There are minimalists on the trails. Those that run with the basic necessities opting to forego iPods, GPS recording units, cell phones, heart rate monitors, and other high tech gadgets. Some minimalists forego not only the high tech gear, but also fluids and adequate energy replacement. For long runs (those lasting upwards of one hour or more) it makes good sense to think of safety and plan for your run in terms of proper hydration, fuel, apparel appropriate for conditions – what they are and what they may become – partnering up for the run, or at the very least letting someone know where you plan to go and when you plan to return.
But, isn’t part of the trail running experience the simplicity of the journey? Let’s consider headphones, an issue that USATF, the national governing body for the sport of long distance running, has debated – most recently at their annual meeting – is whether to allow or disallow headphones. What transpired in USATF meetings was this: for competitors in USATF National Championship events…no headphones. End of statement. USATF will host three national trail championships on July 31, the USA 15km Trail Championships in Spokane, Wash., the USA 50mile Trail Championships in White River, Wash., and the USA 100mile Trail Championships at Burning River, Ohio. Anyone wearing headphones in the championship division will be disqualified. Fortunately, runners know this rule in advance and can opt to either enter the USATF Championships division, or run in the open division provided the event still allows headphones in the non-championships division. Many of the USATF championship events are not only banning the use of headphones in the championships division, but in every division.
Beyond the headphone controversy, and more in the vein of sheer simplicity, I heard from a friend of mine who is well-versed in our sport and in most every respect, a truly minimalist runner. He says, “I don't know where we got from the point where everyone puts shoes, shorts, jersey on, pulls the trigger and tries to get to the finish line quickest to absolutely HAVING to have gadgets. One of my athletes asked me about compression socks the other day and what I thought of them. I said, ‘Back in the 1970s a guy named Barney Klecker ran 4:50 for 50 miles (that's sub-6 minute pace average). He wore shoes, socks, jock, shorts, jersey. He didn't have a Walkman. He didn't have glasses, he didn't have compression socks, protein mix, energy gel, tablets, special formulas, etc. He ran it because he had trained hard and raced hard. When someone runs faster than he did, I will consider using what they used to break his performance. Till (sic) then, I'm going with what worked for Klecker, Jim Ryun, Prefontaine, Salazar. That includes working out hard, racing hard, and trying to live as close to right as I can.’”
Are you a high tech trail runner, or a minimalist?
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