Running was a sport for the men once upon a time, but that notion slowly deteriorated as historical events changed the perception of who could take part. Here are some of those watershed moments that shifted the sport of running toward one of inclusiveness:

1954 — British-born Diane Leather becomes the first woman to run a sub-5-minute mile (4:59.6) on May 29, just 23 days after Roger Bannister ran his 3:59.4 mile. The IAAF didn’t recognize the women’s mile as a world record event until 1967.

1960 — Women are allowed to participate in five running events in the Summer Olympics, including the 800 meters, which had been banned after the race in 1928 because of questions as to whether it was too taxing for female athletes.

1967 — Kathrine Switzer is the first woman to run the Boston Marathon with an official bib registered under the name K.V. Switzer. Although race official Jock Semple tried to pull her off the course, she finished the race in 4:20 and was subsequently banned by the Amateur Athletic Union (AAU).

1972 — The AAU allows women to register for marathons after dropping its 1961 ban on women competing in U.S. road races. However, women are required to start at a separate time. In protest of the “special” start, women sit at the starting line of the NYC Marathon.

1975— After becoming a law in 1972, Title IX begins to got into effect, discouraging unequal federal financial aid and university support for women’s programs. The average number of women’s sports teams for an NCAA school at the time is 2.1.

1977 —

1978 — Nike introduces first women-specific running shoe, with the Nike Waffle Racer.

1983 — After being unable to compete in the 1980 Summer Olympic Games due to the U.S. boycott, Mary Decker Slaney wins gold medals in the 1,500-meter and 3,000-meter runs at the inaugural IAAF World Track & Field Championships in Helsinki, Finland.

1984 — She broke away from the pack just 14 minutes into the race and never looked back.

1985 — Great Britain’s Zola Budd breaks the world record in the 5,000-meter on the track running barefoot for the second time in three years with a 14:48.07 effort.

1987 — Jackie Joyner-Kersee becomes the first female runner to grace the cover of Sports Illustrated. The cover line next to her photo reads: “Super Woman.”

1988 — Norway’s Grete Waitz wins the New York City Marathon for the ninth time (a record that still stands).

1991 — Susan G. Komen’s Race for the Cure debuts the first pink ribbon at its NYC event. The now-iconic symbol for breast cancer awareness was given to all breast cancer survivors and participants of the race.

1994 — TV talk show host Oprah Winfrey crosses the finish line at the Marine Corps Marathon in Washington, D.C. in 4:29:15. Her effort, which included her losing 80 pounds in the year leading up to the race, sparked a new running boom among women, with the theme of “anyone can do it.”

1996 — Russian middle-distance runner Svetlana Masterkova sets the women’s mile world record of 4:12.56 at a race in Zurich, Switzerland just a few weeks after becoming the second woman in history to win Olympic gold medals in the 800- and 1,500-meter events.

1996 —

2002 — Ultrarunner Pam Reed wins the Badwater Ultramarathon, a grueling 135-mile course through Death Valley in the middle of July when temperatures peak at 120 degrees. She beats both men and women entered in the race and repeated the feat in 2003, when she beat legendary ultrarunner Dean Karnazes.

2004 — Nicole Deboom founds Skirt Sports after winning Ironman Wisconsin in the prototype of what would become the original Race Belt skirt. Her brand has continued to change women’s go-to race-day outfits around the world.

2007 — British runner and marathon world record-holder Paula Radcliffe wins the New York City Marathon 10 months after giving birth to her daughter, inspiring mother-runners all over the world.

2009 — publishes its first issue and is now the largest women-specific running magazine in the world.

2012 — Shalane Flanagan, Desiree Davila (now Linden) and Kara Goucher finish 1-2-3 at the U.S. Olympic Trials Marathon in Houston. It was the first time the top three finishers ran sub-2:30 in the trials.

2011 — Jenny Simpson wins the gold medal in the 1,500m at the world championships in Daegu, South Korea, the first of four global medals the American earns during her career.

2013 — High school running prodigy Mary Cain of Bronxville, N.Y., finishes second in the 1,500 meters at the USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships, thus becoming the youngest American to represent the U.S. at an IAAF World Championships meet. She became the youngest woman ever to make the finals and wound up placing 10^th.

2017 — Maria Lorena RamĂ­rez of Mexico’s Tarahumara community wins the 2017 Ultra Trail Cerro Rojo Ultramarathon wearing sandals and a skirt.

2017 — Shalane Flanagan becomes the first American woman to win the NYC Marathon since 1977 in a time of 2 hours, 26 minutes and 53 seconds.

