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Just picking up running again myself, after a few years break. I feel a significantly better mood lift post run, that I don't get from bike so much.
Trail vs pavement. Does it really make that much different to knee issues? Always thought there wasn't much difference felt bewteen firm gravel/pavement. I can easily pop out the front door and run around my new build estate, new flat tarmac on dead quiet roads. I do have good flat trails, but need to drive there (only 5 mins though).
Reason I ask, is I could do with some new shoes.
Replacing shoes frequently is important, . I can tell when my shoes are worn out as they don't support / cushion properly any more and I always feel less beat up after changing my shoes, even trail / fell shoes, although the more minimal the shoe the less the difference.
IMO you may be more susceptible to knee issues through running on tarmac, but that is only because there is so much repetition, the ground is mostly level so you repeat your poor form more repeatedly, whereas on rougher trails your gait will be changing more frequently. Converesely the resulting changes may put more stresses on your body and cause injuries.
So where does that leave you.... IME injuries tend to crop up when you up your distance / intensity / frequency. When you're right at the limit and don't incorporate conditioning exercises to address gait / muscle imbalances is when you tend to get an injury. When you're doing a lot of miles you're probably always carrying a niggle of some sort.
A saying I heard, and believe to be quite true is that runners are either injured, recovering from injury, or due an injury.
Trail vs pavement. Does it really make that much different to knee issues?
Trails are, in theory, a little softer so less impact on the knees, this could be countered by the fact they're uneven so you can introduce lateral loads into the knee that you don't get on the road. If the trails are hard packed and well surfaced there's not much difference at all.
And if in doubt, buy road shoes, particularly if the trails you run are good quality, it's only when it gets muddy or technical that you need a proper trail shoe IMO.
Thanks @pieface
Yes, that was my memory of it! Many niggles, pains and sometimes injuries stopping it all together. But still, it's worth it.
I'm in no rush this time. Looked at the C25k thing. But think I'll just take it easy, start slow, and listen to my body.
Trail vs pavement. Does it really make that much different to knee issues?
Most likely to get injuries running on trails due to the twisting etc than flat pavements. Anecdotally off road is better but I dont believe this and I dont think running on hard surfaces makes much difference. Your body compensates for the huge forces that go through your joints when you run and as long as you build up slowly you will adapt.
I run a mixture of road and off-road and probably average about 60 miles a week, although currently in mara training so that is going up. I don't notice any difference between road and off-road as a cause of injury. Also , as has been said further up, I always seem to have a minor niggle, something not quite right but doesn't stop me running, and if I did stop for niggles I'd probably not get out at all... I'm pretty sure my body is well adapted to the stresses I'm putting on it. I'm on a streak of 809 days currently (would be longer but I got a dog bite in 2019 which gave me a DVT and put me out for 3 weeks) and before that I was mostly running 6 days a week, but niggles are frequently present. What I would say though is that my ankles used to be made of cheese when I played football and would regularly give way 2 or 3 times a season, but now I don't have any ankle issues, which I put down to less twisting and turning but also the running adaptations have strengthened them.
Much like what most have said above, take it steady, don't do too much too soon. Listen to your body and try and enjoy it.
Oh and I'm definitely in the no phone, no headphones camp. I just take a key.
I suspect overuse injuries are less likely from trail running, because of the varying angles of each step.
Trail vs pavement. Does it really make that much different to knee issues?
For me it does, hugely. A large part of that is because locally to me trail running means steep hills and singletrack, which is a completely different physical movement than pounding along on the flat. But even running on a flat gravel trail for me is a lot easier than running on flat tarmac.
I do have good flat trails, but need to drive there (only 5 mins though).
Can't you run there?
Can’t you run there?
Yes - eventually. When I have gotten into it more. More off road options that road where I live - very hilly.
Can’t you run there?
Don't be bitter just because he has a usable car 😉
IME injuries tend to crop up when you up your distance / intensity / frequency.
I tended to be the opposite, the more I ran, the fewer injuries (from running) I collected. Off/on road made little difference to me but I realised that I prefer to switch my head off when I run, and generally I couldn't do that off-road and retain the use of my ankles.