Trail Run

How to do it

1. Scan the ground a few steps ahead rather than looking directly down at your feet.
2. Shorten your stride and lift cadence as the gradient steepens so each step stays controlled.
3. Lean forward from the ankles on the climbs and drive the hips through on each push-off.
4. Use the arms wider than usual for balance across roots, rocks and uneven footing.
5. On descents, keep the feet quick and light and let the knees absorb the landing under you.
6. Ease back onto an even rhythm whenever the terrain flattens out, then repeat as the trail changes.

Common mistakes

• Overstriding on descents, which increases braking force and loads the knee extensors eccentrically.
• Running downhill sections at race effort in training, which produces muscle damage that lasts for days.
• Holding flat-ground stride length uphill, which raises effort without producing more forward speed.
• Watching your feet instead of the trail ahead, which leaves no time to choose a line on uneven ground.