In recent years, an increasing number of people have been discovering the joys of trail running, with many finding it in their midlife. Karla Wagner, a 62-year-old runner from the US, is a prime example of someone who has reaped the benefits of trail running in her later years. Wagner, who finished second in the 100-mile division of the Grandmaster Ultras in Arizona earlier this year, started trail running in her early fifties after improving her asthma medication.
Trail running, which takes place on dirt trails as opposed to paved roads or measured flat tracks, differs significantly from traditional road-and-track running. Races longer than marathon distance are called ultramarathons, or 'ultras' for short. While some ultras are held on tracks or paved surfaces, most follow trail routes.
According to consumer research, trail running is growing faster than road running. UltraRunning magazine reports that the number of runners who finished an ultra in North America had nearly doubled since 2015, to 102,714 individuals last year. The appeal of trail running in the second half of life lies in its ability to improve cardiovascular health, greater bone density, and social connections, along with the enjoyment and variety of running in nature.
Wagner believes that running and strength workouts have prevented the weakness and arthritis that her mother suffered. 'I'm kind of a poster child for osteoporosis, because I'm small, have a family history and haven't done hormone replacement, so it's important to me to get weight-bearing exercise,' she says. Dr Howard Luks, a New York-based orthopedic surgeon and trail runner, agrees that trail running in midlife is wonderful and that the balance and coordination demands of running trails are exactly what our ageing neuromuscular systems need.