#43 - 5 Benefits of Trail Running for Older Runners

5 Benefits of Trail Running for Older Runners

In episode 43 of the Forever Runner Podcast, host Herb Reeves urges older runners to try trail running and shares how a post–heart attack phone call to race director John Pearch led to 20+ years of trail and ultra running, including community leadership. He explains that road running can create repetitive movement patterns that neglect stabilizing muscles, increasing injury risk, and then outlines five benefits of trail running: varied terrain that builds balance and neuromuscular coordination; a slower pace with natural walk breaks that reduces joint stress and allows longer outings; hills that develop strength and stamina and can improve road performance; inspiring scenery that shifts focus from PRs to experiences; and supportive trail buddies and community, which he links to longevity. He invites listeners to comment and join the free Forever Running Club.

00:00 Trail Running Benefits Intro
00:22 Heart Attack to Trails
02:54 Road Running Limitations
04:45 Five Reasons Overview
05:00 Benefit 1 Varied Terrain
05:57 Benefit 2 Walk Breaks
06:51 Benefit 3 Hills Strength
07:37 Benefit 4 Scenic Views
08:23 Benefit 5 Trail Community
09:13 Start Now Closing

P.S. If you are passionate about running, and you don't want to lose that passion, then joining the free Forever Running Club is the right move. Click this link to join: https://www.skool.com/forever-running-club/about.

Runners over 50: Pain free running without injury with slow running!

Transcript

SPEAKER_00 0:00

Hey runners! Have you ever tried trail running? Today I want to talk about the five benefits why, as an older runner, you should give it a try. Welcome to episode 43 of the Forever Runner Podcast. I'm your host, Herb Reeves. Let's make your running smarter so you live longer. So, trail running is near and dear to my heart. Basically, I got into it 20 years ago after I had my first heart attack, and I was looking through our local newspaper, and there was this article about this crazy trail race in a blizzard in the Black Hills up just behind my house. For one reason, I was just kind of mesmerized by the story. I read through it, and at the end, it gave the race director's name and his phone number. And I went and did something I would never ever do is I picked up the phone and I gave him a call. And that's what really started 20 years of a wonderful career of trail running and ultra racing. So what happened was I called John Peirch, who was the race director from Capital Peak Ultras. And if you're in the Pacific Northwest, you know who I'm talking about. And he invited me to show up for a Thursday night run at a local park. Um so I did, it was at nighttime. And so I here I show up, and there's John, and the other person was James Varner, another well-known Pacific Northwest runner. And I and at the time they were a couple of the only sponsored trail runners on the whole West Coast. And here there was me, this you know, fresh off a heart attack survivor standing there going for a run with them. And I I don't know who was more shocked, them or me. But anyway, we went for a run, and that just it just blew my mind uh that after you know 20 years of roadrunning and doing marathons, I just didn't know anything about trail running. And just that one run started me on this more than 20-year career now of enjoying trail running in the trail running community. So, me as a roadrunner, there's one thing that you don't really think about. And when you're only running on pavement, every stride is almost identical. You know, the same muscles, the same movement, the same flat surface over and over again. So, what about all those supporting muscles that handle uneven terrain? They just quietly weaken from lack of use. And after joining the trail running group, I saw it every time a new roadrun would join us on the trails for the first time. They would struggle to find their footing, they'd be extra tired during the run, and they'd be sore for days afterwards. Because what I found is roadrunning alone just turns you into a one-trick pony. And especially for us older runners, that's not just a performance problem, that's an injury waiting to happen. So you could say that first Thursday night trail run cracked open a door I didn't even know existed. I I was so excited because even after having a heart attack, I could adventure into the mountains of the Pacific Northwest and discover what my body was still capable of. And to me, anything was possible. So over the next decade, I became an ultra runner, a sponsored age grouper, a race director, and eventually president of our nonprofit trail running club. And all that came from that one phone call and that one cold night trail run on a dark trail. And what I'm trying to say is the same door is open for you. And let me give you five reasons why starting trail running, even as an older runner, is a great thing to do. So, number one, varied terrain. As I was talking before, trail running wakes up muscles that road running completely ignores. All those small stabilizing muscles in your ankles, hips, and legs that keep you upright on uneven ground. For us older runners, that matters more than we realize because we slowly lose our balance if we don't specifically train it. But here's the best thing: you're not doing boring balance drills. You're just having fun running. And after a few months on the trails, you'll find yourself bombing downhill, effortlessly stepping over rocks and roots, your feet finding the right spot before your eyes do. That's what your neuromuscular system firing on all cylinders does for you when you've got your balance. Benefit number two is slow pace and walk breaks. There's something that trail running quietly fixes that road running never will, and that's the stigma of the walk break. On roads, slowing to a walk makes you feel like a failure. On trails, it's just smart running. The hills demand it, the terrain earns it, and nobody thinks twice about it. That natural rhythm of running and walking is easier on our aging joints, and it means you can stay out there longer. Runners who struggle to get past an hour on roads routinely discover they can handle two or three hours on trails and actually enjoy it. So, benefit number three are hills. Hills make you strong, and trails have plenty of them. Every climb, whether you run it or power hike it, is building leg strength and stamina that flat road running simply just can't replicate. And there's something about cresting a tough hill, you know, with your lungs on fire and your legs pumping that kind of rewires your engine. We have a local eight-mile trail run with about a thousand feet of climb. I ran it like six weeks in a row and watched my road marathon time drop. Your legs just won't know what hit them, but in the best possible way. So benefit number four, scenery. You know, one of my favorite gifts of trail running is where it takes you. I once ran 15 miles up at Mount St. Helens. You know, I crested this ridge and stood overlooking Spirit Lake. One of the most breathtaking views in the Pacific Northwest. Then I turned around, ran back, and I was home for dinner. Now you might think your best running days are behind you, but out on the trails, you stop chasing PRs and you start chasing views. And in my mind, that's a much better trade. So the last one, number five, trail buddies. What surprised me the most about trail running wasn't necessarily the scenery or the hills, it was the people. Something about shared suffering on a long climb or laughing together when someone takes a tumble in the mud creates bonds that you just don't find on a solo roadrun. I got so hooked on the community that I started volunteering, then directing races, and then being president of our local nonprofit trail running club. Now I've written before about how community is one of the strongest predictors of longevity, and I believe it. And trail running doesn't just give you running partners, it gives you your people. So if you've stayed away from trail running because you're afraid of tripping or getting injured, that's exactly why you should start. The balance and strength you build on trails is precisely what will keep you running into your 80s. It's never too late to become a more rounded, stronger runner. So go find a local trail, even a simple one, and give it a try. You might show up one Thursday night not knowing anyone and walk away with a whole new running life. If you have tried trail running, I'd love to hear about your experience or what's been holding you back. Just drop a comment and let me know. And also, I would like to invite you to run smarter and longer with older runners just like you in our free forever running club. So you'll see the link down in the description. Just click that and join us today. See you next week.