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The shoes we run in today are great for reducing impact. There are a myriad of
devices, gels, air channels, etc., designed to lesson the compressive loads on
the joints and body. One drawback, however, is that if you do most of your
running on even, paved surfaces the lower leg muscles and joints do not have to
work as hard to stabilize. Joint stability and integrity is crucial for injury
prevention. This is where trail running comes in.
Running over uneven and varied surfaces makes the muscles of the lower leg work
especially hard. Think specific strength training for the lower leg muscles. I
recently observed how sore my lower legs were after a competing in an off road
multi-sport event. The tendons, ligaments, and muscles all get stronger in
response to this type of stress.
There are a few considerations when integrating
trail running into your training
plan. Unless you run in off road events the best time to incorporate
trail running into your plan is in base. As with any new type of training
stress it is important to implement it gradually. You may want to start off
with one work out per week of limited mileage and steadily increase the
duration. Off road surfaces vary from crushed gravel, sand, grass, single track
hiking trails, to rough back country trails. The more varied the terrain the
more your lower legs and body will be stressed. On extremely rough and elevated
terrain, hiking may be just as effective (and safer) than running. You will
likely enter your aerobic base zones in this type of terrain as well, and may
not need to run.
Trail shoes offer more support and traction but much less cushioning. Trail
shoes vary from running shoes with a more aggressive tread all the way up to
hiking shoes which may not applicable for running. Make sure you consult with a
salesperson to get the right shoe for your type of training. I do not recommend
doing any road running in a trail shoe, but you can take your running shoes off
road if the surface is relatively stable, such as crushed gravel.
trail running does not just work the lower
legs, but all the muscles associated with running, including lateral knee
stability. It also will help develop coordination. You can continue to
incorporate trail running throughout the season for strength maintenance. An
added bonus is that it adds variety to your training, and the scenery is
better.
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