Getting Into TRAIL RUNNING | Expert Tips With Emma Pooley 

Where is your favourite running trail? Share your experiences in the comments below, and help other runners find the most beautiful places to run!

I love Emma Pooley so much!!! Happy to see her again since she left GCN 😭😭

Emma is such a star, how she stood up to the dirty goings on at British Cycling is something rarely credited to a professional sports person. A rare sports person with honour and credibility.

There's an interesting theory that we love panoramic views because for evolutionary reasons if you can see all around you, you know there are no predators that are going to come for you and so it has a calming effect

That should be a T-shirt..”Pace yourself and leave your ego at home” Love it 😊

Took a couple of seconds to get use to seeing Emma off the bike, but totally worth it. She's such a natural presenter! I went in Feb' 2020 on a holiday to Martin, Slovakia. The people at the tourist info centre showed me their favourite hiking trails and I went trail running for the first time in my life. It is so much fun, absolutely loved it!

I just watched about 6 "trail running for beginners" type of videos. This is the first video that had a strong coverage of health and safety (i.e., went beyond "take it easy on the downhill"). Very nicely done!

Another thing to consider in your pack- first aid (bandaids, compression bandages for snake bites and a space blanket).

So good to see Emma again! Such an inspiration for combining high level sport & professional/academics. Gives hope to us weekend warriors! :-)

i used to trail run with my dad when i was in middle school, and i have no idea why i stopped! i am 16 now and getting back to it. this video helped so much thank you

I live in California and there are plenty of nice trails around my area , I’ve gotten into trail running this year and I’m absolutely loving it , since 4 of my running races this year have been trails it’s been fun , relaxing ruining out in nature 👍🏻

Great work bringing Emma, she's an absolute legend!

Wow Emma Pooley. "Liked" before I watched the video.

I fell in love with trail running in France. Running trails is a total different ball game comparable to going from road cycling to Mountainbiking in the woods(trails).

Great video! I’ve been looking into getting started with trail running as I want to run a 50-miler next summer so this was perfect timing for my growing curiosity.

Another great video guys! I love running trails in the dark with a head torch. It's a whole new game! The advice on trail shoes is so important especially when it's wet.

Great video - I am looking at getting into trail from road so this was such a good video - Emma you are a legend.

There are lots of beautiful trails around Forres and Elgin in Scotland. Lovely part of the country for a holiday and great for spotting red squirrels too.

I like that if you start low to high, when you get to your halfway point, youve done 3/4 of the work, you tend to come back finishing strong, relative to just running a route in a city

One of the best video's yet on this channel - thanks !

I occasionally run on trails around Atlanta. But I'm a weirdo - being out in the country is nice, but I get really relaxed, inspired, and lifted up by the energy of running in a big city. Skyscrapers and subway trains make me happy.

Emma thanks for doing this.

Great to see Emma again 😊

This has been very interesting, as I am trying our trail running for the first time this year. Thanks for the video!

Thank you for this incredibly helpful video! Planning to start some easier trail runs here in Belgium, so for summer 2023 I am ready for some Swiss trail running!

Started running trails since 2021 and its amazing. Entered my first Fell race last month and was incredible. I am very lucky to have the Carneddau behind me house.....Snowdonia National Park! Great video

Emma!!! Miss seeing her on my screen. Thanks for bringing us some views from Switzerland!

Emma and Andy were brilliant in this, what a great video!

Love trail running! Doesn’t have to be in spectacular mountains, just anywhere that isn’t a concrete or tarmac path. Luckily there are lots of options near where I live here north of Auckland, NZ - pick any one of our regional parks and there are trails galore to choose from. Great video as always from The Running Channel team!

I am originally from the Alps (Northern Italy) so I always enjoy loads of trail runs when I go back home. Trail running is AMAZING and I would recommend it to everybody. Stunning views, don't bother about the pace, fresh and clean air. Love it!

Great video! I've just started getting into trail running and you make it seem even more accessible. It was fun to see you both run, especially Emma on the downhill parts because those freak me out and now I know it's not silly to hold my arms out. :D Cheers!

Thanks for this. I love being in the out doors and running so doing both at the same time what’s not to like. I have just signed up to my first marathon, which is in the Brecon Beacon. Not to June 2020 so time to train.

Well presented & my sentiments exactly guys 🤟🏼🥰

i adore Emma

Delightful! Thanks for this

Amazing video. I never thought about having my arms out wider when running downhill on trail course. I have ran some lovely Reservoirs down in Somerset/Dorset area. Am planning on doing a race in the quantocks this month to. I’d say I’ve ran more trail races this year than road and there is something that just gives you that extra enjoyment, in completing a challenging, scenic trail race

I run in the lovely Hainault forest away from all the traffic, fresh oxygen delivered to my lungs. What’s not to love. All year round it changes so much. Although I haven’t been there for a while (too many races lol)

Very helpful thank you.

I always prefer trails over city runs. And as Emma I am lucky to live in Switzerland.

Great video thank you the run experience, those mountain trails have such beautiful views! I’m in the Midwest US Michigan and my favorite trails are on the NCT (north country trail) especially along the cliffs of pictured rocks and along side Tahquamenon falls. Also fall brings brilliant colors to the trees around here.

