How to Start Trail Running: A Beginner's Guide | Affari&Sport
Leave the asphalt, hit a trail, and start running.
It seems like just running with a few more rocks.
After the first serious climb, you’ll probably change your mind.
Trail running introduces elevation gain, uneven terrain, technical descents, and conditions that can change completely even over just a few kilometers.
And that is precisely what makes it so fascinating.
Trail running vs. road running: what changes?
On the road, we are used to thinking mainly in terms of pace.
4:30/km.
5:00/km.
6:00/km.
In trail running, that number quickly loses importance.
A steep climb might lead you to walk. A technical descent might slow you down more than the climb. Ten kilometers with 700 meters of elevation gain are not comparable to ten kilometers on flat ground.
You must therefore learn to think in terms of time, effort, distance, and elevation gain.
The first rule: you can walk uphill
Yes.
In fact, it is often the most efficient choice.
In trail running, even expert athletes alternate between running and walking when the gradient and trail characteristics require it.
The goal is not to prove that you can run every single meter.
It is to manage your effort.
How to choose trail running shoes
Here we find one of the main differences compared to road running.
A trail shoe must interact with very different surfaces:
-
dirt;
-
gravel;
-
rock;
-
mud;
-
grass;
-
roots.
This is why the sole becomes fundamental.
Easy trails and packed dirt
A versatile shoe with moderate tread works well.
Technical terrain
Greater precision, protection, and grip are needed.
Mud and soft ground
More pronounced and widely spaced lugs become useful.
Long distances
Comfort, protection, and stability become increasingly important.
Therefore, there is no "best trail shoe" in absolute terms.
There is only the one most suitable for the terrain you will be facing.
How to dress
For a short trail near home, there is no need to dress like an explorer.
However, as distance and isolation increase, equipment becomes increasingly important.
Depending on the route and conditions, you may need:
-
waterproof jacket;
-
thermal layer;
-
cap;
-
gloves;
-
soft flask;
-
trail backpack or vest;
-
nutrition;
-
phone;
-
headlamp.
For races, it is always necessary to check the mandatory gear required by the organizers.
How to train for trails
If you are coming from the road, do not increase distance, elevation gain, and technical difficulty all at once.
Start gradually.
You can start by adding one trail run per week while maintaining your usual training routine.
Over time, you can increase the elevation gain and duration.
Learn how to descend
Many beginners think the difficulty of trail running is the climb.
Then, the first technical descent arrives.
Descending requires coordination, reading the terrain, and control.
The best advice is simple: don't look for speed right away.
First, learn how to move well on the terrain.
Speed will come later.
Don't just look at your feet
On technical terrain, you need to learn to look ahead.
Instead of constantly staring at the spot immediately in front of your shoes, try to gradually read the trail a few meters ahead.
This allows you to choose your trajectory sooner.
Start with short distances
There is no need to sign up for an ultra immediately.
A 10–15 km trail can already be a completely different experience compared to a road run of the same distance.
Elevation matters.
Terrain matters.
Weather conditions matter.
And that is exactly the beauty of it.
Trail running is not simply running away from the asphalt.
It is a different way of interpreting running.
The stopwatch loses some of its importance, and terrain, elevation, effort management, and adaptability start to count.
And after spending a few hours on the trails, returning to obsessively check your average pace on the asphalt might suddenly seem a little less important.
Ready to start your next adventure?
Discover shoes, clothing, and accessories dedicated to trail running at Affari&Sport.
