As the debate on the effectiveness of barefoot running extends outside the running world and begins to involve participants in multiple sports, podiatrists, personal trainers, MDs and fitness lovers of all stripes have joined in the argument. Whether barefoot running is healthy for humans on the street, trail running has caused less of a controversy.
The first reason is that many of the best examples of high level barefoot running uses native populations from Africa, South and Central America, who are running on dirt and grass, rather than blacktop. Secondly, trail running does offer many undisputed benefits. Since trails are generally found on hills and elevated recreation areas (unless within an urban park), the runner is farther away from the polluted air of the city. The elevation many trail runners practice at aids a great deal in developing cardio and endurance. The benefits of training at elevations has been employed by greats such as Muhammad Ali (Catskills, NY) Tito Ortiz and Shane Mosley (Big Bear, CA). It should be noted that elevation training must be done gradually. A person coming from a low elevation to a city like Denver may become out of breath just by casual walking. The lack of oxygen at higher elevations must be worked in gradually for the body to take optimal advantage.
Because a trail has many hazards, holes, rocks and blockages, a runner must constantly be on the alert and vary his/her speed. Unlike a track where a person can jog at a steady pace, a trail forces the athlete to speed up, turn, slow down, jump, etc. This employs more muscle groups, burns more calories and improves reflexes. Many runners begin to quit or gradually fail in their routine if their daily routes are repetitive. Trails can vary according to the time of day (sunrise, noon, sunset, etc) and a trail after a rain will pose different challenges than how it was just the day before. Variation is a key strength in trail running that has attracted many participants.
With the increased popularity of barefoot running shoes by New Balance, Addas and Fila’s, runners enjoy added protection while still enjoying the barefoot feeling. Camping gear including headlights, rainproof clothing, caps and polarized sunglasses increase the comfort level of the runner and allow one to run in multiple weather conditions to a certain extent. Extreme athletes have used techniques such as loading camping gear into a 10 to 20 pound backpack while running to gain added endurance.
No related posts.