Awesome tips. Thank you.

Thanks for good little video. I am a hiker who is just getting started with trail running. I don’t like road running at all. Inspiring guys

Went for my first proper trail run about 2 hours after watching this vid today. 11km in the end. Had a few of the tips echoing in my head during it. 👍🏃‍♂️

I love trail running, thanks for the great video :-)

Good video!!

My favourite trails are cruisie pine packed forest trails on rolling terrain. The smell of the pine on a damp morning with the sun peaking through the tree canopy is amazing - invigorating. (Sometimes even allows you to forgot the hard slog parts!!)

another fantastic video...i have just bought my first trail running shoes - cant wait to start exploring! 😁 Keep up the good work guys&girls 👍🏃‍♂️

Awesome video.

Beautiful video! Thx guys:))

I just got into trail running after buying a pair of Inov-8 Arctic Claw shoes.... thankfully we have a local trail running club that goes out for 1hr run each week with experienced guides to help pace and keep us on the correct track.

Awesome. I've been doing a bit of road running to complement cycling. Might start trail running as there's a forest that's just 20 mins jog from home.

Recently stumbled across some lovely trails very close to my house (just outside of Madrid). It's not quite as scenic as the Swiss Alps but still lovely. A good mix of fields and a bit of forrest. Definitely going to be running there more often. Time to invest in some trail shoes - I'm sure my wife will be delighted at the idea buying yet another pair!!

Great timing, i'm about to compete in my first half marathon next week and then want to start exploring trail running. Thanks for the motivation.

Excellent vid!

One thing everyone needs to carry is a firesteel and striker. That way, if you get lost you can light a fire and stay warm + the smoke will make it easier for rescuers to find you. You will need to be able to make some sort of shelter. Wind, rain and snow kills people...

Another tip for finding good running trails, especially around flatlands and cities, is to look for trail *races* in your area and download the GPX file. That's how I discovered a great wooded area 20 min by car from my flat, a 20K loop with cumulative elevation gain/loss of 500 m. It's great, I'm training to effectively use running poles, and I'm soon heading for some easy runs in the mountains to check out how well I can do over there. I've learned to not use the poles at the beginning, as I tend to run too hard, but at the end it's a great help.

What a beautiful place to be, and not a dog in sight! 😉😅

I love running in the Coombabah wetlands on the Gold Coast Australia. Lots of tracks with varying woodland vegetation. Have to pause to see the Koalas but lots of Roos in the afternoon.

Ah, Die Waldeinsamkeit.(ok I had to look it up)... what a great word to have in German.

Great tips, thanks!

Waldeinsamkeit 👍🏻👍🏻

Great vid.:)

I’m lucky to walk out of my front door and I got trails on my doorstep also the tracks are maintained as the windmill company’s still use them now and again

Very lucky to have the Lake District on my doorstep. Would. Definitely recommend getting out there to sample some of the routes!

Richmond Park is near me and that has some cracking trails to run on and great scenery. Bushy Park, in the opposite direction, is flatter but still good for some off-road action.

Last time I went running on the trails, I badly sprained my ankle. A year and a half later, my ankle pain flares up from time to time and it's put me off trails now!

On the other side of the pond I have the joy of living in Daniel Boone National Forest in southern Kentucky. Within the forest is Cumberland Falls state park, which is pretty much in my backyard. The trails are really technical for running as a beginner but great for hiking if you're new. Once you're more comfortable the trails are runnable just be prepared for a lot of steps, both wooden and rock. The park hosts the Moonbow Ultra (10k, 30k, 50k) every year, it was actually just last weekend. A main feature of the race, park, and trail network is the Moonbow Trail, which is a piece of the Sheltowee Trace Trail, a ~325 mile trail that runs through Kentucky and Tennessee. There's a group that schedules trips every year to become an "end to ender", it's on my bucket list. If you were to travel to the states you should avoid 95% of the cities you've heard of. I could go on for hours why you should instead come a small town in Kentucky. I can set you up in a town that has a nice hotel within walking distance of a Walmart, several fast food options, a public track and walking path. It's a very comfortable town to visit, yet you're still within an hour drive of 5-6 different state parks that have amazing views, amenities, and trails for days. There's even a water park within a 10 min walk from your hotel, or bring your tent and you can just camp at the water park or any one of the state parks. Just give me a yell when you're around. 👍

Thanks Emma and Andy, this video was very helpful. Trail running is another type of run I have on my list to do. The one here in South Australia I want to run is Mount Lofty summit (there are others but Lofty is the one I want to conquer). I've walked it plenty of times (roughly an hour up, 45 mins down), but haven't been back there since I started running a year ago, can't wait to put these tips to use and give it a go running. Cheers.

Great advice. I myself on my long trail runs I carry a 💩 kit in my race vest ( bog roll , hand sanitizer cream all in a waterproof bag ) and at the bottom of my race vest

Bracknell Forest for me, but I also recently did a really nice (30 mile) run through the Laurentians in Quebec, Canada

*Dr.* Pooley

damn that's a beautiful place to go running!

