National Trail Running Day! It's Not That Far Away!

Last year friend of mine, Chris Barber, at SeriousRunning.com started the inaugural National Trail Running Day (August 22, 2009) in order to bring awareness to the sport of Trail Running. This year August 21, 2010, will mark the 2nd annual National Trail Running Day.
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There is a National Running Day, but before last year there was no day specifically made for running trails. Trail Running is one of the fastest growing sports in the United States with runners taking to the trails of varying difficulties and distances to connect with nature and the environment, while also building strength and more technical running skills. One reason the industry is healthy is that there has been a parallel increase in the running population. The National Sporting Goods Association estimates that the total running population in 2008 was 35,904,000 – an increase of 18.2% over 2007! The Outdoor Industry’s estimate for number of U.S. trail runners in 2008 was 4,857,000, an increase of 15.2%. That's a lot of people in the woods! Lions, Tigers, and Runners, Oh My!

Chris' goal is to help build some momentum to get even more runners hitting the trails. Be sure to check out the National Trail Running Day website for a wealth of information from info on trail running shoes, to finding National Trail Running Day events, to finding running trails near you. You can also find information on National Trail Running Day on Facebook and Twitter. Hear are just a few of the events taking place around the country:
» Shatter the Silence
» ON THE ROCKS TRAIL RUN
» XTERRA North Carolina Colonel Francis Beatty Park
» Pikes Peak Marathon
» Moose On The Loose 10 Mile
» Indianapolis Amazing Adventure
» GORE-TEX Transrockies-Run 2010
» Glenwood Springs Hlaf Marathon
» Dam Good Trail Race
» Continental Divide Trail Run

Chris gives 8 great reasons to go trailing:

• Strengthens your leg muscles that road running does not.
• Improves balance and agility from running on uneven surfaces.
• Increases your mental toughness.
• Biophillia – humans want to be close to nature. Trail Running increases your time in nature.
• The primal thrill of using your body for what it was made to do, be a long distance, all-terrain vehicle.
• Reduces injury because running on soft surfaces is better for you joints. Also, the differing steps do not put as much stress on certain parts of your body.
• Less traffic and cleaner air.
• Running in the shade is cooler, allowing you to run longer distances and get a better overall work out.

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So, check with your running club or your local running store and see if they have anything planned for National Trail Running Day (August 21). It's a little more than a month away, so if they don't have anything planned, encourage them to use that day to promote, celebrate, and experience the sport of Trail Running. Suggest a trail race, some group trail runs, or some trail clean-ups.

The Best Kept Secret: Greenways

After moving to Greensboro, I quickly laid out several running routes in my neighborhood and at the local parks, but was ignorant to the miles of scenic greenways and trails all around me. I lived in Greensboro, NC four years before discovering the huge network of trails and greenways maintained by the city. The city I moved from had no such network, so I really didn't even know such things existed. It wasn't until I joined my running group, the BlueLiners, that I was exposed to greenway running.

In fact, there are over 80 miles of trails and greenways available in Greensboro. They're categorized into four categories—botanical gardens trails, greenways, park trails, and watershed trails. These hiking, biking, and multiple-use trails incorporate some sidewalk connectors and include paved and natural surfaces. The trails are located in urban and natural settings, and can be found in neighborhood and regional parks, open spaces, and around the city's lakes.

The greenways take you away from the city and let you enjoy a little nature on your run. Year-round beauty abounds making for extremely peaceful and serene runs. I often see deer on my Saturday morning long run and today the most beautiful blue heron took flight right in front of me before flying over the lake. I definitely never enjoyed this kind of beauty on my neighborhood runs. In addition to the natural fauna, I've had a few "Charlie" sightings. I've discovered that world-famous endurance runner Charlie Engle, lives just down the road and we frequently cross paths on the greenway.

One greenway runs by two parks, a national park—(National Military Park at Guilford Courthouse) as well as a city park (Country Park). Kind of humbling to know you're running by the site of the largest, most hotly-contested battle of the Revolutionary War's Southern Campaign.

If you're running the same old neighborhood routes over and over, check out your city's government Website and see if your town has greenways and trails for you to run. They're often close by but because you're not looking for them, they go unseen. One greenway in Greensboro runs right behind my church and alongside a main road I travel every day and I still didn't know of its existence. So, do some exploring and hit the trails! You'll be surprised how invigorating a change of pace can be.