Trail racing tips
The Double Trouble 15K Trail Run is located at French Creek State Park, near Morgantown, PA. Our club’s “Team Coordinator” personally drove 5 of us over an hour from Wilmington through the beautiful Pennsylvania Dutch country, with some bonus miles of beauty due to some detours and wrong turns. Running as a club or team makes both the trip and race more enjoyable. 4 of us won age group awards while four more rounded out our group. Most wore our classy PCVRC singlets. It was a gorgeous day for a run, even with lots of rocks, hills and mud to deal with.
Pretzel City Sports’ Ron Horn ensures that it’s a fun event, noting:
“The DT Trail Run is all about “choice”. All runners start at the same time, where all “choose” to run the demented but beautiful, rustic & shaded 15k loop (several lake vistas but no water crossings) and some “choose” to throw caution & their medical deductible to the wind and run that loop a 2nd time to get in 30k. … You can “choose” to carry water or just get hydrated at the 3 water stops per loop and you can “choose” between a short sleeve shirt or tank, “choose” to take a free shower or stain the car upholstery beyond repair on the way home, “choose” to eat the great post race refreshments or pick that day to start a new diet, etc. …You can even “choose” to stay home but that would be about the ONLY decision that is even stupider than entering this race. The DT 15k/30k is a wonderful race that celebrates our right to “choose” in life, no matter how bad a choice it is! …If you “choose” to run off course, a course that Stevie Wonder could follow, then it is likely that we will “choose” not to look for you…”
The post-race food was good, including hot dogs fresh from the grill. This was just my second trail race and here are some personal notes:
How to run a trail race
When you’re advised to start at the front of the pack, DO IT! I had to walk the first half mile due to 350+ runners on a narrow trail that quickly became single file to cross some narrow bridges and wind around the forest. 15K is a long distance to maintain concentration on your footing on jagged rocks and slippery mud. Towards the end of the race, a woman in front of me almost went down and I immediately thought to myself that the moment you relax your concentration, you’re in trouble. Sure enough, 2 seconds later I tripped and rolled over. A couple scrapes and a little dirt made me feel like a “real” trail runner when crossing the finish!
The hills weren’t as steep as at my first trail race in Wissahickon (Philadelphia), but they seem to last forever. As a road runner, it’s very disconcerting to have no idea what mile you’re at except when you reach a water table and can ask. It’s surprising how many crazy people repeat the same loop for the 30K race, especially since they have to pass directly in front of the food area where the much less crazy 15K people are relaxing in front of a pretty lake (of course, a couple PCVRC runners were the only ones to cool their feet in it).
Stay in control
Running trails can tire your mind since you have to maintain concentration on the course, where to place your feet, and the runners around you. On single file sections, passing can be hazardous, but essential when there are few opportunities. Maintain some space between you and the runner you’re following – in case they go down or in anticipation of them dodging hazards that you can’t see.
Use both eyes since you may have to watch the path (and course markers)with one and watch for whipping branches with the other. If you have a third eye, you’ll have a huge advantage.
Run carefully!
Ray
Trail runner Josh
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