Pilates for Trail Running

It may be January, but I’m already thinking about what I need to do to get ready for the TransSelkirks Half Stoke Trail Run this summer. Since trail running is so different from road or track running, I know that I’ll be including lots of Pilates for trail running to improve my performance and reduce my chances of injury.

What Sets Trail Running Apart

Trail running was the last type of running I’ve tried and it was quite an adjustment for me. Previously, I’d trained for and run long distances like marathons and half-marathons. When a friend invited me out onto the trails, I was kind of nervous. I guess I just didn’t know what to expect! 

It turns out that running trails involves a lot more walking or fast hiking than running an endurance run. When you’re running on the road, you are always in charge of your pace. On the trails, however, you often are forced to do fast walking or hiking due to the terrain. I had such a hard time with this at first, because in my mind, if you went for a run, you ran. I’d trained myself to start running and keep running with minimal stops. In trail running, though, you’re dealing with a lot of different factors compared to road running. Some things you may encounter are: 

1. Roots and rocks under your feet
2. Steep uphills and down
3. Gentle hills
4. High elevations 
5. Creeks to cross
6. Soft, mushy ground
7. Downed trees and branches to navigate around over or under
8. Wildlife

I like trail running because of the variety of features or obstacles you can encounter. There are a lot of surface variations, like highly technical trails with roots, rocks, and packed dirt.  Others are groomed and covered with gravel or bark mulch. Depending on the season, you may find the trails are covered in slippery leaves or cushioned with layers of pine needles. There is a lot to deal with, which means your body needs to be ready for the challenges. 

Why You Should Do Pilates For Trail Running

Doing Pilates for trail running has a lot of benefits, some of which you may not have thought of. For example, trail running takes a lot of focus and concentration. You need to watch slightly ahead of each step to avoid misstepping or tripping on the many roots, rocks, and debris. You’ll need to vary your stride to avoid obstacles and find yourself side-stepping instead of running in a straight line the whole time. 

Concentration: Pilates also takes a lot of focus! You need to think about controlling and moving specific parts of your body, and when you add the apparatuses, you need to really pay attention to what you are doing. 

Mobility: All of the obstacles in trail running mean you need good foot and ankle mobility to help you go up and down hills and manage the technical terrain. Twisting an ankle a kilometre into a run, far from your car, is no fun. 

Avoid Injury: Having strong glutes and stabilising muscles around the ankles, knees, and hips are important to help avoid injuries in those areas. There are many times when you are moving side to side, and you do have your foot turn or a knee twist. When you have good strength and mobility, you have more control when the twists and turns happen, and are much less likely to get injured.  

Better Stamina: Having a strong back and good posture also helps you to keep your body more upright, helping you to breathe better and fatigue slower.

Do Pilates for Trail Running… And Everything Else

Pilates strengthens your full body, mobilizes your joints, and improves flexibility. Whether you do Pilates for trail running, regular running, your golf game, or simply to help you keep doing what you love for longer, you’ll see the benefits.