Door County Trail Runners, Walkers and Wanna-Bees Invited to Learn About Running Green at Crossroads Pre-race Training and Orientation Workouts on June 21

Posted on 07. Jun, 2010 by in Quiet Sports

“Trail running satisfies a primal need for movement through nature, presumably left over from our days as hunters,” says author and runner Matthew Frazier.

“When things spin out of control in an age of iPads and Droids, running in the woods is one thing we can count on to be pretty much the same as it’s always been.”

Door County Trail Runners Facebook Page

Door County Trail Runners Facebook Page

Anyone and everyone who wishes to learn more about the sport of trail running and walking is invited to preview the “Running Green for Crossroads” 2Km and 5Km courses by running them with experienced runner’s coaches. All ages of race participants or non-competitors, from youth through the Silver Sneakers set are encouraged to stop by Crossroads at Big Creek on Monday, June 14 and 21 from 6 – 7 pm.

Carol Mulinix, Gretchen Schmelzer and Deb Whitelaw- Gorski will be your guides. There’s no charge. Simply show up and bring a pair of comfortable walking or running shoes, a water bottle and your walking or running attire. These experienced competitors will provide an introduction to Trail Running and Walking. You will have an opportunity to discover Crossroads Environmental Center while you brush up on the Do’s and Don’ts of trail running. Participants will review the course trail maps and then get to run or walk the marked trails with experienced guides.

Here are a few tips from Matthew Frazier on how to leave the roads and begin trail running:

  • Road running shoes will work fine for short runs. If you decide to stick with trail running, however, you’ll eventually want to get a pair of trail shoes. They offer a stronger, protective sole and greater stability than most road shoes. And while the idea of barefooting on trails is appealing, it’s smart to run a trail in standard shoes first to get a feel for how sharp those rocks are.
  • If you’re not big on drinking from streams, you’re going to have to carry your water with you. A favorite among trail runners is the handheld water bottle that straps to the hand and has additional pouches for things like keys, ID, and food. For longer wild runs, consider a hydration vest.
  • You can expect to run about 20 percent slower on trails for a given level of exertion than you would on roads. You’ll find steeper hills, more side-to-side movement, and lots of obstacles to deal with. Trail running is most fun when you forget about pace and do what feels good. Shorten your stride so that your weight is over your feet most of the time; this allows you to react quickly and maintain balance. You’ll find that trail running works your core and stabilizer muscles more than road running, so it may help to focus on keeping your core engaged.
  • When you’re running trails, you need to pay extra attention to where you step. But you certainly don’t want to be staring straight down at your feet the whole time. Continuously scan the ground a few yards ahead of you while you’re running.

You can sign up in advance for the Running Green Pre-race Training and Orientation Workouts at the Sturgeon Bay YMCA front desk or at Crossroads. Meet at Crossroads at Big Creek on Monday, June 14 and 21 from 6 – 7 pm.

“Running Green for Crossroads,” the first annual eco-aware trail run in Door County, takes place on Saturday, June 26 at 9 am. All of the courses, including a 2Km, 5Km and 10Km trail walk or run are staged on the woodlands and open fields in and around Crossroads at Big Creek. You can download a race packet with trail maps and registration form online at CrossroadsAtBigCreek.org and, you can save money by registering before June 12.

Click to join Door County Trail Runners on Facebook.

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