Summer Mountain Running

It’s mid-summer, and perhaps your running is on the back-burner as the lazy days of summer settle in. While you are basking in the sun with your feet up and soda in hand, others are puking a lung on the trails. “Whaat?” you say…Cross country doesn’t start for weeks! This is true, but mountain running is in full swing.

Mountain running? Whaat?! It’s like taking cross-country and feeding it a Red Bull. It’s cross-country…jacked up a bit. Mountain running is often on single track trail, same as cross-country, but with mountain running you are guaranteed to be running uphill for at least a good portion of the race. Mountain running is occasionally on pavement, but again, you will be running up hill. It is not for the faint at heart…literally, because mountain running takes place….you guessed it, in the mountains, where you are often running at higher elevations where the air is thinner.

The USA trail championships were held just a couple of weeks ago in Steamboat Colorado. The base of steamboat is at 6,728 feet while the summit is at 10,568 feet…which is pretty high; not your average cross-country race, unless of course you live in the Rocky Mountains.

We recently caught up with Nancy Hobbs, Executive Director of the American Trail Running Association and Manager of the Teva US Mountain Running Team. She was attracted to the sport of mountain running for several reasons. First, it’s a challenge, and along with that comes a sense of accomplishment. The terrain varies greatly (it’s a far cry from running around a track!), the courses often take you to places where there may not be any road access, giving you the privilege of seeing some great vistas.

While your cross country season is just heating up this fall, Nancy’s Teva US Mountain Running Team will “peak” this September in Switzerland at the World Mountain Running Trophy Race. Each year the course alternates so that one year it includes both up and downhill, and the next…just uphill. This year happens to be an uphill year, so the team will tailor their training regiment to include lots of hill running. If you are reading this and thinking “Where do I sign up?”; you’re in luck, sort of. The Teva US Mountain Running Team does include a junior squad, but the selection process is well underway. If you are interested, check out
http://www.usmrt.com/news/team_selection_criteria_08.pdf

Mountain running injuries are expected to be similar to other running injuries. In addition to the usual culprits of IT Band Syndrome, Achilles tendonitis, Plantar Fascitis, Runner’s Knee, we are also concerned with the general consequences of being at high altitude.

So either get back to your soda and sunshine, or get out there and run. If you like what you’ve read about mountain running, stay tuned. In the next several weeks we’ll have brief updates on mountain running and the Teva US team, common injuries in mountain running, and how to prepare for mountain running. You can also check out the following websites: www.usmrt.com , www.trailrunner.com .