2017 — Emma Coburn wins the U.S. its first gold medal in the 3,000-meter steeplechase at the 2017 IAAF World Championships, while Amy Cragg breaks a 34-year American medal drought while taking the bronze in the marathon.

2018 — Desi Linden wins the Boston Marathon in notoriously windy, cold weather, becoming the first American woman to do so since 1985. Her time was 2 hours, 39 minutes, and 54 seconds.

2019 — Dutch distance runner Sifan Hassan breaks the women’s mile world record, running 4:12.33 in her win at the Monaco Diamond League.

2019 — Kenya’s Brigid Kosgei smashes the women’s marathon to win the Chicago Marathon with a time of 2 hours 14 minutes 4 seconds.

2019 —  Maggie Guterl becomes the first woman to be the last runner standing at Big’s Backyard Ultra in Tennessee, covering 250 miles by running singular laps on a 4.16-mile loop for 60 straight hours.

2020 — Aliphine Tuliamuk, Molly Seidel, and Sally Kipyego finish 1-2-3 at the U.S. Olympic Trials Marathon in Atlanta where more than 450 women raced.

2021 – In just her third marathon, Molly Seidel earns the bronze medal in the marathon at the Tokyo Olympics — ending a 17-year American medal drought.

2021 – Courtney Dauwalter wins her second consecutive women’s title at the Ultra-Trail du Mont-Blanc 171K race in Chamonix, France, setting a new women’s course record (22:30:54) and placing seventh overall.

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Long before the novel coronavirus shut down gyms and caused the cancellation of road races, trail running was on the rise. According to the Sports & Fitness Industry Association’s , trail running numbers were up 9.4 percent from 2017, with more than 10 million participants.

“Getting on a trail is the most important way to transition to trail running,” says Megan Lizotte, U.S. trail marathon champion and founder of . “Trail running has a great, welcoming community, and I feel like any time you purposefully put yourself in nature, your senses are heightened, and it feels good for soul and body.”

But unlike other technical activities (think: skiing and mountain biking) where instructors walk you through the steps of exactly what you need to do to crush it, trail running has typically followed the similarly succinct advice of its road counterpart: Just get out there and run! You’re not likely to find a course in trail running for beginners, but that’s no reason not to start. If the reason you’ve avoided trails is because you’re not totally sure what you’re doing, it’s time to fix that. With more people discovering how fun it is to explore new places, challenge themselves in different ways, and get dirty, we wanted you to have the beta you need to hit the trail with confidence.

Trail Running for Beginners: Finding Your Form

Lizotte, who also competes on the road and is a two-time Olympic Marathon Trials qualifier, developed her appreciation for running trails by growing up in Colorado. And she sees the experience as a welcomed change of pace for the body that can benefit any runner. She uses the same foot position whether she runs on the road or trail and often does the same workouts, but she modifies her expectations about pace, because trail running is generally slower depending upon the terrain.

When it comes to your form, Lizotte, who is a running coach, recommends shortening and quickening your stride on the trail. A shorter stride allows for faster reaction time and means less time on your feet, which is less fatiguing.

Sometimes those new to trail running will complain of a sore lower back, something Lizotte says can be fixed with a more dynamic running form. “When people run with a chopping movement of their arms, they neglect movement through the mid-back,” says Lizotte.

The fix is to think about energy transfer and a fluid rotation through your mid-body. Make a light fist and run with enough rotation to allow for one arm to go back and one to send you forward, without letting hands cross the center line. It may feel exaggerated at first, but once you get the hang of it, your running form will feel more efficient while also allowing for more oxygen consumption — always a win. Make sure to keep your chin slightly tucked to prevent neck strain and increase airflow.

How to Stay Safe When You Start Trail Running

Safety is always the biggest concern that Gina Lucrezi, founder of the women’s trail-running community , hears from potential trail-goers. Her number-one piece of advice? Run with a partner or group when you can. Trail Sisters, for example, has 100 local running groups nationwide. If you can’t find a Trail Sisters group in your area, check with local running stores to see if they have groups or can recommend running partners. Lucrezi also advises following these safety tips:

• Read and heed trail descriptions when choosing your route; be realistic about your abilities and energy level, and consider starting on shorter, more popular trails.
• Let someone know where you’re going and when you expect to return.
• Be prepared before you go, by checking the weather and trail conditions and bringing food, water, and light layers.
• Stay aware of your surroundings: know who and what is around you, make eye contact with other runners, and, if you listen to music, keep one earbud out to better hear your environment.

