How To Trail Run Downhill And Not Fall Flat On Your Face

I know the feeling of going down fast hitting the ground all too well.  It’s happened to me before. I lost my footing and fell flat on my face so to speak, while trail running downhill. There was some blood. Leaving me with trail rash, possibly a cracked rib, and a bruised ego to nurse. 

With hindsight, I realized that three factors contributed to my hapless incident: wrong shoes, a lapse in focus and some serious misstepping due to my inexperience – ending in a bloody near-disaster for my trail run ambitions. It took me a while to venture back onto that very same trail.

Could I do it again, this time without incident? I have to confess. I was scared shitless.

How to trail run downhill?

1. Mental focus
2. Grippy Shoes
3. Strong core
4. Precise footing
5. Wide arm swing for stability
6. Very slight forward lean
7. Relaxed hips
8. Short stride/steps
9. Fast stride rate
10. Look 3 to 5 steps ahead

Running downhill is fun. Passing people going downhill is like a drug. Especially when often you get passed on the uphills. But it can be scary. What if you trip and fall flat on your face?  Read on if you want to get the tips on how to avoid this possible humiliation happening to you.  

Born to Run

Everybody is capable of trail running. Trail running takes us right back to what we were born to do.  Running. Trail running takes us right back to where we belong. In nature.

Writer Christopher MacDougal coined the phrase, Born to Run with his now well-known book by the same title (available on Amazon). This is what we’re designed for. This is what our ancestors used to do. Running uphill, downhill and across the planes, interlaced with short bursts of sprints. 

Only thing is, running downhill trails is trickier than running uphill. It takes some effort and precision.  It requires skill and certain techniques to improve your efficacy.

Our 8 Tips for Running Downhill Trails

It’s hard to run downhill fast on technical singletrack. Some things to keep in mind:

• Mindfulness: Downhill running requires intense focus.  Best to leave the Mp3 player at home, especially if you’re a newbie and/or when you venture out onto rough terrain. Go Zen, be fully in the moment, watch your steps and become aware of your breathing and the way your body moves.  One of my most memorable and, if I may add, humiliating falls happened when I was listening to a Podcast while going downhill fast. Just don’t.
• Body Positioning:  Keep your body weight slightly forward but not too much, using your core muscles. Your core is your center of balance, stabilizing the top and bottom of your body and your movements. If you lean back while running downhill on trails you will not only put a strain on your lower back and hip flexors, you also risk losing traction and landing flat on your butt. You want to always stay in control. Let gravity work for you but not force you to go too fast.
• Cadence:  Don’t try to brake yourself (i.e. land on and dig in your heels) in an effort to break your speed. Keep up the cadence but shorten your steps. Increase your cadence so that if you do slip, your other foot is already ready to catch you. EMBRACE the slide! Every slide is more ground covered with no energy expended! A positive side effect of an increased cadence is that your feet only touch the ground very briefly with each step, reducing the chance of tripping.
• Stride: Try to shorten the length of each stride. It’s a bit like constantly tapping the ground to keep you upright as you ‘fall’ down the slope. The trick is to keep your cadence (number of strides per minute) high but shorten the strides you take as the slope/ gravity will add the length back to each stride without any effort from you. If you get it right you will expend less energy than you would on the flat. Practically the way you do it is lean forward, not too much, and you’ll feel your stride lengthen proportionally to the steepness of the slope. Whatever your running style, taking faster and shorter steps running downhill will massively reduce the impact on your joints and improve how much control you feel you have.
• Foot Strike: Depending on the terrain, the general rule is, land on midfoot or forefoot, never on your heels, unless you want your feet to slip out from under you and land up flat on your bum like I have done more than once in the past. Look ahead at least 2-3 steps and plan where you will land. Your feet will go where you look. If there are two rocks, look at the gap between them and not at the rocks otherwise you will likely trip over them.
• Arms: Use your arms similar to wings as stabilizers to help keep your balance as you go down. Forget about a smooth, consistent arm swing. Let your arms do the work and purposely allow this. Generally, your arms know where to go if you just let them do it. If you watch Killian Jornet run you will see that I refer to as flappy windmills as opposed to a normal arm swing.

