Trail Running and Lessons for Hiking

One of my purposes in writing this blog is to talk about my outdoor adventures in hopes that readers will learn something from the mistakes that I make. If all I wrote about are my successes, what good would that hold for you and your outdoor education? So, if you're looking for the writings of someone who does everything perfectly, then I'm sure there are other blogs out there for you to follow. If you're looking to read about someone who has a pretty decent background of outdoor experience, but still has some challenges to deal with, you've come to the right place. 

My latest adventure involves a trail run I did in Stehekin with my friend and running partner, Kim. We're both training to do the Cutthroat Classic in August. While we are both avid and strong runners, hikers, and backpackers, trail running is a new endeavor for us.  As the title implies, it involves running (instead of walking) on trails. You need to have good reaction times and flexibility to react to and deal with trail hazards at a much faster pace than hiking. You also need to have the good sense to know when to walk instead of run. You have to learn a whole new way of pacing yourself that's different from hiking and different from running. 

Another thing that's different about trail running is that you can't carry a whole lot of stuff because you can't carry a day pack on your back comfortably while you're running. Most trail runners will bring a small Camelback-type pack mostly for holding water, a few snacks, and maybe a lightweight jacket to put on. Others just carry water bottles in their hands and snacks in their pockets or wear little hip belts that will hold these items. Forget about carrying the Ten Essentials. It means that you have to be willing to take a higher level of risk when on the trail and you have to be smart about planning your route so that you're not tackling too many miles or too difficult terrain for your ability. 

So here's a quick recap of our trail run:  We set off planning to run on the PCT from High Bridge to Bridge Creek campground and back--about 8 miles round trip with not a whole lot of gain or loss. We got to Bridge Creek and wanderlust took over and we decided to do an additional mile up the PCT. It got brushy and boring so we turned around, headed back to Bridge Creek and then decided to take an alternate route down on the old abandoned road which we were told the previous day was still passable if we could bushwack around a washout. The road ended back at the High Bridge trailhead and was not too much longer than the taking the trail. We discovered a few miles down the trail, that part of the old road was impassable due to high water. We had to turnaround and retrace our steps. Our 8 mile trail run turned into 14 miles. 

What I learned on this trip that's applicable to hiking: 

• Tell someone who is responsible where you're going and stick to that plan: It's a good idea to write down trail, destination, and estimated return time and leave it with someone who is knowledgeable enough to do something about it if you don't show up. You can also let them know any possible detours on other trails you might make. Kim and I didn't do that. We told our friends we were running on the PCT, but didn't give a destination or turnaround time. If something bad had happened, it would've been hard to find us. 
• Bring the proper nutrition for your planned mileage and then bring a little extra: One of the Ten Essentials involves carrying extra food and water. Even trail runners need to do this. I only brought enough water and snacks for an 8 mile run. I ended up having to take untreated water from a creek. Not the end of the world, but I was taking a chance on getting a waterbourne illness. Fortunately I also had additional water and food in my backpack which I'd hidden at the High Bridge trailhead 
• If you decide to do extra miles, make sure that you can physically do extra mileage beyond  the planned mileage in case you need to backtrack: As I mentioned, Kim and I are already strong hikers and runners and are able to both hike and run 14 miles. However, if we were only used to doing up to 10 miles, and then discovered that we had to backtrack several miles, we would've been pretty tired doing those additional miles and tired people make stupid mistakes and don't always have the best footing.  
• If you're the adventurous type, own your decisions, and choose your hiking partners carefully: If you like to go out and push the envelope from time to time, make sure that the people you bring along with you are also into doing that. Both Kim and I have a curious nature to us and like to explore new areas. We're both generally positive and are able to handle some adversity without turning cranky towards others. We also take responsibility for our actions and don't look for reasons to blame others when the going gets tough. While neither of us was pleased that we had to backtrack, we talked about what food and water we had to share, and we both remained calm and upbeat. While we were both tired when we got back to the trailhead, we both saw our outing as an adventure and a pretty fun time.  

Hope this gives you some food for thought for your next outdoor adventures. Hope to see you on the trail soon!