TRAIL TALK 101????

TRAIL TALK 101

June 1^st is Global Running Day! So for that special day, Fleet Feet Stuart is doing our first Trail Run Fun Run, We thought a trail run would be a great way to get out and explore one of our unique local parks. We are meeting at the Savannas Preserve State Park on Walton Rd. If you haven’t done a trail run, this is a great time to try it since there will be a lot of people together and we will mark the trails clearly for you. It’s definitely more technical then road running, meaning, you have a lot of obstacles to watch for.  That’s one of the things I love about trail running. There is so much to see, you really have to pay attention to the terrain and your surroundings, so there is a lot to occupy you mentally and visually.

 Here are some things you may want to consider before hitting the trails on your own. It could be wet and muddy in some areas, so bring a towel and maybe an extra pair of socks and shoes for after. Bring extra water bottles, nutrition and a cell phone just in case you get turned around or end up running farther then you planned. Because it is more technical, you’ll probably be running at a slower pace, quicker cadence and shorter stride so you don’t roll an ankle. Make sure to grab a trail map which are usually located at the main park or parking lot or trail head entrance. Pay attention to the trail markings so you know where you are at all times. Most trails will be marked by a color, like white, yellow, blue, red, etc. They will either put a paint swatch on a tree at about eye level every so often. Or they will have a colored stake in the ground at certain spots. Pay attention to your surroundings. Look for landmarks such as lakes, logs, unusual trees or rocks so you have something to remember, just in case the trails are not well marked. The Savannas State Park and Halpatiokee Regional Park are both well marked, so you shouldn’t have any problems getting around.

 Do you need a special trail shoe for trails? Not really, you can run in your regular running shoes if you want. I like to run in a trail shoe though. The big difference is, trail shoes will have a more aggressive lug on the bottom that is multi directional. This is designed to give you enhanced traction and eliminate slipping. The tread is also designed to get rid of mud as it collects on the bottom. A lot of trail shoes like the Brooks Cascadia, one of my favorites, has what they call a “rock plate” on the bottom. This is just extra protection so rocks and sticks don’t puncture the bottom of your shoe. New Balance has the Leadville which is a pretty cool shoe also The sides of trail shoes have more reinforcement too. This keeps the shoe stable and once again, prevents sticks or rocks from puncturing the side wall of the upper. Carolyn and I also used the Inov8 Rocklite 295 for a Tough Mudder in WA, which we loved. It drained well, didn’t hold any mud and the traction was great. I like to wear a sock with more compression for trails. This keeps a lot of debris out of your sock and shoe.  I love Feetures Ultra Lite Elite and Balega Hidden Dry for trails, they both take great care of your feet and eliminate any blistering. We like using CEP Compression calf sleeves also. It keeps the weeds and branches from scratching your legs.

Don’t feel like you need to run out and buy a bunch of new gear just to hit the trails. Just get out there and have some fun. You can slowly add gear as time goes and see what works for you. Check out some of the links here and pick out a trail and go run! Hope we see you out on some trails.

Stay Safe, Happy and Healthy!
Edgar