Preparing the Body - Strength

About 20 years ago I would have decided to start trail running, put on my road shoes, and hit the trails. By myself. With no preparation. No water, and no idea what I was doing. While there is a lot to be said for spontenaity, I am thankfully wise enough now to know better than to apply it here.

Even though I am in fair running condition, intuition tells me that there will be some additional physical challenges on the trail that I should probably prepare for.

1. Core Strength
2. Stretching
3. Ankle Strength
4. Climbing Strength

Core Strength

At the risk of stating the obvious, the trail is a bit "wobblier" than pavement. That means the body is constantly trying to stabilize, making micro adjustments with every step. I remember running on a mulch trail years ago and having a lot of back soreness the next day, so I didn't do that again. I now think that what I had experienced was a weak core, and so a little core exercise is proving hugely beneficial in terms of preparing my body for the demands of the trail. Remember that "core" is more than just "abs". Core exercises train the muscles in your pelvis, lower back, hips, and abdomen to work in harmony for better balance and stability.

Here is one (of a zillion) sites with descriptions of core strengthening exercises.
core exercises

Flexibility

I am terrible about stretching before and after my runs. And I suspect I am not alone in that, as many runners  tend to neglect this part of their workout. But my podiatrist (which is a whole separate post) told me that my tightness is causing foot problems. Remember that your muscles control your skeleton. So in addition to stretching in order to keep your muscles supple, you need to stretch to avoid more serious mechanical issues. You will definitely want to preserve your mechanics for trail running, especially if you plan to start doing longer (e.g. ultra) distances.

I spoke with my podiatrist about yoga vs. pilates for both strengthening and stretching.  He prefers pilates because he feels that some of the advanced yoga poses are harmful, but since I'm a beginner at both, I can't comment.  I say just start doing SOMETHING in the flexibility arena if you currently do nothing.  My routine at the moment is achilles, calf, quad, hamstring, hip flexor, lower back, neck, and shoulder stretches before and after each workout.  Hopefully I'll up my game at some point and become a yoga or pilates regular, but hey.  Baby steps. 

Ankle Strength

Same as above. On the pavement, there is a certain repetitive motion that doesn't have a whole lot of variation. On the trail, however, your ankles are encountering a slightly different angle with virtually every step. They need to be strong in order to be able to safely 'correct' when they land on uneven surface, rock, etc. I feel like my ankles are 'tired' when I am finished with a trail run, a sign that they are still in the process of adapting and strengthening. Here are some things you can do anytime to help make progress. 
Ankle Strengthening Tips

Climbing Strength

As a flatlander, I am (by definition) not accustomed to a lot of hill work. And guess what. Trails go up, and down, and up and up and up, and down. In fact, sometimes it feels like they only go up. So if you are doing preparation workouts for your trail running adventures, then definitely include some hill workouts. Get used to the feeling of sucking wind. Find a body position going uphill that is comfortable. Decide how you will foot-strike going up and going down (see separate post). Practice the skill of 'active recovery' (getting your heart rate back under control while still running). As a flatlander, when I see a hill I think "oh shit" and I go into a state of dread. Basically, doing a lot of climbing will make this mentally and physically a non-issue. A hill will be just a regular part of the landscape and you will be strong enough to take it comfortably in stride.