Tayte Pollmann’s Tuesday Trail Tips series of articles are supported by American Trail Running Association corporate member Nike Trail Running. Tayte finished 3rd at the 2017 World Long Distance Mountain Running Championships and was a member of the junior US Mountain Running Team at the 2015 World Mountain Running Championships (#461 pictured above).
Tuesday Trail Tip #1 – Some of the most enjoyable runs in my training come when I let myself feel like I’m simply exploring the mountains. For example, in my training schedule this past winter, I had planned a run up to Grandeur Peak outside Salt Lake City (Utah).
This run was extended when I summited Grandeur from my usual frontside route and thought, “Hey, I wonder what this mountain looks like from the backside”. I did not plan on summiting Grandeur from both sides, but it happened and I discovered the beautiful backside of the mountain, which was full of snowy switchbacks and wonderful babbling brooks trickling under sheets of ice. I find the mountains never disappoint when you chose to keep exploring.
Not only did I discover more of the mountain, I also pushed my limits as a runner. Now that I’ve run Grandeur twice in a day, I’ll have to rethink my training. How many times in a day could I reasonably ask my body to ascend a 3,000ft climb? Maybe three times?
I find that these adventure runs expand my notion of what my body is capable of and that is an essential part of getting accustomed to long distance trail races.
– Tayte Pollmann, Nike Trail Running
Tayte at the Moab Trail Marathon.