Conquering the Climbs

According to professional trail runner — whose nickname is “Hillygoat” due to her uphill running prowess — running uphill is always challenging, but it’s a great baseline for your fitness level and will get easier the fitter you are. “If hills are hard, get a few more miles under your belt, even of flat road running,” says Allen. As a run coach with , Allen helps her clients adjust to running up by giving them confidence in the process. Use her tips here to score the same payoff.

Ease into Hill Repeats

Start by doing strides or fartlek intervals. Run fast for a bit, then run easy, and repeat for five intervals or so during a run. When that feels comfortable, take the drill to a hill (paved is fine), until you’re comfortable with longer intervals of one minute of running, alternating with one minute of jogging and longer hill repeats during a workout.

Hiking is Your Friend

Hiking is part of trail running, especially when steep climbs are involved. Sometimes, hiking may even be faster than running. Allen has her athletes pick a hill where they can progress over several days or weeks. First, power hike the hill until you’re winded. The next time, try a mix of running and walking, until you eventually progress to running up the hill, not by gritting through, but by taking as many small steps as possible.

Keep Moving

Whether you’re running or hiking, the key on hills is to not stop. Keep the same effort level when you’re climbing as you do on flatter terrain. That means your pace will slow — and that’s OK. Shorten your stride, increase your cadence, and keep going until you reach the top.

Use Landmarks

When a climb feels dauntingly long, Allen chooses a rock, branch, or some other landmark and takes a 10-step walking break after reaching it before picking up her effort to the next landmark.

Mastering the Descents

Cat Bradley, 2017 Western States Endurance Run champion, jokes that when she and Allen train together, Allen pulls Bradley up the mountain and Bradley sets the pace on the way down. She acknowledges an important point for new trail runners to remember: Running downhill can be scary. The trick, Bradley says, is to feel the fear without letting it stop you. Embrace the downhill with her following advice, practicing technique any time you’re comfortable letting go, even if that’s on smooth roads. It will help you get more comfortable while also training your body to be more efficient.

Do a Trust Fall, with Yourself

Gravity is your friend when going downhill. To prove it, stand on a rock on a technical trail and lean/fall downhill to begin moving. Gravity will show your legs the way.

Use the Trail as Your Guide

Look at obstacles, roots, and rocks on the trail as stepping spots instead of things to avoid. Follow the terrain, like flowing through a banked turn, instead of fighting it.

Make Steps Quick and Light

Focus on short, fast steps, and landing on your forefoot. You’ll activate quads and glutes, which are more stable, while also being better able to navigate loose or technical terrain. It feels counterintuitive, but heel striking and leaning back reduce reaction time and often result in falling.

Look Ahead

Much like driving, you need to look at what’s coming to properly process how to react. Fight the urge to look at your feet. Instead look about 10 feet (or two to three steps) ahead, to determine your foot strike plan as you go.

The Gear You Need to Start Trail Running

Don’t feel pressure to invest in special equipment for trail running, but, depending on how long and far you intend to go, you may need a few items you wouldn’t normally bring. For big adventures, consider wearing a hydration vest as an easy way to carry anything you might need, including safety gear like a whistle, lightweight headlamp, and an emergency blanket, so you can be ready for the unexpected.

• Phone: Even if you don’t always have service, a phone is your safety net in case you need to make an emergency call. You can also use it to take pictures of trail junctures so you can remember your route back. (Pro tip from Lucrezi: At trail junctures, turn around to take a picture of the trail behind you so that you know what it will look like when you return.)
• Food and water: Trail runs can take you to more remote spots, with no corner stores or bodegas to be had, so be sure you have and hydration you need.
• Light jacket: If you’re in the mountains or plan to head up in elevation, a jacket helps protect you from the elements and sudden weather changes. Stash it in or pack when you don’t need it.
• : This handy piece of gear can be worn on your head, used as a face mask, soaked in a stream to keep you cool, and more. Plus it’s easy to wrap around your wrist when you don’t need it.

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In a perfect world, hydration bladders would be drained, rinsed and air-dried every time you use them. In the real world, packs are taken off and tossed in the closet or backseat of your car until the next run, meaning it’s already stocked with half a bag of chews and some water the next time you grab it. Yes! While that may sound like a time-saving win, it really isn’t. Friends don’t let friends drink slimy water—the stale chews are up to you.

Those chunks in your hydration bladder? They aren’t supposed to be there. But, they happen. So does mildew, funky flavors and mold—especially if you add electrolytes or other drinks to your bladder.

