I keep hearing races like MPC, Hercules or Sugas are the end of the season. No, they’re not. The trail running season is in full swing. For me, winter (stretching well into May/June) is for skiing, spring is for road biking, summer for mountain biking and, yes, autumn for trail running.

Why trail running? It’s generally too wet for a road bike and too muddy for a mountain bike (unless you want to spend a lot of time cleaning your bike). You could say it’s a good time for cyclocross, but after a couple of rides you’ll get tired of all that bike maintenance. As for skiing, while technically possible, I’d rather wait for a little more snow.

I see there are very few running contests this time of the year (with some exceptions being Bunloc Vertical Race and Istrita Escape) . I imagine most people look at the gloomy weather outside and decide to watch some TV instead (or whatever they do). But they’re missing on a lot of things:
– fall foliage: beautiful colors, plus the joy of running on crunchy leaves
– good temperatures: it’s not cold at 5 degrees C, it’s just right!
– more solitude: fewer hikers/bikers/enduro riders than during summer
– beautiful clouds: pictures don’t do them justice, you’ll have to experience them by yourself
– no more sheepdogs: sheep herders have descended for the winter
– more sunrises and sunsets: with the shorter days, it’s easier to run at sunrise/sunset/twilight/night, for a more fulfilling experience

So who’s coming for a trail run this weekend?