Valley Women's Running Team
vwrt.org
Palmer, AK 99645
Thursday Night Trail Runs
Announcement:
Trail Run
August 25 - Crevasse Moraine
Meet at the trail head at 6:00. From now until the darkness or crummy weather permits, we will be meeting every Thursday at 6pm. Trail runs will not be led; be prepared to run by yourself, or better yet, bring a buddy or two!!
Join Us!
Thursday Nights are a great time to get to know your fellow members on VWRT, not to mention area trails. Favorites include Crevasse Moraine, Gold Mint, Kepler Bradley, Lazy Mountain, Marmont Ridge, Eklutna Lake, Twin Peaks, Beach Lake, Independence Mine, and more. Thursday Night Trail Runs will be coordinated this year by various volunteers. Stay tuned for Trail Night locations!
Borough Parking Pass required at the following trails:
Lazy Mountain
New Butte
Crevasse Moraine
(Annual pass may be purchased at the Borough Building for $30 or a daily fee of $3 may be paid at the trailhead.)
State Parking Pass required at the following trails (or $5 fee can be paid at trailhead):
Kepler Bradley
All Hatcher Pass Traiheads
Eklutna
(State Parking Pass can be purchased at the Finger Lake State Parks Office. Directions: From Bogard and Trunk, head up Bogard towards Wasilla .7 of a mile. Turn left at top of hill (no street sign) brown sign on right says Finger Lake, then take the first right to a gate and building. Cost is 1 for 40, 2 for 60. Hours are: 8-4:30 p.m. closed from 12 to 1, M-F)
Trail Night Schedule
August 25:
Traci at trb@mlfaalaska.com if you have questions.
If you are new to trail running, see the articles posted below for good information.
Trail Map information below
New! Member created routes. Below you will find the first of (hopefully) several long-run routes.
You can also access the Matanuska Greenbelt website here by clicking this link: Trail Map. Then look at the right-hand menu and click on MatGreenbelt 1.1 to see a great map of the trails.
Trail Running
The following article and links provide insightful information and tips on trail running.
"Trail Running: Off the Beaten Path"
Trail running is a great compliment to your road training. It conditions many muscles and connective tissues that aren't used on the roads. Because of the diagonal movements, your inner thighs (adductors) and your outer thighs (abductors and hip flexors) will get lateral conditioning that will also aid you if you play court sports. You will also use your abdominal muscles and lower back muscles more, which will enable you to pick your legs up higher. A stable torso, strong ankles, good posture and steady balance are all keys to moving safely across uneven terrain. You'll learn to adjust your foot plant when going over stones and twigs. By shortening your stride length, as you do during uphill running, and by bending your knees more when you land, you'll reduce the impact on your joints. Imagine that you are running up and down stairs (tip-toeing) where the stair heights and depths are unequal and the steps are loose.
Keep in mind that your pace will most likely be slower than your road pace at the same heart rate intensity. Don't worry about the pace and just run by how you are feeling. This is called RPE or Rating of Perceived Exertion. On a scale of one to 10, choose the number that best describes how you feel. In other words, if you feel that you are running at 80% of your maximum, your RPE number would be eight. You can then adjust your pace according to how you feel.
In addition to the physical conditioning that trail running brings, your mental focus and other senses will also improve. Your peripheral vision and foot-eye coordination will benefit. By moving fluidly in concert with the landscape, you'll enjoy the change of scenery and quiet time away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life. Your lungs will benefit, too, by a cooler and better air quality. It is important to remember that because you must pay closer attention to where you are going and stepping, headphones should not be worn.
If you are going to hit the trails somewhat frequently, you may want to invest in trail running shoes. These shoes give greater support and stability than road running shoes because of the special outsole tread patterns that increase traction. And they are more durable and sometimes waterproof to accommodate running through hilly, wet and muddy terrain.
by Mindy Solkin
vwrt.org
Palmer, AK 99645
