What is trail running!

Some people say that the marathon is the starting point for runners, and trail running is the home of runners.

The cross country king Kilian Jornet described trail running: Synchronize with nature in running, and communicate with nature through my footsteps. I will not leave a trace on the earth, and I will run as silently as possible, as if I were floating above the road, and the earth could hardly feel my touch. Allow your body to adapt to the earth, make small steps or strides on the slopes, and run down the slope as if it is a brisk dance between the body and the earth. ”

Kilian's girlfriend, "The Queen of Smiles" Emelie Forsberg, said that as a child, nature is my playground. I like to explore the mountains and enjoy the feeling of freedom. I am a cross country runner in the summer and a ski mountaineer in the winter, but most of the time I am a mountain guardian. Running for me is just a happy time for adventure.

Indeed, cross-country running is very different from road running, the technology used, the landscape that can be enjoyed.

What is trail running?

Cross-country running refers to competitions (mountains, deserts, forests, hills, etc.) that are held in the natural environment, and avoids pedestrian roads or asphalt roads as much as possible (the proportion should not exceed 20%).

As a branch of running, cross-country race seems to have gradually been more and more people's preference. The reason for this is that cross-country racers have relatively loose requirements for pace, and they can use different running strategies with changes in terrain. Compared to roads that run at a steady pace, cross-country runners feel less pressure. Many; Second, to run in the natural environment, enjoy the mountains and the fresh air, in the changing road conditions feel the body's agility, feeling and harvest more abundant. In addition, the "battlefield" of cross-country runners can also spread from rugged mountain roads, woods and stone slopes to snow-capped mountains, grasslands, the Gobi or the sea.

Cross-country races generally have two indicators, Technical Terrain and Elevation Change. At present, the vast majority of race tracks tend to Elevation Change. Cross-country race is not only about kilometers and meters, but also about the technical skills and experience of sports, may need some climbing skills, need extra equipment to protect themselves, but also need their own certain knowledge and skills, such as know how to use hands and feet through rocks and snow Terrain, how to identify trails, especially what to do when waiting for rescue in bad weather conditions...

Judging from the format of the competition, there are mainly three types of trail running events:

One is often referred to as Trail Running. It mainly runs on trails and usually passes through the mountains. The undulations range from 10 to more than 100 kilometers. A clear race route will be provided. Punch points and restocking stations will be set up on the way. Players will be required to complete the designated closing time.

One is Cross Country Running. The rules are stricter than Trail Running. The track is short, usually 4 to 12 kilometers. It is set on natural paths, including grass, mud roads, forests or gravel roads. Generally, the undulations are not too large. . In individual and group groups, the number of points is used as a measure. In 2015 Disney produced a movie "McFarland / McFarland", according to the real story, described in 1987 in California, USA, a Mexican-American high school student seven McFarlane high school to participate in cross country running Trail running race and won the story of the California champion. This movie is a good choice for understanding this type of game.

In addition, Fell Running from the United Kingdom can be regarded as a separate category. It is the biggest difference from Trail Running. In simple terms, there is a difference between a road and a road. In addition to running on mountain trails, combined with the characteristics of orienteering, there are certain requirements for the runners' ability to choose and locate. Fell Running can basically be understood as arriving at the fastest speed by way of selecting a route by itself.

02 Trail Running History

The earliest recorded history of cross-country racing originated in England in the 11th century. The legend was only intended to find fast running couriers through competitions. But then there was no continuous record. Until the 19th century, trail running was re-emerged as a community activity and game in the UK, especially in the English Lake District. In the 19th century British agricultural society, people thought that fast runners were as respectable as the Hercules wrestlers, and winning the game was a supreme honor. Large and small events are held in various parts of England. Until now, one of the most famous events, the Grasmere Games, has remained. It is held every August in the English Lake District and is the most popular in the Lake District. One of the traditional activities.

The Grasmere Games has been held since 1852 and includes a variety of projects, including wrestling, trail running and hound tracking.

From the end of the 19th century to the beginning of the 20th century, cross-country races gradually appeared in Europe and North America. The distance was not long, and one-way climbing was the mainstay. Founded in 1905, California's Dipsea Race is the oldest off-road race in the United States. It is still one of the most popular tournaments in the United States and is held every second week of June.

In the middle of the 20th century, in addition to Europe and the United States, Japan's cross-country race around Mount Fuji has also developed. In 1970, the British Trail Run Alliance FRA was founded to organize and arrange amateur events and to classify events. In 1974, Gordy Ainsleigh first set an endurance record of 100 miles. In 1977, the first American 100 mile endurance race in the western United States was held in the Sierra Nevada Mountains in California. Sixteen players competed and only three people completed the event.

The West 100 is considered to be the earliest super horse race, and the difficulty is also very high. The race was held at the end of June. Players need to run 161 kilometers under high temperature, accumulatively 5500 meters climbing track, and get a copper belt within 30 hours. , Silver belt can be obtained within 24 hours. In spite of this, registration is still hot, and the number of places to be drawn must be obtained by drawing lots. The familiar king Kilian Jornet competed and won the championship in 2011. The best-selling book, “The Nature Runs” protagonist, Eat & Run author Scott Jurek won the championship for seven consecutive years in 1999-2005.

