Bushwalker to trail runner

[anne3]

About to do a trail run, are there any bushwalkers out there that are now bush runners? If so I would love some tips.

[forest]

Yeh I'm starting to trot around a little now and then.
I do 12/24hr rogaines when I have time and it's the duration that wears me down and you will soon find any chinks in the body/feet chain.

Mmm - hint.... Don't fall over... LOL

I good one I find is anti chaffe cream on the top of my toes and front balls of my feet. Stops any hot spots when running down a steep trail in grippy runners. I find the constant abrasion of steep downhill running sometimes gives me little blisters on my toe tops (might be a long duration thing though). Especially if your in and out of water or it's sandy, or both urrr,

[stepbystep]

PM 'Phil' he's totally into trail running.

[anne3]

I am trying to break the habit I have of hooking my thumbs under the shoulder straps of my pack, I can see myself face planting while my thumbs are hooked into my hydration pack !

[Strider]

I am trying to break the habit I have of hooking my thumbs under the shoulder straps of my pack, I can see myself face planting while my thumbs are hooked into my hydration pack !

I have the same habit! Embarassingly, it took me AGES to work out why I kept getting blisters on my thumbs.

My solution was to start walking with poles

[DarrenM]

I started doing a little a season or two back and as someone who spent too many years riding, I'd lost all the running muscles. I can't run the way I used to but built up to some solid 5-6 hour trail runs. It's great for the mind and body.

A few things I found as a novice trail runner......

Chafe was an issue on longer runs and some people get it, others dont. At first it was the legs only so I always wear skins under my shorts, and never looked back. I don't use them for compression, just there ability to eliminate chafe.

Nipple chafe from sweat....(mmmm awkward) I'm assuming chicks have it pretty much dialled with the sports bra thing but damn it was a new concept for me! Solution.....tape them well if you have a problem....yes...it hurts.

The right shoes for the job which might be stating the obvious but if you run a lot...well you know.

If you have a big engine, make sure you listen to your body. I went a little silly early on and had shin splint problems which took quite a lot of time to deal with. Plenty of scans and anti inflammatories etc and its fairly common if you haven't run for a while.
Good thread!

[wayno]

avoid the temptation to barrel it flat out down hill. wrecks the quads pretty fast.... not to mention if you fall , it won't be pleasant... pay attention to water consumption for the weather conditions,,, expect to go through at least a third of a litre an hour, in hot weather you could need more than a litre an hour, maybe up to a litre and a half... in the hot seasons run as early as possible in the day. keep the pace down or walk if its particularly hot.
take it easy on the running while your legs are sore from longer runs... you dont have to run every day to keep in shape.. legs need rest sometime... start slow, the body tends to try and maintain whatever pace you set at the start.... have a slow start as a warm up for a few mins
dont bother stretching before a run, you're more likely to pull a muscle then, stretching is for after a run.....
dont try any new gear or food or drink on a long run, try it on a shorter run first to make sure it agrees with you and work out any changes you need to make before using it on a long run....

[wayno]

increase mileage gradually, no more than 10% increase per week, your ability to exercise can increase faster than your bodies ability to strengthen up enough to the run, so alternate exercise types. ie walking cycling swimming to give yourself a break from the pounding of running... if you're getting niggles in your body then ease off and get them treated if they persist,
dont rigidly follow a training plan, listen to your body and adapt your training as is necessary to look after yourself

[anne3]

Thank you to all the tips and hints.
Competed in the Baw Baw trail run festival yesterday. I did the half marathon from Mt Erica carpark to Mt Baw Baw village, with a side trip up to Mt St Gwinear ! It was a hard slog but great fun.
They will be running the festival again on Labour day weekend next year, gives me a year to train !

[wayno]

theres a series of vids from chapion ultra trail runner sebastian chaigneau. no prizes for guessing his sponsor

http://www.sebchaigneau.com/en/blog,2.html#.UUAWNBxTB6g

[clarence]

You want advice? How many hours have you got? I have done a fair few trail runs/ultramarathons over the years and found the bushwalking experience really helped. I could write pages about the topic, but my fingers would get tired. There is a book by Dagny Scott Barrios called Trail Running which is a very good overall introduction to almost everything you need to know. I would recommend that as a good start. it is a fascinating and addictive pastime. If you can find yourself a running partner or group I would highly recommend organising some runs on tracks you may know already, see how far and fast you can go.

Get a good specific running pack, get some purpose built shoes and build up progressively to find out what works for you. Learn how to tape your ankles if you get really serious.

Clarence