When Fear Kicks In

So now you’ve got the basic gist of running downhill trails, including the basic technique, and you’ve even got yourself some designer trail running shoes, but the one thing that’s still holding your back, is fear. The moment you start down the trail, picking up speed, and you feel the slippery ground under your feet, you go all panicky and hit on the brakes, overcome by fear.

Don’t feel bad. Fear is normal. Fear is good, especially when you’re a beginner and you go down steep and rough terrain.  It’s always good to exercise caution, but at the same time, you shouldn’t allow your fear to hold you back and stop you from having fun. 

7 Tips on How to Overcome Fear

Remember when you were a kid, you had little fear, especially when someone told you NOT to do something.  You would go ahead and just do it anyway, regardless of the consequence and learned the hard way.  Of course, this would often end up in some blood and (humiliating) tears. But did that stop you from trying again?

The same principle applies to when you run downhill. The more you do it, the better you become. Just like when you were a kid:

• Think like a Kid: When you’re on the trails and going downhill, become the kid you once were and just do it with a smile. As kids, we knew how to do it. Running came naturally to us as part of playing and having fun. Scrambling uphill at pace, and then, fearlessly barrelling downhill fast. Just do it, like when you were a kid.
• Go Slow: Keep it slow. Take your time. Don’t feel weird about going slow. Use caution. Don’t go down too steep and too fast too soon. Find trails with a steepness grade less than the mid-teens and gradually work your way up to higher gradients. Use MapMyRun or STRAVA to find the right trail. (Check out the Technical Downhill Grading system below.)
• Fun: Think of it as having fun, not running downhill. Smile, giggle, even if it makes others think you’re somewhat of a nutcase. Forget about a smooth, consistent arm swing. Keep your arms/hands loose and out for balance. Now that you’re having fun, let instinct kick in.
• Relaxed Focus:  When you’re relaxed, instinct kicks in. Part of you is focussed inwardly, sensing where the trail goes next, and instinctively positioning yourself for turns and descents ahead. While part of you is focused outwardly 3-5 steps ahead, planning your footfalls – and alternates, and peripheral vision usually takes care of where your feet are landing.
• Build Confidence:  To gain confidence, practice stepping on, over, and next to rocks, stumps, holes, etc. just to feel what it’s like. Jump over roots, skip every once in a while (or otherwise try to obtain the sensation of hopping from foot to foot), run up on the edges of the trail for a few steps and back down on the trail until you find your footing. You will notice the tendency to lift your feet higher as the trail gets more technical. That will help prevent tripping over things.
• Gradually Up the Grade: Start off with easy trails, just to get a feel for running downhill, finding your footing, keep your balance and stay well within your comfort zone. As you grow in confidence, push yourself on something a little harder, gradually increase the distance and grade of the downhill trails from easy to grade “moderate”   after that, get ready to tackle some “hard” trails with higher technical difficulty.
• Just do it: Keep at it until you get it right, and the fear goes.  Just like you used to do it when you were a kid. Practice your running mechanics. Practice landing on your midfoot versus your heel. And if it all becomes too much, just WALK down the trail until you find your way!

In Conclusion: When going down, you got to have confidence.  To feel strong and confident, you have to PRACTICE. It’s smart to practice running downhill trails. Practice cadence and core strength.  The more you do it, the more you’ll get a sense of the trail, its design, the type of footing and the obstacles.  Just like when you were a kid.

Running the same trail over and over allows you to practice different moves and approaches to obstacles. As you build confidence, you can experiment with running on different trails with different technical grades.

When I was in high school we had a cross country coach that made us practice running downhill on technical terrain. A practice session would involve walking down a trail to learn the layout of the trail. We would then run that trail faster and faster so that we could build up our confidence.

Downhill Grading Explained

Downhill routes are given a technical grade from 1-5 to indicate their level of severity and technical difficulty. The higher the grade the harder the route.  Meaning, higher grades equal steeper inclines and more demanding technical difficulty. Are you up to it? Check it out:

Grade 1- Easy: Straightforward off-road running, mainly on forest roads and wide dirt or grassy tracks. Suitable for all, including children.

Grade 2 – Moderate: Wide bumpy trails, simple single track, moderate incline, and nothing too technical.

Grade 3– Hard: Grade 3 is fast flowing single track with generally good traction on the surface. Good body and feet control and some quick decision making are required. Expect variable surfaces from smooth hardpack to loose rock to roots and small jumps.

