BASS PRO MIDWEEK MOTIVATION - The Benefits of Trail Running

Hello runner friends!
Welcome back to the Bass Pro Fitness Series
MIDWEEK M😊TIVATI😊N blog!

Now let's get started by talking about pavement a.k.a. the hard surface of a road, street or sidewalk. And while a great number of runners will smile at the thought of pounding out some miles on this concrete footpath, many others will roll their eyes and say, "No way. I'm sticking to the trails." As a person who has run thousands of miles on both of these surfaces and will pick trail over pavement any day, I will say this... trail running helps with road running. And with Dogwood Canyon trail training no doubt interspersed within your Bass Pro Marathon/Half training if you're taking part in the "official" group plan, (if not, you should even if you can't do it in person), let's check out a few ways making the dirt your friend will benefit you in the long run (did you like that play on words?). 

So what are some of the benefits of trail running? Will you hurt your performance on the road by running on dirt? To answer the first question, check out the bullet points below. To answer the second... no. You will get so much more out of road running by going off the grid every once in a while. 

• Trail running is an absolutely GREAT way to connect with nature and more natural surroundings. It's a great time to zone out and get lost in the sights, smells and sounds of the great outdoors. Also, there’s less risk of a vehicle incident or getting stuck at a crosswalk waiting for the light to change.

• The uneven terrain of dirt trails can really build lower leg strength AND strength in your feet. This can help make you less prone to injuries during training and on race days. Due to the constant need to stabilize on a trail—adjusting to softer surfaces, finding your way around obstacles—your connective tissue gets strengthened with each step. That means the ligaments and tendons around ankle, knee, and hip joints become increasingly strong—and less prone to injury—when you run trails. 

• Speed often comes from strength. You’ll build and adapt muscles by running off-road which can help you run faster, longer and with less perceived effort.

• Trail running can really give you a positive mental boost and ease feelings of depression. As someone who has used running to combat depression for decades, I can personally attest that trail running is hands-down the best way to get out of negative thought spirals. Nature exposure reduces ‘rumination’, a.k.a when you get into a vicious thought cycle associated with depression. A 90-minute run (or walk) in nature lessens this negative brain activity, whereas the same exercise in an urban area has no such effect, according to research published in a Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences article.

• Your four-legged friend will thank you. Dogs HATE running on pavement…but they love you so dang much, they endure it. So a trail run mixed in with your marathon training is a great way for your furry pal to have a training session too. Their paws will love the softer surface and this is a great time to let them off the leash (if they are well-trained) so they can experience the freedom of the trail as much as you do. You might just find that your dog loves it so much that he or she will be your new accountability partner, meeting you at the door with leash in mouth to head out for some training miles. 

• Trail runners are a little crazy (I know this from experience and the fact that I am one) which means you'll greatly broaden your social circle by hitting the trails. You might also start to look at life in a different way as well since trail runners are usually really laid back and take the time to embrace life and relish in the moment on each run. Believe it or not, doing this daily will really allow you to see how great life truly is. No matter what might be going on in your life whether good or bad, having the ability to put one foot in front of the other and to move up and down the trails in sync with nature will have you smiling from ear to ear. Which will make you a better runner all around. 

And there you have it friends. Although road running and trail running are very different, they can work together to make you a better runner overall. Not only will trail running help you build strength and speed which will help you out on the open road but trail running will garner you some new friends, new experiences, and maybe even a new love for the outdoors and for dirt paths that take you out into the great unknown. So as you're training for the Bass Pro Marathon or Half, you might want to consider training for the Dogwood Canyon trail run as well. You'll not only get to run up and down the hills in Lampe, MO but get to see some amazing wildlife, streams, rivers and waterfalls. You'll also get bragging rights for doing two of the Bass Pro Fitness Series events so close together. I'll be there God willing and I hope you will be too! Happy Training! 

And Happy Running!