Image: Canva

Leave the pavements and traffic behind; trail running is loved by many runners and with good reason. Running on trails can often be more relaxing and mood-boosting than road running. Research also suggests that it can improve your running performance on-road, and could even help prevent injury.

If you’ve never gone off-road before, trail running can be a bit daunting. There are a few things that you need to consider before you get started to make your trail running journey fun, safe and accessible. Read on for our guide to trail running for beginners.

What is trail running?

Let’s start with the basics here! What counts as a trail? Any terrain that is off road and away from roads, pavements, tarmac and other man-made surfaces. So, if you’re new to it, think grass, hard-packed gravel, woodland, fields, parks, canal towpaths and even mountains (although maybe practise on easier trails first). And you don’t need to travel miles away to trail run. In fact, you can trail run most Saturdays in the UK at 9am, at parkrun (the clue is in the name!). Many of their routes incorporate trail too.

Different types of trails

The first thing to get to grips with is the different types of trails on offer. The most obvious one is marked footpaths, that you will find almost everywhere. There is a legal right of way that has been established on these paths for walkers and runners.

In addition to those footpaths, Britain’s walking charity, The Ramblers, also identifies the following footpath types in England and Wales:

1. Bridleway: paths open to walkers, cyclists and those on horseback
2. Byways open to all traffic (BOATs): paths opens to walkers, riders, cyclists and vehicle drivers
3. Restricted Byways: may be used by those on foot, horseback, bike and horse-drawn carriage, but not by motor vehicles
4. Green Lanes: many are classed and recorded on the definitive map as BOATs, but may also be footpaths, bridleways or restricted byways
5. White roads and Other Routes with Public Access (ORPAs): uncoloured tracks on an Ordnance Survey (OS) map that may be public or private. Those deemed public will be marked with green or red dots
6. Permissive paths: paths that an owner has given the public permission to use
7. Towpaths: paths which run alongside canals or navigable rivers, usually available for walkers to use
8. Cycle tracks: often specially created paths, over which there is a right of way on bike and possibly also on foot

Not all of these paths will be good for running. Often their maintenance will depend on who owns the land and how often they are used. National Trails are a good place to start when finding paths to run along. There are 15 National Trails in England and Wales, collectively 2,500 miles in length. These trails tend to be the best funded, maintained and signposted.

Image: Canva

Planning your route

If you are new to trail running, then it’s probably best to stick to local trails that you know. Places that you are familiar with and, most importantly, feel 100% safe running in.

Once you become more confident and want to explore a bit further, I’d recommend using an app such as AllTrails, Komoot or even Strava to help you find new trail routes near to you. Often with these apps, you can state the distance you want to run, terrain (trail) and location and they will deliver a host of routes that their members have run that you can download and follow.

If you want to really get into mapping your own routes, of the best ways to identify a local trail is via an Ordnance Survey 1:25,000 scale map of your area. Finding different footpaths on an OS map is easy – simply use the map key. It’s worth visiting the Ordnance Survey website to get familiar with these. It offers map legends / keys, explaining the meaning of each map symbol and abbreviation. National Trails are also marked. While most footpaths are signposted, it’s worth consulting a map to identify public rights of way before heading out of for a run.

Once you’ve found a footpath, what next? If you’re new to map reading, the most important thing to get to grips with is the scale, so you can mark out the distance of your run. It’s recommended to start with a shorter run than you would do on the road. This allows for the extra physical challenges of trail running, and will ensure that your first run is a success.

The last thing to consider is the terrain. Contours on a map will tell you how steep paths are, and map features will inform you if the ground is rocky, grassy or boggy.

Image: Canva

Preparing for your run

If you’re nervous about your navigation skills or are taking on your first trail run alone, it’s a good idea to walk it as a hike first. Taking it slowly will allow you to get familiar with your surroundings. You can double check the distance, route and terrain and plan what you will need on your run.