Grade 4 –Extreme: Technically challenging, with tight switchbacks, narrow single track and loose surfaces. Fast, with steep inclines and obstacles all around you. Expert downhill running skills and control are essential and good balance at a premium. Not suitable for beginners.

Grade 5 –Off the Scale: Fast with big inclines, impossible surfaces and split-second decision making. Limited or no chicken runs here! If you don’t find these trails hard, turn pro! Because it means you’re right up there, moving onto a Killian Jornet level of trail running. If not, you are in the “danger zone” and need to “get out or die.” My advice: if you can’t take the speed, get off the trail! That is until you’ve mastered the skill.

In Conclusion: When running downhill, stay well within your comfort zone, never run at a pace that feels out of control, or else, you’ll risk serious injury.  Pay close attention to the terrain and the conditions in particular, if it’s wet, icy, or if there is loose gravel on the road. Always prioritize caution over speed.

Getting Used to Speed

The higher the grade of the trail, the faster you go down. You may be scared because you feel overwhelmed by the speed you’re going down, making you feel out of control. 

Two additional tips to help you getting used to going downhill fast without fear: 

1. Mountain Biking: If you have a mountain bike, practice going downhill using your mountain bike to get used to going downhill at speed. But only if you have the bike skills and feel confident enough. Mountain biking downhill on trails is fun and will give you the instinctive feel for the terrain and how to move your body to maintain balance and stay in control while going downhill.  Use caution and always wear a helmet. Personally, my biggest crossover skill that I learned from mountain biking was to focus on the patch of trail 20 to 30 feet ahead of me rather than down at my feet.
2. Running down Stairs: Practice running downstairs in and around town or down the stairwell in a tower block. Start off slow, but once you’ve got the knack of it, you should be able to skip 2 steps easily, but 3 and 4 stair skips would be preferable. Once again, be safe. Wear a helmet when you practice this at first. Running down stairwells is scary, but fun and once mastered, you’ll reap the rewards when running downhill trails without fear of falling!

In Conclusion: When running downhill trails, you need to not only to overcome your fear but also to build muscle strength. From own experience, I can tell you running downhill – be it trails or stairs – can REALLY do a number on those quads and knees.  To manage the stresses on your legs, knees, and ankles, you have to build muscle strength combined with flexibility.

Five Tips for Building Strength and Flexibility

Running downhill trails is largely dependent on the strength of your core, knees and upper legs. The quad muscles, as well as the tendons and ligaments in ankles, knees, hips and lower back, can take a beating.  

You need to be able to absorb multiple shocks and for that, you need good core upper leg (quadriceps) strength.

But there’s much more to it than doing an hour spinning class in your local Gym as preparation for running downhill without falling flat on your face. 

Prepare your body with our 5 tips for building strength and flexibility: 

• Knees:  It’s important to strengthen your muscles, particularly all the small controlling muscles that stabilize the knee. Something you could do is consult with a good physio who will get you sorted with knee strengthening exercises that are relevant for you in just one session. Be sure to check out our article: Is Trail Running Better For Your Knees?

• Hips: Your hip strength, stability, and mobility are important. The movement of your upper body and your lower body is hinged onto your hips. If your hips are tight and inflexible, you won’t be able to maintain balance. The result? Some air-time – and then you face-plow, suffering the pain. Get those hips stronger by doing some simple hip-strengthening exercises to help you.

• Flexibility:  Incorporate Yoga and/or Pilates into your training if you want to loosen up and stretch those short tight and bulky upper leg muscles you’ve built from years of running. I can speak from personal experience. I used to be so stiff and tight, I struggled to touch my knees, let alone my toes! Nowadays, after having joined some Pilates classes, I can proudly say I’ve managed to touch my ankles!  The result? A significant improvement in my overall performance and times on the trails, making me feel more confident and relaxed.  The added bonus?  I’ve been injury-free ever since.  Unlike previous years, when I was stiff and tight as a pole, hardly able to get my hands past my knees! 

• Core Strength: Core strength will give you the confidence to be off-balance while going down at speed. Isometric exercises are perfect for building core strength. It’s specific to certain types of moves where you hold in a position under tension.  It works everything from your shoulders to your knees not just your abs. Because these moves improve your core stability, they can help you not only get a stronger, more toned middle, but they can also help you prevent and alleviate injury.

