From Pavement to Dirt: How to Train for Your First 10-Mile Trail Race

Every year, I hear some version of this:

“I’ve been thinking about trying a trail race… I’m just not sure how to train for it.”

Let me start with this. I’m not a running coach. I’m a runner, and I’m a race director. I’ve stood at enough starting lines and watched enough finish lines to see where runners get surprised and where they end up smiling.

Trail running is not just slower road running.

It feels different. It demands different things. And that difference is exactly why many runners end up loving it.

If you’ve been eyeing something like the Trout Brook 10 Miler or the In Yan Teopa 5 & 10 Miler, here are a few things worth keeping in mind.

The first surprise usually comes from your watch.

On the road, pace can become part of your identity. You know your splits. You know what a “good” mile looks like. On trails, that number shifts. Hills, turns, footing, and terrain all change the math. A pace that feels comfortable on pavement might show up a minute slower on dirt.

That does not mean you are less fit. It just means you are running on something that moves back.

I have seen strong runners burn too much energy early by trying to apply road pace to trail terrain. The runners who settle into a steady effort almost always finish stronger. Some people use heart rate. Some go by feel. Some just learn to breathe steadily and let the trail set the rhythm.

Hills are part of the story, too. Most trail 10-milers roll. They climb and descend in ways that roads often do not. It is worth spending some time getting comfortable going uphill without fighting it. Shorter strides. Steady cadence. And yes, sometimes hiking. There is no shame in that. It is a strategy, not a weakness.

The downhills surprise people even more. They feel free and fast early on. Later in the race, your quads might disagree. A little practice running downhill with control can make a big difference. Quick steps. Relaxed shoulders. Let gravity help you without letting it take over.

Strength matters more than many road runners expect. Uneven terrain asks more from your hips and core. When someone fades late in a trail race, it is often not their lungs giving out. It is something small and stabilizing, but it gets tired. You do not need a complicated plan. But exploring lunges, single-leg balance work, or basic core stability can go a long way toward building durability rather than fragility.

There is also the mental shift.

Road races often feel competitive from the gun. Trail races feel more exploratory. There is space. There is quiet. You are not boxed into tight packs chasing splits. You find your rhythm. You choose your effort. You look up more.

That shift alone is why many runners who try one trail race end up signing up for another.

A 10-mile trail race is a strong entry point into that world. It is long enough to stretch you. Short enough to recover from. Big enough to feel proud of when you cross the line.

If you have been curious, you do not need to reinvent your training. You just need to adjust your expectations and be open to learning something new about yourself.

You might find that stepping off the pavement changes more than your pace.

If you want to see what is coming up, take a look at the races listed in the navigation above. One of them might be your first step onto dirt.