Tayte Pollmann’s Tuesday Trail Tips series of articles are supported by American Trail Running Association corporate member Nike Trail Running. Tayte currently trying to make “shake out long run” a thing; a little help? #ShakeOutLongRun
Sundays dictate a long run day in my training schedule. I adopted this routine at the University of Portland, under coach Rob Conner and I continue it with my new trail coach David Roche. The benefits of long runs are many, including increased stamina and preparation for longer races but for this tip I’d like to focus on how the long run is important to feel like a trail runner. For me, the long run provides time to run further into the mountains and discover remote peaks or hard-to-reach places that make for some of my most memorable trail runs.
This past Sunday, I ran with Anthony Costales (pictured below), my teammate from the Long Distance World Mountain Running Championships. We ran up to Pfeifferhorn Peak of the Wasatch Mountains, then made a loop back to our car by descending on a different trail that took us past the the beautiful White Pine Lake. There was also a lot of scrambling during the run on some “scrumptious scree,” which is a phrase I’m going to steal from my friend and fellow trail runner, Jackson Brill, who I admire for his peak-bagging skills and his clever alliteration to describe the marble-like rocks underfoot. Thanks Jackson!
The long run this past Sunday allowed Anthony and me the opportunity to see some of the very best of the Wasatch Mountains and to have fun exploring together. This run makes me want to see what else is along the Pfeifferhorn ridgeline and makes me excited by the simple fact that another Sunday I can go find out. The long run reminds me that the unforgettable trail adventures are one of the best parts of calling yourself a trail runner.