• Gym Training: Hitting the Gym for some glutes, hamstrings, and quadriceps strengthening exercises 2-3 times a week should form part of your exercise routine. However, Gym training should be focused on building strength and not muscle-bulking.

Why so?

There’s a difference between bulking and strengthening muscles. Bulking up is about shortening and the thickening of the muscle fiber, which is done with lifting heavy weights with few repetitions.

But the last thing you want is extra bulk – that will just be more to carry up the hills.  You need strength and the lengthening of muscle fibers.

Why? Because muscle lengthens under load while downhill running. To get it right, you need to do specific training to strengthen the quads, hamstrings and lower leg muscles. Be sure to check out my article 28 Best Gym Exercises for Trail Running You Have Never Done.

In Conclusion: If you’re prone to injury beware because the extra pounding can cause knees and ankles to get creaky. To avoid unnecessary injury, include some targeted exercise (see above) to build muscle strength and improve your overall flexibility.  

What about Shoes? 

The shoes you’re wearing most certainly could play a role in the outcome of your downhill running, that is whether you go down smoothly or land up flat on your face and/or your bum, for that matter.

I learned this the hard way when running my first couple of trails in my old hiking shoes. I still carry the scars to show for it.

Get a pair of shoes with the right amount of tread and cushion that gives you confidence that you won’t slip too much.

Know the terrain to determine the type of shoes e.g. you’ll need grippy soles to navigate wet rocks. Let’s investigate the best fit for the different trails:

Different Shoes for Different Terrains

• Sand/Dunes: Running downhill in thick sand or dunes is tricky. Heavy and thick sand (dunes) is a bit like stepping into wet cement – it will slow you down. If you don’t get it right, it’ll kill your legs.  If you lean forward too much, landing on you forefoot, the chance of you landing flat on your face is guaranteed.  The trick when running down a steep sandhill or dune is to dig your heels in deep into the sand to “break speed” unlike running downhill rough trails, where you need to land on mid- or forefoot without breaking speed.  For this to happen you need special shoes.

Best Fit:  Lightweight shoes that have shorter, but more numerous lugs and wearing gaiters to prevent sand to get into your shoes and socks. Wearing gaiters will also help to protect you against snake bites and scorpion stings and whatever else hidden dangers buried underneath the sand.

• Loose Gravel and Rocky Trails:  Rocky single track with tree roots and loose gravel will speed you up going downhill. If you lose control, you’ll land flat on your face for sure. When it comes to shoes, you’ll need sufficient toe protection and you’ll need superb grip soles to stop you from slip-sliding down or even worse, falling flat on your face. Be sure to check out my article Is it Harder to Run on Trails.

Best Fit: Go for shoes with sufficient cushioning, protection and plenty of grip. I tend to go for Vibram soled shoes for rocky trails as the same company makes the soles for rock climbing shoes.

• River crossings: Rivers or mountain stream crossings mean you’re going to get wet. Feet and all. Not only are you going to get wet, but you’re also going to have to navigate some wet and slippery rocks. Back in the day, when I was in the Boys Scouts/Mountain Club, we used to use shopping bags to insulate our socks and walked in black refuse bags around our legs to prevent our shoes from getting wet while crossing rivers and mountain streams. The plastic bags inside and outside served the purpose up to a point, but of no use when it came to wet and slippery rocks. Today, there is no need for using plastic bags when it comes to river crossings and wet slippery rocks. You can pick and choose from a wide selection of high tech waterproof shoes that are specifically designed for this purpose. Check out my article: Are Trail running shoes Waterproof

Best Fit:  I can recall when we covered the river crossing module of my mountain guiding course years ago. It was winter and the river was flowing snow-melt. For that day I packed a pair of neoprene diving booties. The reason was simple. I would be spending extended periods of time with my feet in icy water and I wanted to have a good grip on the wet rocks.

Now, I’m not suggesting that you carry a pair of diving booties with you so that you can change into them for each river crossing. What you do want is shoes that have a good grip on wet rocks and that can drain/dry quickly after you have crossed the river.

• Muddy Trails: Mud comes in all sorts of different consistencies. If the mud is that sticky, grippy kind of mud that you find on forest floors most of the time, you can just relax and belt it down the hill secure in the knowledge that you will have secure footing. On the other hand, if it is that slushy, slippery mud then you will need to exercise more caution – especially if that slush is layered over a drier hard-pack base. In this case, you need to keep as fleet-footed as possible. The longer your foot is in contact with the ground the bigger the chance is of slipping.

