Run Dirty

At Rough-Fit, we often find ourselves yelling to people as they run by to "get on the dirt!" So we asked ourselves why?

We figured it's because many runners don't know the difference between dirt, asphalt and concrete, so they choose the smoothest surface available. Well, we all know knowledge is power, so here is the lowdown on why you should run on the dirt.

First we must understand that running is essentially a series of collisions between your foot and the surface you are running on. This impact sends a shock wave through your body, and your tendons, ligaments and muscles compress to absorb the impact and act like a spring to send you forward. Over the course of a marathon, you will have over 30,000 collisions.

Research has shown that a force equal to five times body weight can travel up the legs when running is carried out on very hard materials, and that this force drops to less than twice body weight on very compliant surfaces ('The Influence of Track Compliance on Running,' Journal of Biomechanics, vol. 12, pp. 893-904, 1979)

Concrete is the hardest surface, and some sources say it is up to 10x harder than even asphalt!

The softest, and least impactual surfaces that we see around town are grass and dirt trails. Using these softer surfaces not only reduce impact on the body, thereby decreasing the risk of overuse injury, but they also force your muscles to work harder, making you a stronger runner and burning extra calories.

Dirt trails are also a usually a sign that you are headed somewhere picturesque and inspirational, so when given the option, take the dirty road!