Trail Running with TNB's Ann Gaffigan. The 2004 USATF Steeplechase Champion does the majority of her running on trails. Here's what she says about trail running:
How much do you run on the trails?
I run on limestone trails for outdoor non-track workouts, like mile repeats or tempo runs. This is usually during the phase of training prior to track OR the cross-country phase of training. I also like to run on these trails for my weekly long run, especially if I am putting in a lot of miles and my legs are tired.
Why do you run on the trails?
Our trails have mile markers, which makes it easy to run tempo runs and other workouts on them. Also, they are softer and easier on the legs.
What shoes do you wear when running on trails?
I wear the same shoes as I would on the road unless it is really muddy or there is snow covering the ground. In that case, I wear my NB 871's or 1100's.
Differences between road and trails
The limestone trails are much easier on your bones and joints, since they are softer. They also offer uninterrupted training; no stoplights or traffic! And the miles are marked, which is always convenient.
Favorite place for run in trail
Our MOPAC trail in Lincoln, NE is my favorite trail to run. It is on the other side of town from me, so I haven't gotten sick of it yet