It’s also a good idea to ascertain where you will park. Note if there are any villages, toilet facilities or shops nearby.

Make sure to check the weather for your run and prepare your kit accordingly. We recommend doing your first few trail runs on sunny or dry days. Trail running offers lots of extra physical challenges, such as running over roots or along narrow paths. It is easier to adapt to those without the extra challenge of mud and rain.

Trail running technique

Running and walking over uneven terrain can be challenging. When you combine that with obstacles like rocks and low-hanging branches, it can be difficult to find your rhythm.

“A good technique when trail running is essential because the terrain is more technical than road running, especially when you’re travelling at speed,” says Simon James from Run the Wild. “It can be difficult to tackle uphills, downhills, flats and uneven terrain, hence why it’s important to hone your form.”

“Your strides should be soft, quick and short to keep you stable. You need to think about engaging your glutes and core. Focus your line of sight a few strides ahead, so your body can prepare for what’s coming up and be aware of any obstacles you’ll need to avoid.”

“It’s important to keep your arms close to your body at an angle of no more than 90 degrees. This helps reduce the amount they swing and preserve energy for your legs when running on flat surfaces. If you’re running downhill or on uneven ground, it may be more beneficial to angle your elbows out to offer balance – much like a tightrope walker holding their arms wide.”

Image: Canva

Trail running kit

So, what’s the right kit for trail running? Let us talk you through it:

Trail running shoes

Shoes are THE essential piece of kit for trail running. Trail running shoes are designed to provide you with stability, protection and comfort when running over a range of multi-terrain surfaces.

They do this thanks to these features, which you’ll want to look out for when choosing your shoe:

• lugs on the sole of the shoe for grip in different types of conditions, especially mud
• rock plate technology that acts as a barrier between your foot and the trail surface
• more robust material on the uppers of the shoe to protect your feet when they land on rocks, tree roots and other obstacles
• a lower drop than road running shoes, which is better suited to trail running
• some level of waterproofing for wet and muddy runs

If you’ve read lots of trail running shoe reviews and still aren’t sure where to start, see if your favourite road running shoe brand does a trail version. This often reduces any niggles that arise when adjusting between shoes.

Waterproof/windproof jacket

A waterproof/windproof jacket is a must for trail running as there is nothing worse than being wet or cold on a run. Ideally, you’ll be looking for something lightweight that can be packed away if the weather changes while you’re out or if you get too hot as you run.

Trail running tech

Carrying a phone is recommended for both safety and navigation. There are a whole host of apps available that allow you to pre-download maps to your device for access when signal is patchy.

A running watch with GPS may also be of help for finding your way. They often also have safety features to call for help if you fall or get lost.

First aid supplies

We’re definitely not making any kind of statement about anyone’s agility here! The nature of trail running means you’re more likely to fall over due to slippy surfaces or pesky tree roots. Having some first aid supplies (or at least some plasters and antiseptic wipes) is a good idea just in case.

A backpack or bumbag

As trail running routes are often more remote than road running ones, you will have to take everything you might need with you. There’s no popping into the shop for some mid-run jelly babies!

A backpack,  bumbag or running belt with space for snacks, your phone and keys can make your run much more comfortable than trying to squeeze them all into your leggings pockets.

Want more trail running tips? Try our guide to improving your trail running technique

Trail run pace

Our advice is that you shouldn’t worry about pace when you’re getting started with trail running. If you are coming from a road running background, your road paces will likely not correlate to your trail pace. It naturally takes longer to navigate the terrain, and that can seem defeating if you’re worrying about time.

Instead, learn to listen to what your body is telling you when starting to trail run. The nature of the terrain will dictate how hard you work. An incline might feel like a 7/10 in terms of effort. Hey, it might even have you walking. Navigating over dried, wet or sticky mud (yes, they are all different) will impact pace, as will getting over stiles etc. We recommend leaving pace expectations at home and enjoy the trails for what they are – a better connection to yourself and to nature.