Runners, Readers, Workers Out and Fans of Total Fitness Music, welcome to the new regular highlight of your week: open your arms wide to new Total Fitness Music blog contributor, Chief Dave. Dave is the founder of Total Fitness Music, a DJ-turned-entrepreneur with a passion for pounding muscles and beats. And when I say ‘pounding’ muscles, I mean the man is mad enough to slam his way through mud, rain, slush and sleet, and live to tell the tale: as you will soon discover by reading his account of The Iceman Off Road 12K below…
As we all know, running is becoming even more popular. It seems that more and more people are catching on to the oldest form of of exercise in the world, perhaps attracted by running’s three main selling points: 1. You don’t need a gym membership (it’s free!), 2. The entry level of fitness required is ‘couch potato’, and 3. You can begin by running out your front door.
Understandably this has led to congested pavements and parks; recently, this has diverted the more experienced runners to ‘off-road’ or ‘trail running’ – or, to use the slightly less fashionable term, ‘cross country’. Trail running involves rough terrain, mud, water and more frequent hill climbs, so you end up working a wider range of muscle groups than road running and if you’re finding your regular road running routes a bit routine then a change to the countryside will but some zing back into your running experience. And if you’re not a country bumpkin (sorry, bumpkins) most urban areas have large common areas with dirt tracks and gradients. My local area is Wimbledon Common in South West London: it’s is a well trodden running area due to various running clubs using the large area of scrubland and woodland every weekend, all year round.
So, on the first weekend of 2010, Wimbledon Common is where I find myself, on the invitation of a keen running pal and his dog (also a keen runner). One hour and 8 miles later I’m knackered and aching all over – but in a good way. I’m back there every weekend over the next few weeks. Call me mad if you will. All I know is by Jan 22, I’m all signed up to The Iceman Off Road 12K run in Frimley, Surrey. 10am start, the temp is 3 C and it’s overcast with light rain. Sporting my newish Nike Air Pegusus trail running shoes I’m ready to rock.
Dave battles the mud of The Iceman 12k
I always run with my iPod so my first challenge is getting though the first few kms without any beats as the race pack told me that mp3 players were a no no. This becomes a bigger concern when I notice that quite a few other competitors have snuck headphones under their ear warmers – clearly the rebellious spirit of trail running is something I have to embrace! Humming my latest DJ mix to myself sort of helps and I eventually get into the run and thoroughly enjoy both laps of the unforgiving 6K circuit. I’m a bit of a slow coach anyway and notice quite a few ankle sprains so I am happy to keep a steady and safe moderate pace and come home in 75 mins. I checked out what some of the runners with iPods were listening to and dubstep and drum and bass seemed the most popular music genre for the race. Kinda makes sense with the variable pace and intensity that off road running delivers. Typically I had Annie Mac’s latest Radio One show in my iPod which would have been perfect. Next time I’ll definitely be breaking out the dub – and embracing the quirky, intense spirit of Off Road even more!
Have you tried trail running? Or are you more of a road runner at heart?
my husband loves off road running. his parents live in kent in the middle of nowhere and he runs the 10k around their friends farm whenever we stay. i hate it, much prefer the road thank you !
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