The Best Running Terrain

When I trained for my first half marathon, I did all my training on a packed gravel trail. Not once did I run on the road before my race. By the end of the race, my joints were hurting and my muscles were sore. If I had trained some on the surface that I was going to race on, I would have been much better prepared.

Today's TIP OF THE WEEK is to vary your terrain when you run.

When you run outside, you have a variety of different options on which to run. A typical neighborhood will have the options of either concrete sidewalks or asphalt roads. Many parks have packed gravel or dirt trails. You could also choose to run on grass or even sand if you are near a beach. And of course, there is always the outdoor track or indoor treadmill options. There are both benefits and drawbacks to most of these terrains.

Concrete sidewalks can be very convenient and safe when running outside. However, they are the hardest surface on which to run, causing stress to joints and increasing the possibility of overuse injuries.

Asphalt roads are possibly the best surface for training for a race. Most races are run on the road, and the saying "practice how you will perform" applies also to running. However, running on the road can be dangerous. Many a runner have been hit by cars while running on the road. I certainly don't want that to happen to any of my blog followers. When running on the road, be sure to run against traffic so that you are aware of approaching vehicles. Be defensive runners and yield to any oncoming traffic. If you can, find a paved bike trail to run on instead of running on the road.

Dirt trails and grass are two good running surfaces. They are softer than concrete or asphalt and give to absorb the shock of pounding the pavement. Additionally, trail running burns more calories than road running because you are maneuvering to avoid obstacles. However, with those uneven surfaces, roots, and other hazardous obstacles come the risk of twisting an ankle or landing wrong while navigating the trails. If you chose to run on trails watch your footing carefully.



Sand is another good option that is soft and absorbs shock. Again with sand you burn more calories because of the extra effort to push off from the uneven surface. But again, with any uneven surface there is risk of injury, so be careful.




Tracks offer a great running surface. In reality, it is probably the best running surface for your body. However, running around in circles can get quite boring. It can also be difficult to find a local track that is open to the public and not being used by the students.

Treadmills are a great, convenient option for those who can't get outside. With the treadmill, the surface is soft and absorbs some of the shock of running. However, on the treadmill you are not propelling yourself forward as you do while running on the road. If all you do is treadmill running, you may find running more difficult during a race because you haven't had to do all the work of running on a stationary surface. [Watch for a future blog on treadmill running.]

In my opinion, the best running terrain is a packed gravel trail, even after the rough first half marathon experience. Most packed gravel trails are free from roots and other potential hazards. The surface gives a little under your feet to absorb some of the shock, giving your joints a break. The only drawback I see to this terrain is that it isn't readily available. My favorite packed gravel trail is the Cochran Shoals River Trail. It is marked off by the quarter of a mile and is a 5k loop trail. This is the trail that I trained on for my first half marathon. What I didn't know at the time is that there is a nice road (Columns Drive) attached to it with a wide bike lane for asphalt running. If I had taken advantage of that feature I would have been much better prepared for my race.