 Best Fit: What I find works best on muddy trails are shoes that have large, but well-spaced lugs. If the lugs ate too close together they tend to get clogged up with mud which then loses all traction that you had.

• Snow: Running on snow-covered trails can be an energy-sapping leg killer. Running downhill on soft snow requires the same skills that you use for running downhill on soft sand and dunes. If the snow is crusty then it feels similar to a trail that is just slightly muddy and still grippy. On large snow slopes, you need to be aware of the possible avalanche risk. Snow-covered trails almost always have patches of ice that can be very treacherous. Check out my two articles: Is It Harder To Run On Trails and Are Trail Running Shoes Good For Hiking In Snow.

Best Fit: From my experience trail running shoes that have larger lugs that are well spaced tend to grip better on snow-covered trails.

In Conclusion: Whichever shoes you choose, make sure you try them on before you decide to buy them. At the end of the day, it all comes down to comfort. Run within your comfort zone with the shoes that make you feel most comfortable.

The good news for you is that I have put together the list of what types of shoes I use on different trail surfaces. Take a look at my recommended shoe page here.

Minimalist Shoes – are they suitable for Trail running?

Minimalistic shoes, also known as barefoot shoes, are growing in popularity but is not for everyone.  I, for one, haven’t tried running minimalistic and for a good reason. I have a tendency toward overpronating and I have noticed that barefoot running most certainly tends to aggravate my condition. 

• Form: It all about your form. If you’re not hitting the ground correctly, you’re going to feel the effects through your feet and knees, hence the term, “Runner’s Knee.”  If you feel the pain of a “runner’s knee”, just don’t do it. Barefoot shoes are more suitable for neutral pronators who need less or no arch support.
• Take time: If you’re not used to barefoot I’d suggest taking your time and break yourself into them.  If not, you’ll suffer the consequences.
• Risks of Barefoot Running: Risks of barefoot running include a lack of protection, which may lead to injuries such as puncture wounds, and increased stress on the lower extremities.

Best Fit: Merrell Barefoot Run Trail Glove. They don’t have the toes like the Vibram Five Fingers but still have the Vibram sole.  Lightweight and breathable. Plus, when wet, they’re quick to dry.

In Conclusion: Minimalist shoes are a very personal choice because people’s feet are different. If you are a newbie to trail running and/or newly transitioned to minimalist shoes, is best to start off slow and “break it in” so to speak, before choosing the footwear that will fit you best.

Do it the Killian Jornet Way

If you don’t know who Killian Jornet is, you better catch up quick. Killian Jornet is the Chuck Norris of sky/trail running.  He knows how to kick ass going up and down mountain peaks and slopes in record-breaking times. In short, Kilian Jornet is the most dominating endurance athlete of his generation.  

Killian’s relationship with mountains started young, as in baby young. He practically started scaling mountain peaks when he was still supposed to be on baby formula! Just kidding, but close enough.  

For instance, at the age of three, Killian, accompanied by his father, a mountain guide, climbed Tuc de Molières, a three-thousand peak in the Pyrenees.  By the age of five, he climbed Aneto 3,404 m (11,168 Ft.), the highest mountain in the Pyrenees, and a year later he climbed his first four-thousand-meter peak, the Breithorn (4,164 m (13,661 ft)) on the Switzerland/Italy border.

In recent years Killian has started to develop himself as a speed climber and alpinist and smashing many records. He is also a great mountain skier, Killian is the most complete athlete you can get.

How does he do it?

Watch Killian Jornet going downhill on single track mountain trail here

In Summary:  Running downhill trails is fun, but can be scary. Don’t try to FIGHT it, roll with it. Like when you were a kid.  Keep the focus, but be relaxed, let gravity help you. Follow your instinct, by letting your arms and feet automatically move in ways that comfortably guide you downhill without the fear of falling.  

To get it right, you have to PRACTICE doing it. Start off slow, and gradually build up speed and the grade of the trail.  Make sure you wear the right shoes that suit the type of trail you’re running.

Off you go!

In the comment section below, tell us how you best managed your fear of running downhill trails.