Let’s start with the obvious. For best results clean and dry with every use. On the rare occasion when you don’t (we aren’t judging), try some of these proven cleaning techniques. If nasty flavors persist, or cleaning the hose is more than you want to tackle, it’s probably time to replace your reservoir. Some new models even have anti-microbial coatings!

• Dump out whatever is in your bladder and flush the hose (hold the bladder above your head, hold the hose down low and pinch the bite valve).

• Add warm water, swish, flush the hose and pour it out.

• Scrub as much of the interior as you can reach using mild soap and a sponge or scrub brush. Rinse.

• Fill with warm water and half a teaspoon of bleach and two tablespoons of baking soda. Shake, close, then let sit for 30 minutes or so.

• Dump out the cleaning solution, rinse well, flush the hose, prop the reservoir open and hang it to dry. The trick is making sure the bladder doesn’t stick together or close on itself. Try propping it open with balled-up paper towels or a metal hanger that you’ve custom bent for that purpose.

• If water from the reservoir still tastes unpleasant, repeat the process as indicated. You can also add some lemon juice to the cleaning solution.

• If it’s too humid for your bladder to dry out between uses, storing it in the freezer between outings can help to prevent mildew growth.

• Other options are to fill it about 2/3 with warm water and add one denture-cleaning or for each liter of water. Let it soak until the tablets have finished working and rinse.

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Just a few weeks after placing third in her first marathon at the age of 22, Núria Picas shattered her lower left leg in a climbing accident on Montserrat in Spain and was told she would never run again. Not one to accept limitations, the diehard mountain lover focused her recovery efforts on adventure racing and becoming a fire fighter. And in 2010, she earned a spot on the Catalan National Mountain Trail Team, winning her first in 2012. 

A mom of two boys, the Berga, Spain, resident has been winning the world’s top trail races ever since, including (2014, 2015) in Spain, Japan’s (2014), (2012, 2013, 2014) in France, and the Ultra Cavalls del Vent (2011, 2012, 2013) in Spain. She’s also finished second at the famed , twice. This week Picas heads to Andorra to run the 42.5K  as a tune up race for her ultimate goal—finishing at the top of the podium at UTMB in August.  

TRAINING SQUARED: I train using two sports in the summer, running and road biking, and two sports in the winter, running and ski mountaineering. I also have two trainers, one who creates gym specific sessions and another for outdoor sessions.

STOKE METER: I’m motivated to train all year because I love what I do. Perseverance and consistency are important. But I think excitement and effort are more important.

TICK TOCK: I train by time not by distance. I don’t use a heart rate monitor and will train anywhere from 15-22 hours a week. I’ve been doing this many years and know my body well. 

MOM POWER: My children are an important source of motivation. Thinking about them helps me overcome the bad moments in races. 

ALL IN: My biggest challenge is to give my best, my 100-percent. If in a race or practice I don’t achieve the desired position but have given everything I could, I’m satisfied. I like to arrive at races knowing I’ve done the training work. If I don’t, I’m not happy. Not training is like hurting myself. 

SPANISH DIET: In my country we are lucky to have the Mediterranean diet, rich in fruits, vegetables and olive oil. My favorite food is bread with tomato. It’s a typical Spanish meal. I eat meat and fish and try to avoid saturated fats. I take care of myself. However, I love dark chocolate and I can’t resist a beer every now and then. 

SIX TO ONE: I train six days a week. I think that the day off is the most important day of all, because it’s when the body assimilates all the training from the week, and it’s when the brain disconnects. It’s like getting energy back to start again strong and motivated. I use my day off to write, read, and spend more time with my family and friends.

RELAX: It’s no secret that getting enough sleep, eating properly and doing stretching sessions is essential to recovery. Most important of all, I think, is to have a life without stress. 

SELF-SPEAK: “Pain only lasts a moment and glory is forever.” That’s my mantra. I also remind myself repeatedly that the effort is worth it. In this life you have to fight and suffer to achieve what you desire. And, most of the time, without pain there’s no gain.

HEALING: After my climbing accident, it took seven years before I was able to run without pain. Eventually I started competing in local races and was reborn as a runner. My life was returned to me. Now I’ve won two World Championships and many different ultra races on five continents. That accident made me stronger mentally and physically. 

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Us runners, with our sometimes funny-sounding vocabulary, can come off as quirky. That’s just the way it is.

Fartlek, chafing, sandbagger … these are a few of those terms that may not remind non-runners of running. So if you’re new to the sport or just need to brush up on your runnerspeak, here are a few words you should know.

Bandit
Those runners who rob a race for the experience without permission (or payment). This is run-illegal, especially by us paying customers who forked over $100-plus to participate—if you Photoshop race bibs and post your photo on Instagram, you will get caught!

