5 mistakes to avoid when trail running

Join us throughout the winter for advice on strengthening muscles for trail running. On the program: specific exercises, mistakes to avoid, plyometrics, mobility... We'll give you all the keys you need to make the most of the winter season and optimize your physical preparation for spring and summer competitions.

To support you as best we can, we've called on our ambassador and coach specializing in physical preparation for trail athletes, Matthieu Andreux. For years, he has been helping runners, both amateur and experienced, to optimize their performance and prevent injuries. A graduate in physical preparation, nutrition and reathletization, Matthieu is renowned for his scientific and individualized approach. His aim? To help each individual realize their full potential while maintaining good physical health.

Find Matthieu on Instagram under the name matthieu_training and on https://calendly.com/matthieu-andreux/prise-de-rendez-vous-challenger

In the demanding discipline of trail running, physical preparation plays a central role in performance and injury prevention. Yet even the most experienced trail runners sometimes make mistakes in their training, compromising their progress and increasing the risk of injury. This article identifies the most frequent errors in trail fitness training and proposes concrete solutions to remedy them. The aim is to enable runners to maximize their potential while staying in good health.

1. Overtraining: The over-motivation trap

Mistake: One of the most common mistakes made by trailers, motivated by the desire to progress quickly, is to push their body's limits too far. This often leads to chronic fatigue, reduced performance and, in extreme cases, overtraining injuries. This phenomenon occurs particularly when recovery phases are not respected, or when too rapid an increase in volume or intensity is imposed.

Solution: Regular recovery phases and progressive planning are essential to avoid overtraining. We recommend a maximum weekly increase in volume of 10%, as well as alternating periods of loading and unloading. For example, a structured program should incorporate two weeks of loading, followed by one week of active recovery. Listening to your body is also essential: signals such as persistent pain, unusual fatigue or sleep disturbances are all indicators of a risk of overtraining.

Practical tip: The use of training load monitoring tools, such as a connected watch or specialized apps, enables you to track performance and avoid overtraining. The Nolio platform is a useful example of how to plan and adjust your program according to fatigue and performance.

2. Lack of muscle strengthening: The foundation of performance

Mistake: Many runners focus exclusively on running, neglecting muscle strengthening. This imbalance can lead to muscular weakness and considerably increase the risk of injury, particularly to the ankles, knees and back.

Solution: Integrating at least two muscle-strengthening sessions a week is essential to maintain optimal muscular balance. Muscles used in trail running, such as the quadriceps, calves, hamstrings, glutes and core, should be specifically targeted. Stabilization exercises, such as proprioception work, are also essential for developing balance and coordination, which are indispensable on technical terrain.

3. Poor recovery management: The silent error

Mistake: Recovery is often underestimated by runners, who sometimes believe that rest days are “lost” for their progress. In reality, poorly managed recovery, particularly after intense or long sessions, can lead to accumulated fatigue and, ultimately, overload injuries.

Solution: Active recovery, combined with rest days or low-impact activities, is an excellent way of regenerating muscles while maintaining activity levels. Active recovery sessions such as swimming, cycling or walking are particularly recommended. Recovery tools such as massage rollers, stretching and sports massages can also help relax muscles and improve blood circulation.

Recommended tools :

• Massage rollers to relax muscles after a long ride
• Compression boots to optimize muscle recovery after intense effort
• Post-workout stretching sessions, focusing on hamstrings, quadriceps and back

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Practical tip: For optimum recovery, a good night's sleep is just as crucial as a good workout. Incorporating a relaxation and stretching routine before bedtime helps improve sleep quality and promotes muscle regeneration.

4. Neglecting nutrition and hydration: the key to sustainable performance

Wrong: Inadequate nutrition, coupled with insufficient hydration, can seriously impact performance and recovery. All too often, runners fail to pay sufficient attention to these two factors, resulting in reduced energy, muscle cramps and increased risk of injury.

Solution: A well-balanced nutritional plan is essential for optimum performance. Before training or racing, it's important to recharge carbohydrate reserves and ensure sufficient protein intake to support muscle recovery. During exercise, regular hydration and continuous energy intake (fast carbohydrates in the form of gels or isotonic drinks) help maintain energy levels and avoid breakdowns.

Nutritional recommendation :

• Consume between 30 and 60 g of carbohydrates per hour of effort, with isotonic drinks or gels.
• After training, give priority to protein (20 to 30 g) and carbohydrates to aid recovery. A recovery drink with a 3:1 carbohydrate/protein ratio is recommended within 30 minutes of exercise.

5. Always training on the same type of terrain: incomplete preparation

Mistake: Training exclusively on familiar terrain, such as roads or less technical paths, can limit preparation for more demanding trail races, where terrain conditions vary widely. This can be a problem on race day, especially on technical descents or uneven terrain.

Solution: Diversifying training terrain is essential to effectively prepare the body for the demands of trail running. It's advisable to include sessions on a variety of terrain, particularly technical ascents and descents, to strengthen the muscles required for trail running and develop stability and coordination. Sessions on rocky, muddy or forested terrain help improve proprioception and the ability to react quickly to surface changes.

Practical tip: Incorporate specific downhill sessions (eccentric work) to prepare muscles to absorb the shock of technical descents. Plyometric work (jumps, rebounds) can also be added to reinforce explosiveness.

Conclusion

To perform well in trail running and avoid injury, it's crucial to adopt a balanced approach to physical preparation. Overtraining, lack of muscle strengthening, neglected recovery, poor nutrition management and training on limited terrain are common mistakes, but easy to correct with the right tools and strategies. Every runner, whether amateur or experienced, should regularly evaluate his or her training program and adjust any aspects that may be holding him or her back. Well-planned preparation, combined with adequate recovery, is the key to lasting performance.

To find out more about Matthieu or learn more about his work, visit his website. https://www.matthieu-training.fr/