Beginner

Gear is fun! And, more importantly, gear doesn’t have to be fancy! Many people feel intimidated by trail running because of the stuff you may need to have or bring, starting with shoes. So let’s start with shoes.

Trail running may not always seem like a walk in the park (or the woods). For folks who are new to it, getting into trail running can be incredibly intimidating – from the distances some trail runners love to the remote places where trails can lead us, it can even seem scary. So how do you make the jump over the river and through the woods?

I was 12 years old and going through a lot of stuff. My dad, a longtime runner, saw and seized upon the opportunity to introduce me to running as a thoughtful, therapeutic tool—one that he hoped I would keep in my back pocket for a lifetime. I, feeling ‘meh’ about the whole thing, acquiesced without much thought.

I remember the days when I used to hike and see trail runners. I remember thinking, “What are they crazy? They’re going to fall down and hurt themselves.” Then a few years ago I decided I wanted to try trail running… and I did… and the rest is history! As a running coach, one of my goals is to get everyone into trail running! Don’t get me wrong, there is nothing wrong with road running, but you really won’t know how cool trail running is until you try it! It’s a whole different experience.

This little route was repeated THIS MANY times in 2013.  I loved this route – 2 miles on the road and 2 miles on this little trail called Birdsong.  This repetition and experience from just a few short years ago planted the seed that has grown into what it is today. Bryce had been trying to get me to switch up my road running routine to incorporating trails for a few years. I had just had my second baby, trying to work off the baby weight, was a 37 years young and needed a change from road running.