The sad reality is that trail runners fall, usually after tripping. If you run trails as often as I do, at some stage you are going to push things a little too far and land up in the dirt. The good news, however, is that most of the time it is only our pride that gets dented when we fall… That and a couple of scrapes.
In spite of the reputation, that trail running has among runners who have never run trails, tripping and falling while trail running is not as common as you think. Most trail runners can go years without falling, and when they do they are seldom seriously hurt because dirt is softer than pavement.
Let’s take a closer look at why trail runners fall and what you can do during your next run to reduce the risk of you tripping and falling.
Why Do I Keep Falling While Trail Running?
There are three main reasons why we fall when trail running.
The first of these is when the ground underfoot is slippery or loose and your foot moves unexpectedly underneath you. I remember one fall that I had related to loose ground. I was running along a river bank and I didn’t know that the river had undercut the trail. My foot landed around 6 inches from the edge of the trail and that piece of the trail gave way beneath me. Luckily it was only a foot or so down to the water and there were no rocks so the only thing dented was my ego as I completed my run with one wet shoe and sock.
The second is when you land badly and heavily on uneven ground and twist an ankle or knee. I experienced this when I was racing cross-country in high school. I was bombing down a descent between pine trees and the rock I landed on with my left foot tipped to the left, twisted my knee and sent me flying off the trail into the trees. Besides the bruises and scrapes, I had to finish out the cross-country season with a brace on my left knee.
The third common reason why we fall while trail running is when we lose focus and don’t look where we are going. I have tripped many times when I’ve been looking out at the view while running along a technical section of the trail. Ninety percent of the time it results in a stumble and I can recover before falling. My worst trail running fall was a combination of listening to music and looking up the trail for a landmark indicating the last half-mile of the trail so that I could finish with a sprint up the slight incline. I spotted my landmark and started my sprint. After 3 steps I tripped on a rock and went flying through the air. I landed on another rock and was out for 10 weeks nursing a fractured right rib.
So yes, I have done all three of these. Though I will say that the common thread running through my experiences was not paying enough attention to the trail and trying to run too fast on technical trails for my skill level.
Even though I have almost exclusively tripped over rocks, it is also just as easy to trip over roots, your own feet, and even your dog. To help prevent the last one from happening to you, I have written an article here on Trail Run Planet called How To Trail Run With Your Dog. Check it out when you are done reading this article.
How Do I Not Get Injured While Trail Running?
Injuries can happen, but these tips will help reduce the chance of getting injured and keep you safer while out on the trails.
Choice Of Footwear
Choose the correct footwear for the type of trail that you are on. Different surfaces require different grip requirements. Soft grass and mud need larger well-spaced lugs while rocky trails need better-cushioned shoes.
Here is the list of shoes that I have used and that worked best for me on different types of terrain.
Slow Down
Nearly all of my falls while trail running has come from trying to run faster than my skill levels can manage.
Look Ahead
If you keep looking down at your feet you won’t see the obstacles in the trail before it is too late to take evasive action.
Pick Your Feet Up
This is one area where your running style or form might need to change when making the change from the road to the trails. When you run on the road, you can get away with a shuffling running style where your feet stay close to the ground. If you do the same on a trail you are almost guaranteed to trip over something. Therefore you need a higher foot-action on trails and this requires practice on trails.
Pay Attention To Your Surroundings
Use your senses and keep a sharp mind. Getting distracted, even within your own thoughts, can easily result in a painful fall.
Training On Trails
The easiest way to avoid getting injured when running on trails is to slowly build up the volume of training that you do on trails. Running on a treadmill will not teach you to adapt to the changing terrain you get on trails. You need to spend time running on trails to sharpen your trail running skills.
Strength Training
Strength training is a key aspect of injury prevention for trail runners. Here is the list of gym exercises that I do to build the strength I need to stay injury free.
Be Safe
Safety on the trails falls into two categories. They are mountain navigation and personal safety. Luckily I have you covered for both here on Trail Run Planet.
Trail runners need to know the basics of mountain navigation at an absolute minimum. Here is the article that I wrote about mountain navigation for trail runners. Check it out and brush up on your navigation skills.
When it comes to personal safety, there are a few things that you can do to stay safe on the trails. Here is the article that I wrote about how to stay safe while trail running alone.
Read up about the trails in your area before heading out. If you are a beginner, choose easier and smoother trails to start with and if possible go running with a more experienced trail runner. Just like any other endurance sport, start slowly and build up from there so that you can get stronger and stay injury-free.
How To Avoid Falling On Trails
The main way we can avoid falling when out running on the trails is to slow down wherever the trail becomes more technical, pick up our feet more, keep our focus, and be aware of what is coming 6 to 12 feet ahead.
I set all of this out in greater detail in my article here on Trail Run Planet called How To Run Downhill Without Falling On Your Face. Check it out when you’ve finished reading this.
If you do fall, try to roll with the fall rather than stiffen up and stick your arms out in front of you. Trying to brace your fall with straight arms can easily result in a broken collarbone. Rolling into your fall will reduce the chance of a more serious injury even if you have a few more cuts and scratches.