Trail

A universe for all of us who love trail running. And if you don’t love it yet, you will definitely come to. Welcome to.

Welcome to the Itrail universe

Welcome to Itrail. It is a universe at Iloebesko.dk that only deals with trail running and everything that goes with it. We have tried to create an inspiring trail universe that satisfies both the experienced trail runner, but certainly also him or her who wants to start trail running. Trail running is a discipline in itself, and therefore we think it is important to separate this into its own little universe.
Trail running in its broadest sense is gaining more and more ground among the vast majority of runners, and therefore it is natural for us to create more focus around it. But what can you expect from the Itrail universe:

• Focus on testing Trail running shoes
• Read tips and guides for trail running
• Inspiration for both experienced and new trail runners
• Facts about trail running
• Video guides focusing on trail themes
• …..and much much more

You can start by watching our intro video to the whole concept below, or you can move further down the page and step into a universe of and for the trail runner. If you have any input, or perhaps something you think is missing on the page and in our little universe, we would like to hear from you as always.

Intro video to the Itrail universe

Watch our intro video to this page before reading any further. Here we will discuss what you can expect from our trail universe.

Welcome, and good luck.

What is trail or trail running?

The whole concept comes from “trails” which was essentially a contraction of both running and hiking. It is said that this term comes from countries with many mountains and
altitude meters.But in Denmark, as you are probably aware, we don’t have that many high mountains, so Trail will be somewhat different in Denmark.

Trail or trail running is for some (many) runners this little unknown factor that you don’t really know whether to love or hate. Many end up hating it, or maybe that’s a big word to use, but many end up not trying trail running because they’ve heard that it’s both hard and demanding..
That’s true enough. Trail running can (and should) be a bit demanding and hard, but above all it should be fun. And that’s the whole essence of trail running, it’s super fun and if you give it a chance you’ll quickly discover that the Danish forests and nature in general become your very own big playground.
The very fact that you discover that you can use trail running as a “breathing space” makes it extra fun. Leave your heart rate monitor, mileage times and personal records at home in the drawer, and enjoy the Danish nature in its full bloom. That’s what trail running can be about, and should be about. When you have become more happy running trail races, you can easily start challenging yourself again if you want to.

Inov8 trail running shoes

Inov8 is a brand that, if you run trail, you know it. It specializes in making running shoes for both the experienced and the newer trail runner. Inov8 has the clear advantage that their absolute focus is on making footwear for the outdoor person, and thereby trail running shoes.

Are you a beginner? – See our infochart about trail running

It is okay to use this infochart in articles and on websites if you remember the link back to this article.

Salomon trail running shoes

Salomon is known among athletes for its focus on producing functional footwear and functional clothing for the outdoor person. Many also know it from many of the world’s ski resorts, as they are also very active on that front. But they produce excellent trail running shoes, where functionality is always in focus. Not the cheapest trail running shoes you can find, but on the other hand some of the best.

Different types of trail running

As with so many other advanced sports, there is more to trail running than just something called trail running. Of course, there are different types of trail running, and therefore there are also different types of trail running shoes. They are developed to handle the task that each type of trail running offers.

The regular trail and the one most used by beginners and those who keep fit just over the winter. It is a run in the forest, on either the forest path or perhaps the mountain bike track. If you are a beginner, you will probably start on the forest path, and when you need a little more challenge, it is up to you to run on the somewhat narrower MTB tracks..
The surface is highly variable, and can be either a gravel path through the forest, a forest floor filled with leaves or mud, or dirt roads. There are many possibilities in what we call the ordinary trail.
The running shoe for regular trail running is characterized by the sole not being heavily profiled, as the surface is relatively dry and firm.

The wet trail is a slightly more challenging form of trail running. Here it is typically a muddy or very wet surface that is primarily present on the run. It can still be in a forest floor, around a lake or perhaps on a dirt road after a lot of rain. When they are mentioned as wet trails, it is typically something that is available during periods when it rains a lot in Denmark. So autumn is a really good bet on when you can get close to these challenges..
A running shoe for wet trails is typically characterized by a much more profiled sole than on a regular trail running shoe. And that’s because it needs to grip the soft surface and ensure that you don’t slip during some of the many changes in direction.

