I only went and bloody did it!

[Mojoxxx]

Faced my fears of trail running and survived, stayed upright and came home with both my shoes, despite the copious amounts of mud. Actually enjoyed it too. Wore trail shoes on a practice short run a few days before but found them heavy and unforgiving even though they were secondhand (so already well worn in). Decided that, with it being a whole 4 days since we last had rain, I’d risk it in my regular running shoes and just walk the worst bits (which were total suck your shoes off type of deep mud) so that’s what I did. Finished in 81 mins but the route ended up being 10.6k with avg pace of 7.34. So not only was it my first trail run, it was also by furthest and longest run to date. So glad I challenged myself to do a trail run, they no longer hold fear for me x

[Yesletsgo Administrator Graduate10]

That sounds fantastic!! Well done

[Mojoxxx Graduate10 in reply to Yesletsgo]

Thank you

[AlMorr Ambassador Graduate10]

Congratulations to you Mojoxxx on completing your first 10K trail run, you should be very proud of yourself, later this year I will be a marshall at a 10K trail event race at the same place that I run 5K parkrun on Saturday.

[Mojoxxx Graduate10 in reply to AlMorr]

Thanks AlMorr, I am very proud and almost feel invincible as if I can achieve anything now! I’d best reign it in though before I do something stupid (like sign up to something I’ll regret!)

[Sandraj39 Graduate10]

Well done - trail runs are the best…and usually the most challenging! But if you love a little mud - and I do too - they are great fun! Sounds like you’ll be back for more!🙂

[Mojoxxx Graduate10 in reply to Sandraj39]

I really did ‘nt love the mud, that’s the bit I didn’t like but don’t know enough about trail runs and whether mud is a guven on everyone. If it is, then I will definately aim for Summer ones where hopefully the mud won’t too deep.

[Cmoi Graduate10 in reply to Mojoxxx]

Well done  Mojoxxx !

Mud isn't a given on every trail run, it depends entirely on the weather conditions. My personal experience is that the same path can vary from being a flowing stream, to a grassy mudfest, to dry loose rocks and gravel depending on the time of year.

What is a given is the lack of paved surfaces - see the ITRA definition of trail runs here: itra.run/About/DiscoverTrai...

[Mojoxxx Graduate10 in reply to Cmoi]

Thank Cmoi, I think I’m also realising that trail running is very informal (there was no countdown to the start, it was simply an ‘off you go then’) and the distance covered is also there or there about! I’ll definitely do another as I like that it’s not about the time, more the experience, views and staying upright

[Cmoi Graduate10 in reply to Mojoxxx]

To be fair I suspect that the lack of countdown was just a feature of your race: although I've only done two events both had countdowns.

As you say, distance can be somewhat approximate. Both my events were 10% longer than the announced distance, and went quite a way over on elevation gain as well. Hardly surprising as the terrain on trail routes can be difficult to measure. It also tends to gives more scope for variants than road routes that are closed off by barriers and might even have a marked line to follow!

Some trail runners are very serious about their times, others aren't. For me it's an experience to be enjoyed, not got through as quickly as possible.

I wish you happy running, on trails or otherwise!

[Oldfloss Administrator Graduate10]

Well done...mud and trails Perfect combination

[Mojoxxx Graduate10 in reply to Oldfloss]

Thanks Oldfloss, trails yes, mud not so much

[Wavy-chick28 Graduate10]

Having been a city runner I moved to a more rural ish area and now have a choice of fields,paths and bridal ways it’s a big change but beginning to enjoy that mud 😂😂

[Mojoxxx Graduate10 in reply to Wavy-chick28]

I really enjoyed the variety of the trail run and the different terrainsso maybe I need tomlearn how to run in/over mud. There must be a technique, although the mud yesterday was the ‘loose your shoe’ type, it was that deep.

[MissUnderstanding Administrator Graduate10]

Absolutely brilliant!! Massive congratulations to you!! 🏃‍♀️🎉🏆

[Mojoxxx Graduate10 in reply to MissUnderstanding]

Thank you MissUnderstanding

[RunByTheSea64 Graduate10]

Brilliant, well done for coping with all that mud! 😄🏃‍♀️

[Mojoxxx Graduate10 in reply to RunByTheSea64]

Thank you RubyByTheSea.

[RunByTheSea64 Graduate10 in reply to Mojoxxx]

Ooh Ruby sounds even more exciting than Run! 😂

[Mojoxxx Graduate10 in reply to RunByTheSea64]

Apologies!! But yes it does!