Are you perhaps a bit tired of running on asphalt and eager to discover trail paths? Moving from road to trail requires adaptation and gradual progression. Let’s see together how to successfully make this transition from road to trail.
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The benefits gained from road running experience
If you are transitioning to trail running and have already run on the road, you benefit from this initial experience which will be very useful to you. On the road, you have likely already encountered interval training sessions, sometimes around a track. Running on flat terrain has allowed you to learn how to manage your pace, to better understand your body, and to develop your stride.
Moreover, if you have already participated in races, you have first-hand experience of competition, and you won’t be completely disoriented at the start of a trail run.
The new challenges you’ll encounter in trail running
The specificities of trail running
Before starting trail running, one might sometimes imagine that the hardest part is the ascent. While it’s not the easiest, descents are also challenging to manage, as the eccentric contraction (trying to brake the body descent) particularly takes a toll on the thighs.
In descents, it’s also necessary to manage your trajectories and be careful with foot placement, especially if there are roots present.
In ascents, you need to learn to walk! This is what feels most unusual to road runners. As soon as the slope exceeds 10 to 15% it is often less energy-consuming and more efficient to walk, with or without the help of poles.
To be able to run on fairly steep ascents, you need good cardiovascular fitness and to be strong muscularly.
Trail running equipment
In trail running, more substantial equipment is also necessary, especially if you’re going to the mountains. Trail shoes, although now increasingly lighter, are generally heavier than road shoes.
Finally, you need to get used to running more with your sense of effort. Indeed, your instant pace on your GPS watch doesn’t mean much. The GPS signal doesn’t always transmit well in the forest, and your pace depends a lot on the gradient of the slope where you’re running. Measuring your heart rate during exertion can be more useful than instant pace.
Preparing for your first trail run
If you wish to participate in your first trail run, short formats between 8 and 25 kilometers are ideal! Additionally, choose a course that is not too technical. For example, the 10km Mont-Blanc, the EcoTrail de Paris, or the Oxy’Trail races (ranging from 5 to 23 km) near Paris are great for beginners.
During training, the first outgoings with positive elevation gain should ideally have less than 400m of ascent. I remember one of my first trail runs had 500m of descent, and it left me with sore muscles for a week!
Also in training, remember to carry some equipment with you, like a small water flask, an energy bar, a phone (especially to find your way back).
You can aim for outgoings of 10km with 300m of elevation gain – these are already good trail runs to start with. Progressiveness is the key!
This foray into trail running may even benefit your road running, if you decide to mix trail and road in your practice.
If you do both, try to have at least a 2 month gap between two road and trail or trail and road goals, to reacclimate your body with specific training.
It can be a bit complicated to do both at the same time, as the risk is being neither well prepared for road nor trail, so you must choose to prioritize training for one or the other. This is what we do in the RunMotion Coach app, where you have specific training for road or trail depending on your mail goal.
For your first year in trail running, I recommend sticking to short trails and then, if you wish, gradually increasing the distance. Enjoy this new trial running experience!