Trail running is the best thing to happen since early homonids thought that it might be a good idea to leave the trees and become bipedal. Up until about eleven years ago trail running was a fairly clandestine activity practiced by a few hardy individuals who have since become legends within the trail running community.
In 1998 CRAG (Cape/Crazy Runners Against Gravity) was formed in Cape Town. Craggers comprise a congenial, informal group who meet each Wednesday evening to run around the slopes of Table Mountain with torches strapped to their heads. The proximity of the mountain to the city and the popularity of CRAG have spawned a number of trail running groups associated with local running clubs (VOB, Celtics) as well as a variety of very popular trail races. Some trail races are fully subscribed within an hour of entries going online.
Training on the trail is considered safer than training on the road as there is obviously no exposure to traffic and in most cases it is a group activity.
Okay so you're a roadie and you want to make the transition to trail. Here's how:
- Stop whinging. There are no water tables, medals, handouts, PBs or accurately measured routes.
- Get yourself a decent pair of trail shoes. Road shoes are too flexible, too soft and have no grip.
- Practice your foot placement technique on rough terrain. You will trip and stumble. You may even fall a few times. You will need to concentrate a whole lot more than you do on the road. Eventually it will become second nature and soon you will be hurtling down insane gorges whooping (yes, whooping is allowed on the trail) like a maniac at near terminal velocity.
- Get yourself a hydration pack that can carry at least two litres of water and has space for food, small first aid kit, space blanket, whistle, head torch, water/windproof shell, map, compass and/or GPS.
- Be prepared to run with friendly, interesting people who have no concept of 'comfort zone' and for whom nothing is impossible.
- Get your spouse/boyfriend/girlfriend/partner/dog into trail running as you will be spending your weekends and holidays in the mountains.
Happy Trails
