Hitting Trails Instead of Treadmills
Writing and Photography by Luke Hyce
Whether you’re half gazelle, an iron pumper doing some obligatory cardio or a professional Netflixer, rolling out of bed at 11:00 a.m. after watching half of a Nike advertisement that a concerned friend shared to your Facebook wall, most make it to the line of hamster wheels at our gym. Most of us dread it from the moment we hit GO — only hoping we can drown out the thundering pummel of our feet with incessant combinations of heavy bass, unbroken instrumental melodies and half-intelligible lyrical rubbish — to the second our limp bodies pull the emergency stop magnet.
The treadmill was originally used in 1779 as a way to put English prisoners to work while they served time. It was later outlawed and deemed cruel and unusual punishment. We subject ourselves to a torture method every time we climb on. There’s a better way, and it’s hitting the trails.
You’re probably wondering how braving the elements, working harsh inclines and leaving the plushness of central air sounds like a good idea. It’s not convenient. It might take actual coordination and determination. It will likely make you feel like you’ve entered that circle of exercise hell between cough-up-a-lung and hit-by-a-bus. Even so, trail running has some serious benefits.
First, running on a mixed bag of inclines, declines and corners reduces your risk of getting repetitive strain injuries (RSI). The uneven terrain breaks up the repetitiveness that can lead to shin splints, tendon tears and knee soreness. The alternative to preventing RSI is rotating shoe types. Needless to say a quick drive to a trailhead seems a bit more affordable than buying several pairs of running kicks.
Next, the glorious calorie takes a hit. The softer footing, fluctuating slope and the core strength required to make banking turns gives you the most calorie cutting per step — increasing the burn by 10 percent according to Health.com. That’s a load off your back (we’re talking back boobs here) or a chance to justify that Snickers you’ve been eyeing.
Obviously, with steeper slopes, less forgiving terrain and the potential for some head wind, you’re going to get a lot stronger. Leg day will never look more like cardio anywhere else.
Finally, you’re in actual, palpable nature. Many studies have proven the mental and physical benefits of experiencing nature first-hand. Also, running on a non-stationary platform rips you from your hand-held devices. Believe it or not, reading tweets while barreling down a rocky trail is extremely difficult. This will give you time to think, take a step back from the world and really organize yourself after being asked to write 12 different essays, analyze three scientific reports and successfully breed partridges in a pear tree.
We’re lucky in Fort Collins. Large expanses of national forests and state parks are right in our backyard — each offering ample trail systems. Horsetooth Mountain Open Space has 29 miles of trail on its own. Running is a great way to keep your heart healthy, build bone density and release pent-up vigor. Ultimately, you’ll live longer and have more time to enjoy everything else you do in life.
