Trail Running: Fitness and Nature

There are many reasons why I love to run! Among all my many reasons I thought I would blog about two of those reasons….being fit and being in nature.

Running to enjoy nature

Being fit just feels good! It feels good in more ways than one. Being fit just doesn’t effect your body, but your mind and mental health. I find it easier to focus on work or whatever I’m working on after a run. I also feel less stress. There have been many times when I have been stressed out and don’t feel like going for a run, but every time I go running when feeling stressed I always feel better afterwards.

Being fit allows me to do strenuously physical tasks or activities. An example of this is when I summited the highest peak in the Tetons. I didn’t have to do much preparation fitness wise because I was already fit. I was able to just show up and do the climbing. Running to be fit affords me these opportunities to just show up to a strenuous activity to do it and enjoy it.

Most of my running is done on mountain trails in nature. It just feels good to be in nature away from the stresses of life. One of my favorite times to run in nature is after it has rained and the air temperature is cooler than

Being fit allows you to be active

normal. The leaves on the trees and plants drip with rain drops and the birds sing as I run by. I love moments like this! Breathing in the clean mountain air helps clean my inner self from stress and worries. Here is a favorite quote of mine from the naturalist John Muir:

“Climb the mountains and get their good tidings. Nature’s peace will flow into you as sunshine flows into trees. The winds will blow their own freshness into you, and the storms their energy, while cares will drop off like autumn leaves.”

Running is a great stress relief and a great way to enjoy nature especially if you get on the trails in the mountains.

The Benefits Of Running Ultramarathons

I was thinking the other day what the benefits of running ultramarathons are:

Physical Health

In my opinion, first and foremost is physical health. Running no matter what is healthy. Sure there are health risks in running, but there are health risks in just about anything we do. Living life is a health risk! Not too long a ago I wrote a blog post on Ultra Running and Health Risks. My conclusion in that post was that the benefits out weigh the risks. Ultra running allows me to have the fitness level to do anything I want and need to do. This is a great thing to have!!

Emotional Health

Emotional health is another benefit that comes from ultra running. There have been many times when I have felt the stresses of life pressing down on me, but those stresses seem to be less stressful after a nice long trail run. I think the sum total of trail running or just running in general leaves you happier and with a positive perspective of life even when things can be tough at times.

Friendship

Developing meaningful friendships. A lot of runners meet each other through running and they spend their time together training for races. All this equals friendships that are meaningful and lasting. In my case my family (my dad, two brothers, a sister, and a brother-in-law) have taken up ultra running. As a group we enjoy training together, run ultras together and all this has brought us closer together.

My Dad, My Two Brothers, My Sister, and Me (far right) at the finish line of an ultramarathon…we all finished. This was my sister’s first 50 miler and ultramarathon.

My borther-in-law and me running. We are on the highest point of a 50 miler that we ran together.

The Outdoors and Scenery

In ultra running, runners cover a lot of distance in a short amount of time. The benefit of this is you get to see a lot of scenery that you may not otherwise get to see. As an example, I have run the Grand Canyon rim to rim twice. In doing it I saw some awesome scenery that I simply could not see just from the rim of the Grand Canyon.

Enjoying a great scenic view. In this photo I’m coming off of Kings Peak and looking down into Henry Forks Basin.

Adventure

Running an ultramarathon is adventurous. I think this aspect of ultra running is what attracted me to it. I had always loved the outdoors and sports growing up. When I learned about ultra running it was such a novel idea that it really peaked my interest. I still consider my first 50 miler as one of my biggest adventures in life because of the challenge of charting the unknown territory physically, emotionally, and geographically. It was a lot of fun!!!

Challenge and Success

The challenge and accomplishment of running ultras is another benefit. I remember running my first 100 miler and the days before toeing the starting line I kept trying to wrap my mind around the huge challenge of running that far. Running that far for me was to run one full day and then when the sun went down to run all night and then when the sun came back up to run most of the next day. Mentally, it boggled my mind to fathom that. Then race day came for my 100 miler and I ran all day, all night, and most of the next day and finished. To finish a 100 miler felt very satisfying!

If you’re thinking about registering and training for an ultramarathon, you should do it…the benefits are great!!!

Question:

For those who run ultramarathons: What benefits have you had from running and training for ultras or from any race?