After a few months taking some time off from running and exploring a new interest in crossfit, I am now back with a more consistent running schedule! Lately I’ve been more interested with trail running, and the most recent trail run that I participated was King of Kampung Kemensah in the 18km category. I had a good time running off-road, and here are 5 reasons why you participate in a trail run too:

My hijab is as cheerful as the race day vibes. It feels good to be back!

1)Less participants, less bottleneck and congestion

• To avoid over-crowding the single lanes in the trail, organizers usually limit participants to less than 1000 in total
• Parking is easy, because there are less cars too
• Due to the small number of participants, it is easier for organizers to manage the welfare of participants, which means there is always an abundance of food!

2)Running is more challenging

• There are various terrains that you can expect, such as muddy, sandy, or rocky. It takes time to get used to balancing and running on uneven surfaces.
• It is more humid in the forest. This will also attract bugs such as mosquitoes and leaches.
• Cuts and bruises are all part of the trail run package. Just think of them as souvenirs and battle scars from the event, embrace them and be proud of them!

3)It takes you to beautiful places

• Such as this:
• And this:
• But if this view does not convince you to join a trail run, I don’t know what will:

4)You will appreciate nature

• You will never take clean air for granted again
• Take notice of the interesting leaves, foliage, and bugs surrounding you. Everything is beautiful in their own way!
• Sometimes you just have to accept whatever Mother Nature throws at you. The weather can be unpredictable – it’s better to be over-prepared with the right equipment.
• Most organizers are now implementing BYOB – Bring Your Own Bottle. Trails are cleaner thanks to this new rule, and I fully support this move.

5)You will learn to respect the distance

• Running 21km on the road is not the same as 21km in the trails. Therefore, trail running requires a different training strategy than road races.
• Elevation is always a part of trail running. Get used to running uphill, climbing the stairs, and strengthening your quads and glutes.