The slippery trail goes into winter. That is if you are out running on ice and or snow. It can actually go into the terrain, but certainly also on the regular country roads, sidewalks, etc. It is just a question of whether enough snow has fallen. But if you have tried to walk on a sidewalk that is salted and fixed, and then directly into a section where there is ice and snow, then you can certainly nod in recognition that this type of surface is extremely challenging. It just requires something extra if you are going to run on it. So you should preferably be an experienced trail runner.
The shoes for trail running on icy surfaces are characterized by a rubber sole that has built-in spikes that can drill into the snow and ice and thus achieve optimal grip.

If we talk about races and competitions, which of course are also found in the descriptions above, then in Denmark there has been a greater and greater tendency to want to challenge themselves. People don’t just want to run regular trails anymore, something more is needed. That’s why we are increasingly seeing obstacle courses/trail runs with different types of challenges. Among other things, a phenomenon like OCR running has gained a lot of popularity in Denmark in the last few years. It is a mixture of trail running, obstacle courses and crossfit. In many cases, it takes place in some form of challenging terrain, and the exercises/challenges you have to do are based on using your own body weight. A bit like you know from crossfit.

The best articles and guides for trail running

Below we have tried to collect the best guides and articles about trail running.

Trail running shoes are a science

…..or is it?

We admit that trail running shoes can be a bit of a hill to climb. Not so much out in the field, but more so when you’re faced with having to buy your first pair of trail running shoes. Because that’s what you’ll get if you’re going to enjoy trail running. The shoes are the first thing you buy, because it just gives you a much better understanding of the whole situation and the experience..
Before we write further, you can also watch our video below about why trail running shoes are so important when you run in the terrain, and in the video we also talk a little about why trail running has become so popular.

Hope you enjoyed the video. But back to the shoes. As we also discuss in our video guide on choosing trail running shoes, it can, roughly speaking, be the difference between whether you stay on your feet or end up in the mud. Of course, this is a lot to take for granted, we know that, and for the beginner who we recommend in the video to start slowly, with not so demanding terrain, it is probably not a problem that the shoes do not grip the surface.

The sole is the heart of a trail running shoe

But but but as soon as you think that the forest paths and the ordinary gravel paths are getting too boring (and believe me, that thought quickly pops into your head) then you need to move out onto more rocking ground. And then the shoes become your absolutely essential tool. Because then you get into softground surfaces. There are several different types of it, and this is where you as a shoe buyer get confused. And that is completely understandable.

But as the video also describes, you should consider whether you are going to run in actual mud, or you “only” want to go out where the surface is softer (typically the wet forest floor, where it is not actually mud). If you are going to venture out into mud and similarly soft surfaces, you should look for some trail running shoes with good grip on the surface. And what does that mean? Typically, it is a trail running shoe with some aggressive rubber studs on the bottom of the sole. They then go down into the surface and create the best possible friction..
If you are looking for optimal trail running shoes for slightly less demanding surfaces, you can go for a trail running shoe with a less profiled outsole.

If you look out at a landscape (city or terrain) that is covered in ice and snow, the story is different. When, on a rare occasion, so much snow falls in Denmark that it covers roads and sidewalks, city running and cross-country running are put on hold for a short while. Because if there is ice and snow on roads and the like, we all know that a pair of regular running shoes are as smooth as glass. Many people will probably try their normal trail running shoes first – and often with success, as they usually choose a route where it is possible. But otherwise, there are also trail running shoes with spikes. This means that small aluminum spikes are built into the sole in the profiled outsole, which in their own fantastic way can better grip snow and especially ice..
It is also the case that this type of shoe could practically be used for very muddy trail runs – and I do that myself – but only when I know there is terrain all around. So not something with asphalt or concrete that you just have to walk on. The spikes in the sole can’t handle that. So it goes without saying that spikes in a profiled outsole will only give more grip when it is very muddy, but these effective spikes wear down immediately when they come onto asphalt or concrete. That is why they can’t really be used successfully on the road when there is ice. Because if you come past passages where residents have salted and made their sidewalks delicious for runners, you will ruin your spikes on your running shoes.