Scott Jurek said that the Ultimate Endurance Race is a game of eating and drinking plus a little landscape. The participants are all wild animals.

In the 1990s, the super endurance trail running race entered a stage of rapid development. Races around the world have gradually increased. With the establishment of the SkyRunning International Federation, the types of trail running races are gradually enriched. In 2003, the first Mont Blanc Super Endurance Motocross Ultra Trail Mont Blanc was held to establish the UTMB certification points system. For global cross-country runners, UTMB across France, Italy, and Switzerland is the ultimate dream.

03 World-famous cross-country races

Asia

Ultra-Trail Mt. Fuji

Schedule 161 km

Accumulated climb 9,000 meters

Closed time 46 hours

UTMF, the Mt. Fuji Super Cross-country race, passes through Mount Fuji and the surrounding eight large and small peaks, but the scenery is beautiful but the track is difficult. UTMB was founded in 2012 by the cross country runner, Masaki Miki, and has now grown to become the highest-profile super horse event in Japan and Asia.

Hong Kong 100 Ultra Trail

Schedule 100 km

Climb 4500+ meters

Closed time 30 hours

The track of the Hong Kong 100 is MacLehose Trail. The starting point of the race is Pak Tam Chung, Sai Kung Peninsula. It passes through several scenic spots along the way including uninhabited, clear sandy beaches, ancient woods, natural hiking trails and ponds. And steep mountain trails, etc., and deliberately add some beautiful scenic route, and finally from the Hong Kong high-pitched Da Maoshan down the road. Hong Kong 100 is considered by many as the first 100km cross-country race.

Europe

Ultra-Trail du Mont-Blanc

Schedule 170 km

Climb 10,000+ meters

Closed time 46 hours

UTMB, the full name of the Montblanc Supercross, is one of the world's most famous cross-country events. The race route passes through the three countries of France, Switzerland and Italy, and surrounds Mont Blanc for a whole week. Since 2003, after more than 10 years of development, UTMB has developed into a comprehensive event with 5 different groups and suitable for cross-country runners at various levels.

Today, UTMB has become a totem in the minds of every cross country runner. Many people see it as a game that they have to participate in once.

Tor des Géants

Schedule 330 km

Accumulated climb 24000 meters

Closed time 150 hours

The Italian giant tour, abbreviated as “TDG”, is the first cross-country multi-day event covering the entire Alps. The total length of the stage is 330 kilometers, and the altitude rises and falls between 1500 meters and 3300 meters. It is necessary to climb 25 peaks above the altitude of 2,500 meters in the Alps. The entire competition lasted seven days and the closing time was 150 hours. A total of seven stages were set up. Each stage had a food supplement station, a medical point and a rest area for participants. The organizing committee does not compel the time and place of the players to rest or stay in the game. During the seven-day schedule, the players should arrange sleeping time according to their physical condition.

For most TDG players, TDG is more like an exploration of their own.

United States

Western States Endurance Run

Schedule 160 km

Accumulated climb 5700 meters

Closed time 30 hours

The Western 100-Mile Race is held in California each June in June. It is the most prestigious and oldest game in the United States. It is the oldest 100-mile level race in the endurance race. The track traverses Sierra Nevada Mountains in the United States. It is a 55-year-old Tevis Cup endurance ride. The track rises 5,700 meters above sea level and drops 7,000 meters above sea level. The track terrain is rich and varied, and the overall road conditions are very rugged. Some mountain passes on the track are snow-covered all year round, and temperatures in the low-altitude valley near the end of the track are very high.

In the western part of the country, 100 places are limited to 400 places each year, and it is difficult to get a ticket for the qualification. In the world's top 10 extreme endurance races selected by the famous “Runner World” magazine, the 100-mile event in the western United States ranked first.

Hardrock Hundred Mile Endurance Run

Schedule 160 km

Accumulated climb 10,178 meters

Closed time 48 hours

The Hard Rock 100 Miles Endurance Race was held in Silverton, in the San Juans Mountains of Colorado, a former mining district of the United States from the late 19th to early 20th centuries. The average track is 3,352 meters above sea level. The total climb and total drop are as high as 10,178 meters. Oxygen in the Highlands is relatively thin and extreme adaptation and endurance are required to complete the race. Many participants are unable to stand up to severe altitude sickness and have no choice but to retire.

The fastest record of the current track is 22 hours and 41 minutes, created by off-road K King of Heaven in 2014. About 1,000 people register each year, but only 115 lucky runners can get a place by drawing lots.

Some people say that photography is poor for three generations and off-road destroys life. This is actually a self-deprecating statement. When you love a sport and put it in, it becomes part of your life, and you also affect people around you. Hobby is a kind of glory. Trail running is such a glory. When you like to run in the mountains and breathe fresh air, it's when you enjoy glory.