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Jan 2013
7:19pm, 6 Jan 2013
4,130 posts
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rf_fozzy
Since it's a sunday evening, I was having a think about why some of us prefer to run and race offroad and others won't touch it with a bargepole.
My personal thinking is that racing off-road is far more interesting, since no two races are the same and even the same race can be vastly different from year to year. Contrast that with racing on the road - one 10k is largely the same as any other (ok, some are flatter than others, but still).
This also interests me, because for road runners, the marathon is the pinnacle (ok, there are some road ultras, but not many), and so people run marathon after marathon after marathon. For those of us who race off-road (particularly on the fells), there are so many long, hard races (such as the Lakeland classic races, 3P, etc) that there is always a fresh challenge awaiting us.
Don't get me wrong, I think there is definitely a place for running road races - obviously if you want to test yourself against the clock, then generally you need to run on roads. And a flat road 10km is perhaps one of the most unpleasant and hard races to run - you're on the absolute edge for the longest period of time.
Pure road-racers - why don't you run offroad races?
Off-road racers - do you run on the roads as well? Why do you race offroad?
Discuss. And go.....
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Jan 2013
7:24pm, 6 Jan 2013
2,398 posts
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lazydaisy
I do both. I am equally rubbish at both, but for some reason I find off-road runs less stressful - may be because of the surroundings?
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Jan 2013
7:25pm, 6 Jan 2013
8,755 posts
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HowFar?
I used to race on and off road. The vast majority of my training was off road. The reason why I didn't race more off road poor downhill technique that left me frustrated by the amount of people who would overtake me coming down hills. The reason why I trained off road most was all the things you mentioned about variety. Changing weather and seasons meant the same route was never the same run.
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Jan 2013
7:25pm, 6 Jan 2013
18,249 posts
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eL Bee!
Did both - preferred one - was equally mediocre at them all
That's it really
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Jan 2013
7:26pm, 6 Jan 2013
378 posts
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Im A Runner
I have never tried of road running and have been told would get in the way of my road running
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Jan 2013
7:27pm, 6 Jan 2013
4,131 posts
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rf_fozzy
IAR - who told you that?
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Jan 2013
7:28pm, 6 Jan 2013
6,099 posts
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fleecy
IAR: that's weird 
I like both, only done a few offroad races so far but they were a blast. I like mud
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Jan 2013
7:29pm, 6 Jan 2013
10,742 posts
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Nick Cook
I used to love cross country when I was at school, but haven't done any off road since. I ought to rectify that this year.
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Jan 2013
7:30pm, 6 Jan 2013
17,828 posts
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SPR
I XC race during winter and track race during summer. Train mostly on road. The only road race that is definitely in my plans is the road relays in March/April.
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Jan 2013
7:30pm, 6 Jan 2013
8,756 posts
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HowFar?
IAR - I would disagree with whoever told you that - unless they thought that once you had tried off road you found it was so much fun that you never wanted to set foot on tarmac again.
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