stability and mobility: If you are new to the trails you must be ready to roll an ankle. I know this is not what you want to hear but it's the truth. You will roll your ankle. Before beginning a trail running program work on drills to improve your ankle mobility and stability. I can tell you from my own experience I have rolled my ankle several times but I think over the years I have worked to improve my proprioception(i.e. sense of awareness/balance) of my feet and that has helped me avoid hurting myself.

Enjoy and train hard!
Kevin Miller
www.coachkevtraining.com