Treadmills are boring. Road running isn’t far behind.
If you want excitement, trail running is the promising trend for fitness freaks wanting to switch up their normal, boring routine of pounding feet on road.
Blowing through the hills and uphill terrain of the mountains makes mindlessly running while starring off into space hearing your feet clunking against the hard treadmill surface seem pedantic.
The employees at Runners Roost say trail running is better than running on the treadmill because it is a softer surface and has less impact on the knees, ankles and shins. It can also be an escape: there are no cars or city lights for distraction.
Here’s reality, though. This is Colorado. While the rest of the country runs on their version of “hills,” this is home to the Rocky Damned Mountains. Even nearby “foothills” runs start at 7,000 feet above sea level or better, and it’s easy to gain and lose 1,000 feet of elevation in short, heart-pounding order.
Your doctor and trail-running vets will have the same advice: go slow, go easy.
That said, go for it. By following a few expert rules of the road, you can have a workout like no other. Those rules?
• Keep your back straight so your lungs can fill. Less oxygen and less air when you’re hunched over and watching your feet is a bad mix. Deep breaths. Deep breaths.
• Don’t take a lunging stride. Small steps means surer foots, fewer falls and fewer twisted ankles.
• Unlike most runs, Colorado trail running is a very three-dimensional experience. Walk difficult trails before you run them. Watch the terrain and obstacles before you encounter them on a run. Coming down is more like skiing than running, it’s about balance, motion and training your body to act instinctively to wildly changing terrain and obstacles.
So let’s go. The metro area’s Mecca for beginning trail running is Lair O’ the Bear Park, just four miles west of Morrison on County Highway 72. The park is bustling with all kinds of recreators and has a 10 mile out and back trail good for runners, hikers and mountain bikers. It is a shady, gravel trail that follows a cool creek.
Lair O’ the Bear Park was my first victim as a newbie trail runner. I brought my brother along so we could conquer a first time experience together. We decided to keep it simple and just run 5 miles.
We both arrived a looking like walking Nike advertisements. Complete out with water bladders strapped to our backs we won the race for preparation.
It was a perfect day to run. Picturesque and cool, the sun was playing hide and seek with the clouds and we were lucky enough to escape the scorching heat for a cloudy day.
The trail started off fairly easy, but became harder as we kept running. There was mud was sloshing around at our feet. I was expecting rocks, roots and dangerous sandy, gravel. I didn’t expect mud. We couldn’t slow down — our feet could sink like quicksand. This is where our flat-footed, minimalist Nike Free Runs failed us. It too quick feet and high knees, just like it were high school soccer practice.
With mud all over the back of our calves hardening like clay, we kept on running.
About a mile into the trail run, the Dunafon Castle ascended like something you see in old Disney movie. Crowded with people taking pictures, we could hear the rapid water from Bear Creek in the background, as we slowly jogged around the fairytale picture.
The trail presented hill after hill. Our calves were on fire from the climbs, uneven surfaces and sharp turns, I could feel the rocks from the trail stabbing my arches and numbing my feet. I was gasping for air and begging for water.
After 2.5 miles we turned around to finish the trip back the way we came. These last 2 miles we focused more on the scenery and less on racing the clock for a speedy finish. Good advice. To the non-runner, this looks hard. It is.
Dodging in and out of the shady and sunny areas, sweat dripping down our faces and the taste of saltwater in our mouths, we came plodding to the end of our five-mile trek.
The exhilaration from the feat, the red rocks, wildflowers and rushing stream only made the endorphin rush from the tough run all the better. We were honored with a rain that came up quickly from nowhere. A righteous substitute for a Gatorade victory shower.