Tips for the Trail - Preparing for Pelham

A recent special issue by Runner's World magazine listed the Oak Mountain State Park as one of the 25 best trail runs in America. As we near the XTERRA Southeast Championship weekend and the Oak Mountain Mud Runs, it's worth taking a moment to discuss how middle-Alabama could come to earn such an honored listing.

Toughness is a common ingredient to all XTERRA trail runs but when you mix equal parts of red clay and lake water the result is something special: the infamous Alabama mud. For a real treat, spread this sticky mess evenly over one of the most technically challenging short-mountain regions in the country, age it in the Southern sun, and garnish with the grins of your fellow competitors. That's Oak Mountain.

So just how do you prepare yourself for this feast of trail glory as the May 21 race is now less than a month away? The first thing to note is the weather, which will likely be warm, sunny, and humid.  Hydration is absolutely essential and should be your top priority. There will be aid stations spaced throughout the course but you should take responsibility for your own care and be prepared.

I suggest using a hand-held water bottle for the 5k or 10k events, or a belt-pack based hydration system for the 21k and 42k events. Gel packs with sufficient carbohydrates and electrolytes should also be taken; I suggest carrying one pack for every half hour you plan to spend on the course.  Participants in the 21 and 42k events should also consider electrolyte tablets to combat the loss of salt through sweating.

The quality of preparation for a race often plays a much greater role than your individual efforts between the starting and finishes lines. With that in mind, if you have never used a hydration device or water bottle during your runs, go see your local running specialty shop. They should be able to set you up, and with a month to practice before the event there will be nothing to slow you down.

As for the details of training and workouts between now and the Oak Mountain throw down, I suggest focusing on footwork and change-of-pace drills. The park features no ascents greater than 100 vertical feet at a time, so long hill work is unnecessary. But brief sprints on steep grade would be beneficial as Oak Mountain features sections where the grade can exceed 45 percent climbing (try running stairs if no steep hills come to mind). 

No foot-strike will be exactly like the one before it; you will encounter rocks, roots, turns, climbs, drops, leaves, dirt, logs, and gravel. Fartlek-style runs will serve you well to prepare for adjustments to the changing terrain and pace of your run. In a training session, run easy for 2 minutes, and then surge for 30 seconds. Repeat this cycle for as long as you comfortably can, learning to change pace throughout the run. To address the technical challenges of the trail, focus on your footwork. Do basic agility drills and pay attention to where your feet are so you develop a sense of proper foot placement to avoid rocks and such. This simple wrinkle in your training will save you a lot of stumbles and rolled ankles!

Most of all enjoy your training. Celebrate the fact you're part of something so wild the Olympics stopped doing it after 1924. With the four separate race distances, there is an event for every fitness level, and with the special venue offered by the Oak Mountain State Park there is no reason you should not be out living the XTERRA lifestyle on May 21 and 22. Best of luck.

Brandon Mader is a member of PowerBar Team Elite and the XTERRA Trail Run Ambassador Program. He has been running for 12 years through high school and college, and has been a premier competitor on the XTERRA series since 2008. He is the defending men's champion of the XTERRA Oak Mountain Half-Marathon Trail Run. His official website can be found atwww.runnerspace.com/MaderFistand it features weekly product reviews and a training blog.