To be successful in trail running, you need to know the basics, which will help you whether you’re just starting out or coming back from an injury. Whether it’s trail running or running, there are days when it’s not easy to get out on the trail, and you sometimes wonder, “What am I doing here?” But these tips will help you succeed.
1.- Prepare your muscles for the mountain.
Running is not the same as swimming or cycling, running involves a greater impact on our body. The body absorbs and transmits these forces through a biomechanical chain that begins at the feet, continues at the ankles and is transmitted to the back and head through the legs and hips.
Every step you take in this process becomes a fracture risk factor. There are a thousand opportunities to get injured… tendonitis, stress fractures; almost all of these problems start from a weak point in the system and eventually lead to an injury. You need to exert pressure on your body gradually and easily. You should start with a very light and easy jog so that your body gets used to and adapts more and more to greater efforts. A slow and correct start will make you a happy distance runner.
2.- Work on your aerobic capacity and prepare to establish a training plan.
You have to start working on aerobic capacity and endurance. Aerobic capacity is responsible for supplying the muscles with oxygen and nutrients.
When we start running, our body begins to transform and undergo small adaptations that will give us better aerobic efficiency. The heart will have more power to pump blood with each beat; the capillary network will grow to supply nutrients to the muscles and to our body.
This point is very important because aerobic capacity is the key to your potential as a runner. This point is very important because aerobic capacity is the key to your potential as a runner.
3.- Create a training plan with a realistic schedule.
There is a saying that goes: “Rome does not believe in a day”. It’s better to go step by step, but to play it safe. This means that embarking on a race without prior training and without good nutritional and mental preparation can pose a risk and lead to injuries. To achieve your goals, you need to plan ahead and have a strategy.
Training plans should be personalized for each runner. Some runners only train 2 or 3 days a week, others train 5 days a week. It all depends on what level you are at. Even working days vary from rider to rider.
4 – Start running every other day, until you are running 5 or 6 days a week.
One of the biggest mistakes in trail running is running too much, because running too much puts you at risk of injury. The most effective method is to run a lot, but for a short duration. To do this, divide the distances between the days of the week, because your body is not adapted to long distances in such a short time.
After a while your body will get used to the impact and then you can increase the daily distance and the number of running days.
5.- Add hills to strengthen your legs.
Uphill is one of the most important parts of trail running, as mountain terrain is uneven and routes often feature steep uphills and downhills.
You need to work on the climbs to strengthen your legs, which will help you go faster. First of all, the ribs increase your cardio-respiratory effort, which has a positive effect on your physiological adaptation. Second, they require more power and more effort, which will strengthen your leg muscles.
When you start working on slopes you should also do it gradually, not starting too fast or with too much distance. Of course, remember to have a good trail shoe, because the elevations are the portions that impact the body the most.
6.- Work on running economy.
The best way to work on running economy is to have good running technique. Running economy is nothing more than expending as little energy as possible and increasing the transfer of force. But to achieve this, you have to work on your running technique, which is not acquired intuitively, but through constant work.
You can include these exercises every other day, or once or twice a week. You can also include sets, work that will help you improve your speed and technique.
You should also work on strengthening exercises, doing exercises that help you with endurance, and exercises that help improve your aerobic threshold.
7.- The descents are also important.
Although it may not seem obvious to many people, mountain descents involve more complicated efforts. You must not only have strong lower limbs, but also balance and full body control. Proper downhill technique is essential to avoid knee and ankle injuries and even falls.
8.- Do not neglect nutrition and recovery.
A good diet is essential to have the necessary energy for daily work, you must focus on consuming the necessary amount of protein and plan the portions to distribute and ingest them at the necessary times.
Hydration should not only be taken into account at the time of a race or training, being always hydrated is a very important point. For recovery or active rest, you can practice yoga, meditation, foam roller, among other options.