Does anyone do trail running?

[EauRouge]

I'm getting curious about it. I have some woodlands near me that I could run through and it would make a nice change to my road route maybe once a week. How trashed do your clothes/shoes get? I know that trail shoes are recommended but what other gear would I need? I assume trousers rather than shorts? Thanks :)

[BlueChampagne]

I'm guessing trail running is what we always used to call cross-country! I run along field boundaries and things - you get a bit muddy but really I don't think you'll need any specific kit apart from shoes. I've got a pair of what I call hybrids which are OK for both. You can wear shorts if you like, unless the paths are quite overgrown.

[holmessweetholmes]

I do a bit of this. I bought some trail shoes and run along the Ridgeway near where I live. It's fantastic, but trainers get really heavy with chalky mud when it's wet. I'd really like to do a trail race but am training for my first (road) half marathon atm.

[TheFallenNinja]

I do loads of trail running and kit wise I use Adidas Kanadia, everything else is usual running gear really.

I plan my route before I go and always take my phone.

It's loads more fun than road running :-)

[EauRouge]

Thanks for the recommendation and the tips :)

holmes - it's clay mud around here, sticky stuff! So might have to stop and scrape every so often. I've seen some 5k trail races that I might like to enter later in the year maybe. I'll have to see how it goes.