The Trail Running Scientist

Gifts for trail runners

I thought I’d make a list of gift ideas for trail runners, partly for myself and partly as a resource for others.  Often when people ask me what I want for birthdays or Christmas, I can’t think of anything.  Trail running doesn’t require a lot of equipment, and usually, the things I need, I’ve already got.  Maybe with a few prompts, next time I might be able to think of something.

Around $20

What is technical trail running?

Technical trail running is characterised by the terrain being quite difficult to traverse.  This may include obstacles such as rocks, loose surfaces, roots, mud, water, steep climbs and steep descents.  Some technical sections may also require the use of the upper body in order to negotiate.  Technical trail running is usually significantly slower than running on smooth surfaces, and there is a…

Can I wear my trail running shoes in the gym?

If you’re going to the gym to bust out some kilometres on the treadmill or do some weights, trail running shoes will work just fine.  If, on the other hand, you’re planning to do an aerobics class, trail running shoes will work, but they might not give you the most enjoyable experience.

Trail running shoes usually have a lot more grip than standard running shoes or cross trainers.  They’re…

Trail running on real food: the ultimate list

On long runs, you will need to consume food on the go.  What to eat and how much to eat will be different for each runner and will depend on multiple factors.  This article serves as a rough guide, but each runner will need to experiment to work out what works best for them.

Eating while running

When you run, your body consumes stored carbohydrates as well as some fat.  The ratio of…

Things I wish I knew when I started trail running

This is my list of tips for beginner trail runners.  There’s no shortage of beginner tips out there already, so this is my unique perspective on it.  It’s not long ago I was a beginner myself, and I think some of these tips would have been useful to put things in perspective.

Keep it simple

You don’t need any special gear to get started. Standard running shoes will do just fine.  There’s no…

Like any specialised field, trail running and ultrarunning are full of strange terms that are quite perplexing to the beginner.  Some of them are even perplexing to the experienced trail runner.  Here is a collection of some of the jargon I’ve come across in my travels with the trail running community.

Aid station(also drink station): A table or shelter positioned along a race course, and…

Strength training program for trail runners

Strength training is a critically important part of a trail runner’s program, but one that’s overlooked far too often.  Runners want to spend their spare time running.  They don’t want to waste it beefing up in the gym.  Trail runners, especially, want to spend their time outdoors, enjoying nature.  Would you rather be stuck in a gym doing repetitive weights, or out on a trail enjoying the…

Why do my eyes water when I run?

Having your eyes water when you run can be annoying. There are a few reasons why your eyes might be watering, and a few solutions to the problem.

Essentially, it boils down to excessive tear production or poor tear draining.  But if it only starts being a problem when you run, then excessive tear production is probably the cause.  But what’s causing your eyes to go a little overboard with the…

Trail running for weight loss

Running can be a great exercise for weight loss, but to maximise its effectiveness, you need to incorporate some high-intensity interval training (HIIT).  This elevates the heart rate for relatively short bursts with rest periods in between.  The great news for trail runners is that running on hills provides the perfect conditions for building interval training into your daily runs.

Running on…

How to tell the age of a galah

Unfortunately, it can be very difficult to determine the age of a galah with great accuracy.  However, it is possible to work out if it is young, adult, or old-aged with a few simple tricks.  These tricks generally depend on comparisons with galahs of known ages, so it may take some experience before you can confidently approximate the age of a galah.

Captive galahs can live for up to about 80…

Altra Escalante review after 2000km

I’ve been running in a pair of Altra Escalante 1.0 shoes for the past year.  These are my primary shoes for non-trail running.  They’ve done nearly 2000km and to be honest, they still feel pretty good.  I don’t feel an urgent need to replace them just yet.  There’s a bit of wear on the out-sole, in fact, there’s not a huge amount of grip left at all, but the upper is still in great condition and…

I’ve moved to  a new blog: Flamin’ Galah – http://galah.it

Please come and check it out.

Many thanks.

Hill training for a faster half marathon

The half marathon is run at a pace just below the lactate threshold. It requires more restraint than a 10K but more aggressiveness than a trail ultramarathon. It’s a delicate balance that needs to be practised in training to prepare both mind and body.

Hill training is so important when training for any race distance.  If your race route is fairly flat then using hills in your training will…

How to make more time for running

When training for a long distance running event (anything over half marathon distance), you’ll quickly discover that it can be a very time consuming hobby. Especially if you get into trail ultramarathons, you’ll find that a good portion of most weekends can be consumed by running about your nearby hills. Here I’ll share my tips for maximising your training time and making sure you have a little…

How to make more time for running

When training for a long distance running event (anything over half marathon distance), you’ll quickly discover that it can be a very time consuming hobby.  Especially if you get into trail ultramarathons, you’ll find that a good portion of most weekends can be consumed by running about your nearby hills.   Here I’ll share my tips for maximising your training time and making sure you have a…

Hill training for a faster half marathon

The half marathon is run at a pace just below the lactate threshold. It requires more restraint than a 10K but more aggressiveness than a trail ultramarathon. It’s a delicate balance that needs to be practised in training to prepare both mind and body.

Hill training is so important when training for any race distance.  If your race route is fairly flat then using hills in your training will make…