Some friends I often met running with, started to get more and more on the trails rather than the street: so I also wanted to check it out.

There was already a Facebook-group, dedicated to go trailrunning together and I joined Trainrunning Vienna for an evening in the nearby vienna forest.

There is one thing you can sense immediately which is completely different to street-running: it’s the shift from time, pace and speed to scenery, landscapes and elevation.

Nobody will ask you how fast you are, nobody cares. Its rather just finding people with somehow the same comfort-pace and enjoying the nature.

I got hooked. And from then on out, I also shifted more and more to trailrunning rather than running on the street: not to say I gave it up completely, but I prefer being in nature, alone or in the group.

As the distances are usually a bit longer and you do everything to avoid running in circles while being out on the trail, the equipment also needed a change.

The need for hydration, first-aid and nutrition far from any shop, restaurant or aidstation became a concern and thats when you get into the expensive stuff…: trailrunning equipment.

I really dont want to sum up what I spent so far, and I really don’t want admit that 90% of the stuff I got is completely useless, but there are some essentials which are very useful to have:

  • Running Vest
    This is very strange at the beginning… espectially when you tend to start your runs at the end of subway-lines or rather frequented places: you look like an overequipped douchebag. Takes some time to realize, that nobody actually gives a sh**.
  • Proper Shoes
    Shoes are a topic, people tend to take much too serious.. I mean they should not be slicks, thats it. Usually there is no need for spikes, waterproofing, over-the-top cushioning. This is at least the case for runs in dry, non-freezing weather (a topic I will try to cover another time … )
  • Head Torch
    It can and will happen, that you run out of light before coming back to civilisation: a head-lamp is very useful for this kind of situations and in my opinion one of the most underrated pieces of equipment. Don’t buy too cheap here, you will buy again…
  • First Aid
    As long as I take a backbag or vest with me, there is a fist-aid kit in there. And don’t think about it like “Nothing will happen to me” or “I don’t need that sh**”, but rather keep in mind that in 90% of the cases this can become useful, you’re not the one on the ground needing it.