Beware: The Dangers of Trail Running

Unfortunately we cannot climb every day. There are many limiting factors that contribute to this, including lack of skin, screaming tendons, tired muscles and, once in a while, limited psych. [Read “Rest Day Activities” for more ideas of what to do on your days off.] And then there are the times when you are psyched, have skin and feel strong, but are lacking a belayer or enough pads to protect your project.

Living in Colorado, I’m surrounded by the Rocky Mountains, which are covered in beautiful hiking, biking and trail-running paths switching back and forth up their sides. I can run up to a rock formation resembling a mushroom with a natural throne-like seat on top or snake through fields of wildflowers up to a green lake at the base of Mt. Sopris, and that’s no where near the extent of running available in Carbondale alone. I also work in the same office as Trail Runner Magazine and can get the inside scoop on which trails are dry, brutally uphill 98% of the way and have the best views. This may sound like the perfect rest day activity, but I warn you: Beware of trail running.

Now, you may be wondering: what’s the big deal? So I get to be outside running through fields of wildflowers with a cool mountain breeze blowing at my back and end up at a lake on the few days each week I’m not climbing? That sounds fantastic. And it is, but only if you are cautious to not let the trail-running bug bite you too hard.

Here are a few reasons why you should be cautious of trail running:

1. It’s addicting. You think you’re going to die on your first two-mile round-trip jog. You stop to “stretch” seven times. Two weeks and five more two-mile jogs later, you only stop to stretch twice, actually look at the views around you and begin to enjoy the experience. Then you want more. Within a few months you’re running 10-mile days when you’re not climbing or going for a “quick” six-mile hill workout before you hit up the crag. Don’t do it! Unless you’re superman, training for a marathon—or more likely an ultra—isn’t going to help you send 5.13. It’s going to make you very tired and sweaty at the crag. So go ahead, go for those two-mile jogs. Go for a four-mile run if you want, but, if you really love climbing, don’t train for a marathon-plus while trying to send your project.
2. It takes a lot of time. If you do become hooked on trail running, as explained above in number one, you’ll suddenly have much less time to climb. Rest-day runs are great, but losing three hours of your Saturday morning to a 23-miler eats up time you could be spending getting those extra pitches in.
3. It’s expensive. No, you don’t have to go out and buy seven matching Nike outfits to begin trail running or try out three different hydration belts, but you will have to buy sneakers more often, and, more than that, you’ll spend way more on groceries. Think about how many calories it takes to run for an hour, or two, or four. You cannot just replace that calorie deficit with a few packages of Ramen noodles or a discount box of Oreos. You need to eat good, whole (aka. expensive) foods beyond rice and beans to recover enough to climb—and run—again. Soon you’ll be buying those little power gels that are essentially fruit gummies with more intense packaging for three times the cost. If you’re a dirtbag, you probably cannot afford that type of grocery bill.
4. You could hurt yourself. Trail running might seem pretty tame compared to hanging off a cliff, but risk is still involved. On my last trail run I slid down a hill on some loose rocks while passing a group of hikers. My knee—see photo below—should have had stiches, as the doctor I saw the day after told me, and my foot was too swollen and bruised to wear climbing shoes, which lead to me missing a full day at the crag. Yes, I’m not as coordinated as the average person, but most climbers I’ve met aren’t exactly hand-eye or foot-eye coordinated people either. There’s a reason we climb instead of playing soccer or tennis.

Now, I’m not saying don’t ever go for a trail run. It would be sad to miss out on running through fields of wildflowers to reach green lakes at the bottom of snow-covered mountains. However, know the addictive power of trail running before you set out on your rest-day jog, and remember how much you love clipping the chains before you’re tempted to devoting your days off to 50Ks. Also, watch your footing, small rocks on the ground can be more treacherous that you think.

My knee post trail-running digger.