San Antonio Running Blog
Under Your Feet
We've all heard about the virtues of barefoot running and minimalist footwear, but just as beneficial can be the benefits of running on natural surfaces.
Unlike running on a road or concrete, natural surfaces are more forgiving and offer a more varied terrain, ultimately resulting in less repetitive micro-trauma to bones and joints than running on hard pavement does.
What exactly are, “natural surfaces?” The more common nomenclature is “trail running.” However, the term “trail running” conjures up visions of rocky and rutted single-track paths zigzagging up the side of steep mountainsides. That’s one element of running on natural surfaces, but so is running on the grass through a park or along a graded fire road in the rural countryside, which are more common settings for most of us in San Antonio.
Along with the benefits of a softer surface also comes the absence of vehicle traffic, and its related pollution, as well as a more scenic and engaging surrounding. It’s no wonder that more runners are heading off road these days. In its 2010 National Runner Survey, Running USA noted a marked increase in the number of runners now hitting the trails.
Here are some of our favorites from the staff at The Athlete's Foot.
McAllister Park (flat, non-technical)
Eisenhower (hilly, semi-technical)
Hardberger Park (flat, non-technical)
Friedrich (hilly, semi-technical, beware of lone mountain lion)
O.P. Schabel Park (front: non-technical) (back: very hilly, technical)
Government Canyon (somewhat hilly, very technical)
Posted by on 25th November, 2011 | Comments | Trackbacks
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