As well as the London LOOP, there's also the Capital Ring. The Capital Ring is about 80km and hovers roughly around TFL zone 2/3, the LOOP is about 150km and more around the green belt/m25. Both do their best to go through as many green spaces as possible, have clear signage showing you which way to go, and there are some real hidden gems on both routes, often only known to locals!

trails, every time - Tollymore forest in NI is my favourite. Undulating, with occasional steep hills. Great fun, especially as a guided (blind) runner.

I run on Dartmoor. Love it!

My local parkrun is also a Trail run! Llyn Llech Owain, Carmarthenshire. Wales 😊

I'd second that head torch comment. I got caught out recently without one - pitch black, on the canal tow path with eroded edges and roots practicality clawing at my feet. How I avoided an unintended bath I don't know!

Switched to trail running from marathon running. I've been hiking in the mountains since I was 10, so one of my favourite places to run now is over the mountains of north Wales, which is only a 2.5 hour drive for me, so its relatively easy to get up there for a Saturday or Sunday.

I use the ordnance survey app which shows loads of cross country routes to take and has live GPS so you can check where you're at if you take your phone out with you. In East Sussex, the 1066 walks are fantastic, miles and miles of countryside from Pevensey to Rye, and can be split up into small sections!

i live in switzerland right next to a nice forest with different trails... it is almost easier here to go on trail running than road running

There are some nice trails nearby, but I’m not much of a trail runner really. At least when I think trails I think like mountain bike singletrack trails, there are a few gravel path type trails that I run on occasionally. Most of the time I do singletrack trail running at a race every so often. But I definitely recommend trail shoes for any kind of technical trail, last year at a race on Thanksgiving day weekend I stubbed my toe real hard on a rock and if I had not had trail shoes on I might’ve broken it. Oh, and I got the 41st place post 😀.... I would like to thank the Academy for this award 🥇😎🤓🥳.

Ah! My speciality!!!

I live near the town of Rotterdam, i can use some tips of trail-routes. B.t.w. loved Your video

AllTrails is a great app

Did seven hills in East Yorkshire on Sunday and aching now. But I think I have got the trail bug. Thanks for the tips.

I recently got given some brooks running shoes from a family member but the wrong brooks I wanted so told member of the family it ok I dont mind doing trail running the problem now I have is I dont know many trail run in my area so watching this has helped just need to find where the trails are

Great video as always, coincidentally I'll be running my first Trail this weekend and have subscribed to the OS Maps app for extra peace of mind. Keep up the good work guys 👍

"I sometimes worry I won't go anywhere at all" - ah, Emma, never change

I am doing a lot more trail running (lots of great trails outside NYC). The trails are hilly, rocky and rooty in the Eastern US. While I enjoy it, I fall hard more than I like - and it doesn't seem to matter whether I'm going up, down or flat. The other day I hit my hip hard and almost broke a wrist (no harm in the end). You mention a few things around 5:30, such as shorter stride, arms out further, etc.. Which of these or other tweaks (beside walking in the tougher sections) do you recommend to help minimize falls?

Funny you should mention golf courses, and head torches... I live near a big park neighbouring a golf course, and there are some rights of way across the golf course but no accompanying paths. Not a problem in the daytime, but at night with a head torch you can only see so far and with no path to follow I lost my bearings slightly!

I think just send!!

I've only ever done trail running, but I found this video because I'm trying to make a form correction that feels dangerous on the trails: Keeping my head higher and gaze ahead. Emma mentioned this - to keep your gaze about 5 meters in front of you - but I'm nervous about this. I don't want to trip on a hidden root or something that I could have seen if my head had been down. Anyone else have experience with this? I'm very scared of falling and getting injured. Still found this video super helpful, thank you!

trail running shoes are "a feat of engineering"... pun apparently not intended, but brilliant. 3:00

✈️ after GNR 😉 I have the woods and North Yorkshire moors on my doorstep. Some amazing views 👈 posted up some videos. Also carry a thermal blanket maybe a First Aid ⛑ kit. Salomon Speedcross 4 GTX great trail shoes so far, even in winter in all the snow. Winter is coming

I'm lucky enough to live 1/2mile from The Clay Trails in Cornwall which are brilliant for all levels of Trail Running! (I'm only a 4mile run through these trails from the 5th fastest parkrun the Eden Project) Also ran the Southwest Coastpath a few times which is also a short distance from my front door 😎👊🏻👍🏻

Wanting to buy my first trail shoes soon. I go for a stability shoe for road running due to pronation - I've read I don't need to worry so much about this for trail shoes? Is that correct?

Shorten your stride, that’s great information. I thought it would be for better balance but if you have wider strides and trip on a rock, root or any obstacle if you trip you may not fall or the fall would be less serious

Trail running is more dangerous, much more straining and more natural, but we in the city lost the ability to run through the obstacles like we used to run. We lost the shape of our feet due to shoes and evolution (adaptation) too.

Trail Running in Wyoming mountains is definitely beautiful fun ....but I think I need a helmet ⛑😂 , every time I look up at a pretty view or something I trip on a rock or root. 😜

For a minute I thought I'd strayed onto Claire Maxted's channel!