Video guide: Choose the right soles for trail running

The common sole of a trail running shoe for not so demanding terrain. The studs on such a sole are typically no longer than 4-5 mm. Handles slightly demanding surfaces, but not extremely demanding surfaces

A trail running shoe for the somewhat more demanding and wet terrain. The studs on such a shoe can easily be 8-10 mm long. This provides optimal grip on the surface.

Here is an illustration of how to get trail running shoes with spikes. The regular sole is similar to a trail running shoe for mud. The spikes are especially suitable for ice or other slippery surfaces.

Trail running can be both stress-relieving and motivating

After a long season on the road, you may be feeling a bit sluggish in your running. But you also know deep down that if you don’t get your running in over the fall and winter, the form you’ve painstakingly built up over the spring and summer will disappear.
Trail running brings a little bit of the fun back to you who are in this situation.

It can be incredibly relaxing and motivating not to have to run according to some program, beat your last kilometer time or maybe train for a marathon. That’s why trail running is both fun, motivating and relaxing. Trail running can definitely be used to bring the motivation back into you. When a run is not determined by length and pace from the start, it becomes a bit more palatable, and that increases motivation considerably. That’s why you should use trail running in the winter and autumn periods as motivation. Enjoy running. Let the terrain determine the hardness, and notice your body in terms of length. It’s fun and motivating.Nature plays a very big role when we write both relaxing and motivating. It’s not just that you don’t have to “pace” yourself, but also the fact that you get a little away from the road and into nature does a lot for both the senses and mood. While you may be used to running on a long, straight (and boring) country road, there are always new things in the forest or around the lake to look at and to relate to. It’s both stress-relieving and motivating.

Run for what nature has to offer you today. Don’t set a mileage limit from home. Feel your body and then run for your surroundings, and you will achieve the most fun form of trail running. But be careful, because you can definitely get bitten by it.

Did you know that trail running….

It’s actually a fantastic form of training – in so many ways. If you’re into trail running and you find that magical thing about it, it becomes this running respite where you’re basically just running and playing and having fun in the woods. Then you’ll love the fact that trail running is a pretty fantastic workout for you, maybe even a better (and easier) workout than you can get on the road when you run.

Many people fear interval training on the road, and never really get started with it because it’s a bit hard. But you get that training for free in trail running. When nature challenges you with hills and challenging surfaces, your interval training comes naturally. This means that almost without you noticing it, your heart rate will rise and fall. For example, if you come to a hill, use it to keep the pace up (your heart rate will naturally increase) and when you reach the top, you can let go again (your heart rate will drop).A really brilliant way to do both tempo and interval training. You will definitely experience that your breathing will improve significantly because you are constantly testing it and thereby improving it when you run in challenging terrain.

Trail running makes your body much more flexible. Your tendons and joints become more flexible and elastic. When you run on challenging and uneven surfaces, you “force” your body to train both joints and tendons, and you will probably find that you become more flexible once you have gotten into a good rhythm with trail running.

When you run on the road, you use a lot of the same muscles and a lot of monotonous movements. Trail running is also quite good for your body. You will definitely find that different and more muscle groups are used when you run trails.

Trail running offers many great experiences. You should look forward to that.

Case: That’s why I run trail

There can be many reasons why you run trail. Below I (said the dog) have written about my approach to trail running and why I think it’s so cool. Because I’ve been caught up in the “trail running craze”

Trail running is a breather in a time when everything has to be tracked.

Trail running shoes from other brands

Below we have tried to list trail running shoes from many of the best-known brands in trail running shoes. Some of them we have tested and written reviews of, others are on the way. If there are any models that seem missing, or a test you miss, then please do not hesitate to send us an email at mail@inrunningshoes.com We would really like to hear from you.Next to each shoe you will find the designation (A) = Allround, (M) = Mud and (I) = Ice and snow