Do You Run On Trails And Grass?

80% of my summer time running is on dirt trails.  Winter still remains to be seen (haven't lived with good access to them until this year) but in Colorado we get storms, then it melts and dries up so I'd be willing to bet there will only be a few days where I won't use them due to weather.  Even today it had lightly snowed so the trails were a bit muddy but not bad.  I just use the older of my pairs of shoes in the cycle.  I like the softer surface on joints and since they're usually away from roads I find them a bit more peaceful. 

when i can i run them 100% of the time, in almost all weather.

Do you drive to them if they are not close to your house?

Most of my training is on packed trails (not on grass; grass it tricky because it is uneven, there might be holes and such).  I like to run in 5K races at the rate of 2 a month or so and most of these are on asphalt.  Other than that, I train for a run a week in asphald, but I try to avoid it.  Truth to be said, asphalt is the most common race surface so for better or for worse one has to deal with it.

I do drive to some of the trails I run and I have some just blocks from my house so I do both.  I like to change up my routes so I don't get bored.  We have an extensive Open Space and trail network here. 

Except when the elk are blocking the way or if I have a really short run scheduled, I do all my training on dirt trails.  Two blocks to the trails from my house.  I only run on grass in the winter when I'm shortcutting across the golf course.  Can't stand running on roads anymore, but every once in a while I crave a flat route.

the trails just south of boulder down the road to eldorado springs, were where i did almost all of my running this summer, amazing!@!!!!!

to the OP, i will drive up to about 15 min for longer runs or if i need a change, otherwise most running is done local.

Be careful around those elk! I keep hearing stories this year of attacks in your area!

Newbz, I've not been to those trails.  I live in Lafayette so I use the trails here or in Louisville mostly but maybe one of these weekends I'll try something around there.  I'm not very confident in taking off on trail runs that I don't know the terrain as I'm just not a very strong runner. 

find eldorado springs on a map, its on the road its on about a mile before there.

if you head off the left side of the road, its VERY open (you can see a few miles), easy to mod trials. head right and there are a LOT of hills, verry diff.

both have a lot of people running on nice days, and great access.

Thanks for the tip, sounds fantastic. 

Do you run trails in the dark too?

nope, 95% of my running is either daytime trials, or night time roads. winter is a lot more roads at night , summer is a lot more daytime trials.

Same here.  For two main reasons.  First, I worry that I'll step in a hole or something and hurt myself with very few people around to help (and since I'm single it could be hours or days until I was missed) and second too many places for people to hide to do something horrible and I wouldn't have a chance at seeing them coming. 

So generally, long weekend runs are on the trails and shorter weekday runs are in the streets/roads?

Long weekend runs in the winter are ski runs.   I won't run in daylight much once the season really starts but on the rare occasion I don't ski on a weekend, yes, I'll head for a trail.  My weekday runs will vary between road and treadmill depending on how cold it is out (I don't mind down to around 15 degrees but below that if it's dark might just be below my tolerance for running). 

I must be a freak.... I actually prefer to run on paved surfaces.....

Mixed roads, paved waking trails, dirt roads and dirt areas alon gisde of paved roads.  Pretty much a mixed bag.  I never run on a track though.  Don't know why, but I just do not do it.

If it gets muddy around here the local clubs try to discourage running or biking on the trails.  If you put a footprint in the mud here, if the sun comes out later and bakes it, that footprint could be there for 6 months.  Here's a picture I took yesterday of one the local trails.  I took it with a $20 digital camera I bought from Walgreens so the quality is a little off.

Do most of my running on trails. When the trails become snowpacked and icy just put about 8-12 sheet metal screws in your shoes, it works wonders.

I try to stay on the grass and trails most of the time.  High mileage in my college years took its toll on my knees so turf helps.  My endurance runs however will probably be on asphalt this winter.  We don't have any good packed trails in my area. 

I run trail/grass/side of the road try most of the time and try to avoid the pavement as much as possible much kinder on the body.
I have just never been able to deal with the Dreadmil for very long so in the winter, I do the same and put screws in my shoes for traction. You can look up 'screwshoes' for the pattern.