Bonk/Hitting the Wall
Scientifically speaking, you’ve depleted your muscle glycogen stores—aka, you’re out of gas. How that looks runner to runner varies, but may include tears, desperation, a zombie-like trance and an almost uncontrollable urge to take a bag of Cheerios from a random toddler because you NEED FOOD.

Carbo-loading
When a runner scarfs mounds of pasta, bread and other sources of energy leading up to a big race. This gives your prepping muscles the proper glycogen oomph they need for maximum awesomeness the next day.

Chafing
When evil fabric rubs you the wrong way and causes a hyper-friction reaction in the form of painful scab-like skin markings in uncomfortable areas. Common culprits include inner thighs, armpits and, yes, nipples.

Drafting
Letting another runner do all the work. A race strategy where you tuck behind another runner and allow them to suck and block the wind while you cruise through the miles, waiting for the perfect moment to break free.

Fartlek
Go ahead and laugh now, it’s a funny word. And, as far as speed drills go, these are fun to do. Once you are into your run, add short, variable speed burst to your workout and then return to your normal pace. Time, distance, speed and how many are up to you.

Front Runner
This is the person at the front of the race pack. Some of us only see them on out-and-back courses or if we spectate a race instead of run it.

Hypoxic
You know when you are so excited to go for a run that you start out too fast and within the first minute, you’re short of breath and thinking, “What’s wrong? This hurts! Why can’t I breathe?”—chances are you’re hypoxic. Basically your lungs aren’t yet keeping up with your heart and you don’t have enough oxygen pumping through your system. Back off the pace until you warm up and catch your breath.

Intervals/Repeats
For this type of training, short, fast bursts—usually in the 200 to 800 meter range—are alternated with slower running intervals. They can leave you prone to despair and saying evil things about your coach, but they are very effective for building speed and fitness.

Maximalist
This category refers to shoes with supreme amounts of underfoot cushion. Hoka One One set the standard, but many other brands are now introducing shoe models with a cushy ride. Thanks to new foam technologies, streamlined uppers and lower heel-to-toe drops, cushion doesn’t mean clunky.

Minimalist
Minimalist shoes are generally very lightweight, have a low heel-to-toe drop (usually somewhere between 0 to 6mm), little support or structure, flexible uppers and less underfoot cushion than a standard running shoe. Proponents of minimalist shoes tout increased ground feel and more natural foot movement.

Overpronation
A word uttered on the regular at specialty running stores. Pronation describes the normal rotational motion of the outside heel making contact with the ground first, then the foot rolls inward, leaving your big piggie with most of the push-off grunt work at the end of a gait cycle. Overpronation is when this rolling is excessive, compromising your gait and putting joints all along the chain at risk. The line between pronation and overpronation is different for every runner and usually has more to do with hip strength than shoes.

Negative splits
A totally positive goal during a race. When you’ve chipped seconds off each mile during a race, resulting in slower-to-faster mile splits from start to finish, you’ve entered the subzero category.

Sandbagger
A person who publicly downplays their training, bashes their (often new) gear, questions their physical ability and then proceeds to push the pace on a group run or smoke a race. Sandbagging is not to be confused with being humble.

Singletrack
For single-file trail running. This type of trail is not wide enough for any misstep, so two-way traffic is out of the question. Please step aside.

Strides
These are mid- or post-run accelerations to build speed. Once you’re warmed up, push your pace to a hard effort for 50 to 150 meters, then slow and take a walking rest before repeating. Think of it as a drill to replicate the people in races who speed up to pass and then slow down right in front of you.

Taper
The period in which a runner is cutting back on training and mileage to rest before race day. Mimicking a temper tantrum, a “taper tantrum” refers to the often-negative side effects of lessening mileage after months of heavy running.

Common Acronyms

PR: Personal record, your speediest time at any given distance
PB: Personal best, not peanut butter
CR: Course record, fastest time run on that course
NR: National record, fastest time in the country run at any given distance
WR: World record, fastest time in the world run at any given distance
DFL: Dead freaking last, an unofficial race place and point of pride among back-runners
ITB: Iliotibial band, that pesky fascia band from your hip to the knee
MUT: Mountain/ultra/trail, a type of crazy runner
DOMS: Delayed onset muscle soreness, an epidemic among long-distance runners
DNF: Did not finish, the label slapped on your results when you do not cross the finish line
LSD: Long, slow distance, not the drug (sorry)
BQ: Boston qualifier, any marathon that’s certified to award you a ticket to the coveted Boston Marathon based on your time

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