r/trailrunning

Squeezed in a super quick session right before heading out to meet some friends, and it completely flipped my evening switch. Arrived feeling wide awake, clear-headed, and honestly just proud of keeping the streak alive.

It’s wild how a short, spontaneous run can do more for your energy than two cups of coffee.

Going to do it again today I think.

How do I find local trails? Is trail running safe? Do I need special shoes or gear? What do I do if I encounter some wildlife? What if I get lost? WHAT IF I HAVE TO POOP IN THE WOODS?

There are no dumb questions in this thread! If you are new to trail running or if you are a veteran who just wants to hear how other trail runners do things, ask away. If you have some ideas that can help your fellow trail runners and future trail runners, pitch in some answers.

No Dumb Question Day will be a regular, biweekly feature on the trailrunning sub.

**Thanks for participating!** Any questions, [please message your helpful mods](https://www.reddit.com/message/compose?to=%2Fr%2Ftrailrunning).

Hey,

I have a question: I had a mole removed on my collarbone that required stitches. The doctor said the stitches would be removed in 14 days and that the wound shouldn’t get too sweaty until then (its bandaged with a sticky thing). When I asked about light running (flat), no one really wanted to give me a clear answer. Instead, they gave me some extra bandages.

Question: Does anyone here have experience with a situation like this? Of course, I generally follow medical advice, but they were so vague—saying something like, “Maybe don’t let it get too sweaty”—so it’s still pretty unclear.

Thanks in advance!

NB: I am preparing for a 24hrs race.

I’m keen to discuss this documentary with others because while the premise is very intriguing and the production value is high, I was deeply disappointed in the characters and the energy they brought to this film.

The tone of the movie is deeply self serious. Goofy? No. These are image-forward men who very likely listen to a ton of Joe Rogan, working through their strict daddy issues through drugs, running and punching each other in the face. They run, not for joy or community or connection to nature, but for ego and pain. There are many different people in this world who run ultras and they all run for different reasons, but personally I found these men’s attitudes and motives to be quite bleak.

Ultra running is absurd in the best way. Watch just about any documentary about the Barkley marathon and you’ll see people celebrating in the grueling absurdity. Many physical pursuits in the great outdoors are like this. Climbers might be aware of Sean Villanueva O'Driscoll, the merry alpinist with a merry little flute who often suffers with a smile in hard alpine terrain not for ego inflation but for ego death. Sadly this can’t be said for Dante and his crew who very much rely on their egos to keep them moving.

This movie is not a celebration of running absurd distances with absurd tactics. It’s about serious men doing serious things to address serious problems. I finished, not with excitement to run, but with a sadness for these men.

I grew up in the Peak District, UK, and spent a lot of time outdoors as a child, especially hiking with my family. I started fell-running as a young adult, and gradually moved to longer, more technical races. In 2019, I won the 268-mile Montane Spine race outright, breaking the overall course by over 12 hours. In 2024, on my third attempt, I became the first woman to complete the Barkley Marathons, reaching the gate with just 99 seconds to spare of the 60 hour time limit.

Aside from running, I am a mum to three children (8 years, 6 years, and 11 months) and a specialist veterinarian, working at the University of Edinburgh Small Animal Hospital. In 2022 I co-founded the Green Runners, a community-led group founded to inspire and inform runners to make more sustainable choices for the planet.

So Reddit, ask me anything about running, racing, balancing work and motherhood with training, activism, or anything else you are interested in!

https://preview.redd.it/scdzekcrc0kh1.jpg?width=1536&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=a5ee515c670bc548cf094fd8bf12433b2f0382d3

I’ve been running for just under two years. So far, I’ve run around 5,500 km and accumulated about 200,000 m of elevation gain. During the periods when I’m not racing (around six months of the year), I’ve added one strength session at home using dumbbells and resistance bands, mainly to improve my overall strength slightly and prevent injuries. So far, this has worked very well, as I’ve never had an injury.

After my last race in September, I’d like to start going to the gym twice a week for a couple of months and try to improve my strength and durability.

I only run ultras, ranging from 50 km to 120 km. Does it make sense to include two gym sessions per week focused exclusively on lower-body strength and core as part of my training program? Or would it be better to continue with the exercises I’ve been doing at home, since they seem to be working well?

The exercises I usually did at home were glute bridges, Bulgarian split squats, lunges, step-ups,planks, and crab walks and rdl

How do I start trail running without rolling my ankles every mile. I used to run xc in high school where we would trail running every week but I had to stop doing that because I would sprain my ankles fairly often. Do you guys have any advice on how to strengthen my ankles?