What I Learned In One Year of Trail Running
My first trail run was last year. Prior to that, I had been in the mountains alone a couple of times simply enjoying the time. Just as an ordinary tourist.
I never expected trail running to be so addictive. I couldn’t wait for the weekend and hit the trails.
At first, you want to go further, next you want to go higher and faster. Finally, you want to beat your limits altogether.
Most of the runners sign up for a race — a trail marathon or an ultra trail race.
Although I experienced all the addiction phases, I still did not sign up for a marathon or an ultra.
I am still beating my limits and improving myself in other aspects.
Endurance
One year after my first trail run, I was impressed by my new skills. Pace is still my weakness but I compensate by endurance.
Long hours are not a challenge anymore. After a few two day runs with sleep nights at mountain huts (runners don’t carry the hiking load), my body got used to letting the tiredness take control of the surroundings. This means that even being in an unknown place, surrounded by strangers lying side by side with no bath and the snoring symphony, the body knows that sleeping or not, there is another long run soon as you wake up waiting for you.
It sounds masochist but it is all forgotten when you appreciate the sunrise above the clouds. That is the moment you keep in your memory. That’s why you join this kind of run. Every trail runner should experience it.
My endurance was also boosted by the irregular shifts at work. I do night shifts and it didn’t stop me from reaching the mountains straight from work.
There are lots of race reports stating that tiredness and lack of sleep were the reason for failure. That’s not my case.
It was challenging and scary but I went straight from night shift to a two day run in the snow last winter. Twenty-five hours awake and 24 k before I hit the tatami (with a wet tissue bath).
Logistics
I am a planner by nature. I like to know where I am going, what I will do and so on. Sometimes it’s not possible while trail running as there are many variables like, for example, weather, trail conditions, injuries, and animal encounters.
During the summer, hydration is my main concern. Better too much than lack of water. A heavy backpack makes me slow but I prefer this way.
Each season had its own aspects that must be considered while hiking or trail running.
Even though, the weather is unpredictable. You can go for an easy run on a sunny day and find some snow on the summit and mud trails with rain in one single run. It has happened in a 20k solo easy run during spring.
You can also go out for a winter run and face hot shiny weather while you melt under your warn clothes.
The weather also affects trail conditions. Sometimes, the trail you planned to follow is closed due to fallen trees or holes caused by the rain.
The weather forecast became one of my addictions, mostly prior to some new trail exploration.
Injuries happen. If it hasn’t happened to you yet, as an athlete, it will happen someday. I personally fall a lot. In the beginning, I used to fall because I didn’t have the technique and let fear hold me during downhills. Later, I noticed that my shoes were old and slippery as an ice skate in some situations. By the time I fixed these issues, the IT band caught me.
I still kept running. Taping, massage, medicine and everything that can help during my runs I learned during this time. Still, I wasn’t prepared to fall on my face and lose two teeth. I have first responder training and remained calm until the end but I confess that when I found a toilet and saw my face in the mirror, I was in shock!
After an experience like that, all the cuts, black toenails, and a sprained ankle that happened in later runs were pieces of cake!
For this reason, never forget your first aid kit and mountain insurance when going for a run.
The first aid kit must also contain medicine and poison removers as you never know what you will meet on the trails. Bees seem to not like me but they do attack runners. So do bugs. I am allergic to bugs, therefore, depending on the season (the weather variable again), I have to take anti-allergic medicine prior to the run.
During my solo runs, I had some animal encounters. Few were scary ones like poisonous snakes and an endemic type of goat in Japan called Kamoshika. Some friends had traumatic bear encounters while running solo. It’s becoming more typical these days, so having some prior knowledge of what to do is welcome.
I am afraid of spiders, thus, during the spider season, I don’t trail run solo.
Not all encounters are frightening. Last summer, I caught myself running solo at night, not by choice. It was raining cats and dogs and I was in the forest alone. I didn’t stop to think and just kept running to distract the fear until I met an old couple who were going to a special place to watch fireflies! They invited me to join them. I learned so much about fireflies that night! It was magical!
Last but not least, nature itself is a reward on the trails. Each flower, mushroom that I find is a gift. I never thought about seeing delicate flowers at 3000 m altitude. How do they survive so high? Mushrooms are my trademark. I memorize the trails by the places I spot them. Besides, maps and navigation apps, I use mushrooms as a navigation system.
Fears
I thought that I was a strong person. Now I know that I left my comfort zone and embraced an unknown path.
Solo running is not recommended for safety reasons but I am becoming a solo trail runner.
I fear when I get lost or I am tired and most of all, when I hear sounds that I don’t know what is causing it. I feel so alive and grateful after a solo run.
It’s so rewarding! If I had a companion the emotions wouldn’t be so extreme but neither would the determination.
Knowing that I am solo, makes me doubly careful, more focused and attentive while running. It feels like new senses are being developed.
Running solo also means solitude.
These are some of my learnings from trail running. Not only my cardio and body strength are improved but also skills that I wasn’t aware until then.
Most of all, I am learning about myself. Ironically, as I began to run, I realized that I am not as competitive as I thought I was!
I know that I will sign up for a marathon and ultra in the near future. When I do it, I will train hard and do my best. Until this moment, I want to be my best in what I am doing, running for the pleasure of the run!
