Whether you are a confirmed road runner or you’re new to running, have you considered running off road ? As with anything new it’s worth starting with smaller manageable chunks and then progressing.
I’d say the most frequently asked question trail runners get is where should I run ? It might surprise you but the answer to this question may well be more obvious that first comes to mind. If you are looking for a relatively short countryside route then parkrun is the answer.
By definition a parkrun is located, in the main, away from the streets and there are currently nearly 1,200 up and down the country. Whether it’s around football pitches, country parks, community areas, coastal paths or playing fields it’s perfect preparation for going further and gradually adding degrees of difficulty.
As an example take Hampshire where I live, the county boasts over twenty weekly events. Southampton Common parkrun is literally close to the city center but offers 365 acres of woodland, ponds and parkland. This rural setting may be run on tarmac paths but you are surrounded by green open spaces.
My second example would be Fareham parkrun. This route is run mainly on a track that skirts the golf course so we are now introducing trails. What’s interesting about the Fareham route is that with the path following the creek it was recently incorporated, along with a large section of the coast, into the official England Coast Path.
The England Cost Path then gives you trails that head back towards Dorset and on to West Sussex. You can simply dip in and out of different sections as the weeks go by. A great feature of trail running is combining sections that you’ve already run into a longer run. This will add to your confidence and stamina.
My third example would be Queen Elizabeth Country Park near Petersfield. As the location suggests this parkrun is in the middle of an area of natural beauty and also features hill running, meaning you really are starting to experience the challenges and rewards of trail running within the 5K.
If the inclusion of hills wasn’t exciting enough (Note to diary, you can walk them) the location is roughly twenty five miles into the South Downs National trail, with the remaining seventy five miles finishing in Eastbourne. There are a variety of these National Trails across the country and they are badged as long distance walks but as we know, if you can walk there, you can run there. Taking bite size runs from these trails will give you some of the best landscape that the UK can offer.
I hope this has wet your appetite for trail running. Start with a parkrun 5K and then use both walking and running Apps to widen your knowledge. Resources like Strava, OS Maps (paper or digitally), the National Trails, the National Trust, Forestry England and a personal favourite of mine www.walking-routes.co.uk will all give you endless options across so many locations.
Parkrun has been a fantastic springboard for the running community, let it be your inspiration for discovering the trails.
Thanks for reading
Roger
irunoffroad 