ATRA’s theme this year is Better Together and with this in mind, Ana McCabe wrote a piece focused on trail running and the environment. Her article also features pro trail runner and environmental advocate Grayson Murphy who shares tips on how to tread lightly on and off the trails. Featured photo courtesy Saucony.
As trail runners, the more time we spend outside exploring the natural world through movement, the more inclined we are to care for the places we love. There is a unique mutual relationship between runner and environment, where both sides impact one another.
Although environmental health and the issues of climate change can seem like an overwhelming challenge to overcome, there are many small actions we can incorporate into our daily lives to tread a little more lightly while on the trails and off.
Trail running in Rocky Mountain National Park. Photo: Peter Maksimow
Green exercise
Trail running is a uniquely meditative experience, leaving one feeling physically drained but mentally refreshed. The term “green exercise” explains why many people prefer to build muscle and increase endurance outside rather than indoors on a treadmill. A review from the National Library of Medicine supports this concept.
The connection trail runners have with the land goes beyond where their footsteps fall. There is a deep, innate, and emotional pull trail runners feel towards nature. This relationship can blossom in anyone who spends a significant amount of time outside, especially in areas with high biodiversity and little human interaction.
Love of nature
Experienced professionals and recreational trail runners alike share a love of the outdoors. Grayson Murphy, pro runner for Saucony on the roads, track, and trail, as well as the 2019 and 2023 World Mountain Running Champion, is a strong environmental advocate. She graduated from the University of Utah with a degree in Civil Engineering and is currently pursuing a Masters of Sustainable Natural Resources from Oregon State University. Her dream job is to one day design environmentally friendly trail systems.
Grayson Murphy at the 2023 USATF Mountain Running Championships
Sunapee, NH; April 30. (c) Mike Scott 2023.
Murphy instantly fell in love with the trail running community at her first trail race in 2019. “I just had a blast,” she said. “It was the most fun racing I have ever done. It was a mountain race so it was only 7 miles, pretty steep and lots of technical terrain. I just thought, ‘this is so cool. I love this.’” Just months after her first trail race, Murphy became the US National Mountain Running Champion, and a month later, the World Champion.
Murphy’s early but already successful trail running career has further deepened her connection with nature. “I just like being on dirt and in nature,” she said. “I feel like it’s a pretty spiritual experience. I don’t get that same feeling when I’m running on the track or the road.”
Trail runners as environmentalists
The free-spirited, down-to-earth qualities of trail runners are what draw Murphy to this diverse community of athletes. “I really like the type of people it attracts,” she said. “I really like how similar personalities tend to be a little more easy-going, environmentally conscious, a little more of a multi-athlete. If they are trail runners, they usually ski and bike too, and do other things.”
Labeling trail runners as environmentalists may not be far from the truth. With hours spent immersed in the outdoors, trail runners are more cognizant of the impact they have on their environment. An article by the Mental Health Foundation points out, “A strong connection with nature means feeling a close relationship or an emotional attachment to our natural surroundings.” The intimate interaction between trail runners and the earth increases their awareness of how they directly impact the environment and deepens their desire to reduce their environmental footprint.
ATRA president Adam Chase in his natural environment.
The relationship between outdoor athletes and the natural environment can be mutually beneficial. The positive emotions experienced from time spent in nature, such as peace, joy, creativity, and increased concentration, causes outdoor enthusiasts to be more attuned to the needs of the environment.
Murphy full-heartedly believes there is an interconnected relationship between runner and trail. “You are at a nexus point where you are interfacing directly with nature, and when you are confronted with it a lot, you tend to start to care more about it,” she said. “But you are also more confronted with changes.”
Trail runners encounter first-hand how their actions and choices impact the places where they frequently explore. The trail running community not only feels the obligation and responsibility for the upkeep of trails, but also the innate inclination to care for areas where they do what they love. “I do want to protect it more when I am a user of the space,” Murphy said.
Tips on the trails
To mitigate her environmental impact, Murphy shares tips she incorporates into her training to decrease her environmental footprint while out on the trails.
One of Murphy’s biggest pieces of advice is also one of the most simple. Don’t be afraid to use the trails. “A good way to become a good steward is to love a place, because then you want to protect what you love,” Murphy said. She cautions to be aware of your surroundings as you embark on a trail run. Stay off muddy or unstable trails to prevent further erosion. Pick up and store trash in your pack to throw away when done with your run.
Storage pockets can be found in the Nathan Pinnacle Featherlite hydration pack.
Trash comes in all forms. As the saying goes, one runner’s trash is another runner’s treasure. Endurance runners consistently swap out old running shoes with new ones in order to prevent injury. While this is a necessary aspect of the sport, reducing the amount of waste by recycling your running shoes can lessen the environmental impact. Many running stores take in old running shoes to recycle. There are also various organizations, such as Soles4Souls or One World Running, that donate used running shoes to communities in need.
It is no surprise participating in local races helps reduce the energy and CO2 emissions caused by travel. However, Murphy understands this can sometimes be challenging. “I do local races too, but I also race internationally,” she said. “That is partly because I have to for my job. This is tough to rectify in my head because air travel is quite a CO2 heavy activity.” A blend of local and national trail races may be the most sustainable choice for your running endeavors.
Murphy believes sustainability isn’t about changing every part of your life, but doing what you can while still caring for yourself. “It’s a balance,” she said. “You want to help the world but you also want to live your life in a relatively happy way and be ok with that. If it overwhelms you, just do what you can. It’s better than doing nothing.”
Tips off the trails
Like running, being a sustainable athlete does not end as soon as you step off the trails. An overall green lifestyle is just as important as what you do on the trails when considering environmental health.
Reusable bags are perfect for grocery shopping.
Simple actions such as using your own grocery bags when shopping or consciously reducing your greenhouse gas emissions are small ways to transition towards more sustainable daily habits. Murphy dedicates one day each week where she abstains from driving her car, or combines multiple trips into one to decrease the amount of times she drives in a day.
Murphy suggests supporting the local economy by purchasing produce at farmers markets or subscribing to a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) farm to reduce food transportation. She suggests ButcherBox as a sustainable alternative to buying meat and enjoys fresh local game from her finance’s hunting season excursions.
Murphy emphasizes the best way to protect the trails is to advocate for environmental health on a political level. Individual sustainably-focused actions are important habits to develop, but when we combine our efforts to become a more green-conscious nation, these goals are more attainable.
“The most powerful thing you can do is vote for people that are environmentally minded,” Murphy said. “You can save all the plastic bags you want, but if you can’t get change from the top down I don’t know if it is going to be enough.”
About Ana McCabe
Ana is a recent graduate from Augustana University in Sioux Falls, SD, with degrees in environmental studies and journalism. As a competitive distance runner, she connects her passions for running, writing, and environmental advocacy to contribute to creating a more sustainable running community. Ana considers herself an amateur coffee connoisseur and enjoys sharing runner-approved, environmentally friendly recipes on her food instagram, foodalicious_yum.
Editor’s Note: Click here to read Ana McCabe’s article featuring organizations that support trails.
