MFR 146: Six Reasons Every Runner Should Run Off Road
Mojo For Running Podcast
debbie voiles
4.9 • 555 Ratings
🗓️ 16 October 2020
⏱️ 24 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
On and off-road miles are not equal. Off-road miles make you a better runner, make you more fit, and make you more sane.
A mile in the woods holds greater value than any on-road mile.
Running in the wild, produces startling results. It improves strength by engaging more muscles, especially the small muscles in the feet. It increases agility as each step is placed, avoiding roots or water or slippery spots, and it enhances proprioception as each step varies from the last, forcing constant split second communication between brain and muscles.
All this makes better runners. All this will translate into faster running and better form when running and racing on roads, but there is so much more.
At least as important as all the above is the mental pleasure of being out in the woods; it's truly run therapy, and there was never a time when it was more needed than right now.
Today, I launched the Gnome Fest 250 Challenge.
Transcript
Click on a timestamp to play from that location
| 0:00.0 | Hi, this is Debbie Boyle's coach at Mojo for Running with episode number 146. |
| 0:05.0 | Six reasons every runner should run off-road, at least some of the time. |
| 0:11.0 | Now let's talk about trail running. |
| 0:26.0 | I absolutely love running trails, so much so that I considered using the word beg in the title of this episode, as in I beg you to get out into the woods and run trails. |
| 0:36.9 | Now, I use the words off road because |
| 0:40.2 | it's a continuum. Any running that's not on a paved surface is off road and therefore offers benefits, |
| 0:47.2 | but running on more rugged terrain, of course, is better and running in the woods has all |
| 0:51.9 | kinds of benefits. We'll talk about off-road trails in general in a bit, |
| 0:56.3 | but let's start with talking about the benefit of running on trails in the woods. Trails that offer |
| 1:01.7 | variable surfaces and even slight undulation provide critical challenges that will improve fitness |
| 1:07.5 | in various ways, all very important ways. I have to wonder how many adults have |
| 1:13.5 | been out in the woods in the last five years, or even 10 years. I bet some people haven't ever been |
| 1:19.3 | deep enough into the woods to get totally away from any sounds of traffic or civilization, |
| 1:25.4 | and that only requires about a mile. How long has it been since |
| 1:29.5 | you've been in the woods, in nature? If you haven't, you're missing a whole world that I guarantee |
| 1:35.8 | will enhance your life, your mental state, and of course, you're running. That's what we'll talk |
| 1:41.8 | about today, and I hope by the end of this episode, |
| 1:44.6 | you'll be convinced, anxious, excited about getting out there. Now before we get to that, |
| 1:50.4 | I want to tell you about a challenge I just launched. Since May, I've been creating challenges, |
| 1:56.0 | running challenges to help my local club run Tampa stay motivated during the pandemic, and the response and participation |
| 2:02.5 | has been outstanding. Altogether, there have been over 500 participants, and many have said |
| 2:09.2 | the challenges have made all the difference in their motivation during this time. Without races to |
... |
Please login to see the full transcript.
Disclaimer: The podcast and artwork embedded on this page are from debbie voiles, and are the property of its owner and not affiliated with or endorsed by Tapesearch.
Generated transcripts are the property of debbie voiles and are distributed freely under the Fair Use doctrine. Transcripts generated by Tapesearch are not guaranteed to be accurate.
Copyright © Tapesearch 2026.