Mud. Some runners love it. Some runners hate it. Either way, there’s no escaping the fact that mud is one of the toughest of terrains to run through. Whether it’s on the trails, the mountains or the fells, mud – especially the thick, gloopy kind – can quickly sap energy from your legs. To stay upright and continue to move as fast as possible you need running shoes with aggressive grip, but what other tips do you need to know for beating the mud? It’s time to play dirty…
1. GET SQUATTING
To be strong in squelchy conditions, you should get to the bottom of it. You need a bigger, rounder and firmer backside. Strength work can make a significant difference to your running and key improvements can be made from just a few minutes a day. Lunges and squats are your friends. The strength you’ll gain will benefit your uphill running too, help with injury prevention and technique, as well as helping with stability when the terrain is slapstick slippery. Get squatting!
2. SHORTEN YOUR STRIDE
On muddy sections, alter your stride length to land closer to your hips and on your forefoot to engage more tread. By shortening your stride and increasing your cadence (steps per minute) you can maintain speed without sacrificing stability. Visualize short fast strides as if running on hot coals. As soon as you’re through the mud revert to your normal running stride.
3. PRACTICE, PRACTICE, PRACTICE
It sounds obvious, but practice makes perfect. Many runners neglect to practice running through mud and then find it really tough on race day. When training, make sure you practice at both easy pace and race pace. This will allow you to learn a lot about how best to handle the mud. Remember there are different types of mud too – be that thick, watery, sticky – so try and hunt out as many different kinds while out on your training runs.
4. BUILD STRONG CALF MUSCLES
Strong calf muscles will not only help you sprint up a hill quick, but they will also help you to propel yourself fast forward on a muddy trail. So, if you want to be a mud master, get hard on yourself, and do your calf training. Do 3 sets of 15 standing calf raises each morning and evening…. this will help you beat the mud!
5. EMBRACE THE MUD
Get a new pair of shoes as filthy as possible, as soon as possible! Allow yourself a brief, five-minute fling with them. First take a picture so you can remind yourself of what they used to look like. Admire their beauty, caress their immaculate uppers and run your fingers tenderly over the lugs whilst you upload your photo to Instagram and choose an appropriate filter. Then, once this short but very beautiful affair is over, go for a run and jump in the biggest, deepest, smelliest puddle of mud you can find. That way you’ll save yourself the heartbreak of becoming emotionally attached and you can allow yourself to enjoy them for the real reason you bought them – for their comfort and grip, not just the way they look.
6. PICK THE BEST LINES
Get your running partner to run in front when you get to a muddy patch (best to allow this to happen in a subtle fashion rather than being too obvious), and then avoid the sections where they sunk particularly deep!
7. REDISCOVER YOUR INNER CHILD
You can’t get away from it, mud is part and parcel of off-road running, so rather than moan about it, embrace it. It’s amazing how many people are defeated by the thought of mud before they even start. For them it becomes a never-ending slog. Get over it, get on with it and enjoy it! Remember the free abandonment of being a kid when getting muddy was fun? Recall this freedom and go full bore with a positive mindset. Who cares if you get dirty or even face-plant? It will put a smile on your face!
8. DON'T WEAR WHITE SOCKS
Before you start your run, think of the aftermath. White running socks will never be white again! Muddy legs and feet aren’t great for your car interior or the carpets in the house either, so always pack spare clothes and shoes to change in too. Or go full ‘play dirty’ and care less for the car/house and accept the shower is going to get filthy instead.
9. INSTEAD CONSIDER NEOPRENE SOCKS
When it comes to running on muddy trails, especially on the wettest or coldest of winter days, you might want to protect your toes more than usual. Warm feet make for much happier running than cold feet. Try neoprene socks as these beat the cold and the wet mud… plus they protect from getting sand or debris in between your toes.
10. CLEAN YOUR MUDDY RUNNING SHOES
It’s a question we get asked a lot. How best to clean muddy running shoes? First remove the footbed. Then, using cold water, hand-wash or rinse your shoes both inside and out. Stuff them with newspaper to help the shoes keep their shape. Allow them to dry naturally with the footbed still removed. Do not force dry as this can damage the uppers and midsole.
From MUDROC to MUDCLAW and X-TALON, our running shoes have ruled the mud for two decades. Now – using all that expertise amassed over an incredible 20-year journey – we’ve designed the ultimate fast-feel shoe for muddy running, the MUDTALON SPEED, and its more cushioned sibling, the MUDTALON. With exciting new enhancements in grip, cushioning, protection, durability, shape and fit, this new breed of beast is ready to meet the next generation needs of runners who like to play dirty on fells, hills, mountains and trails.
Want a running shoe with more trail versatility but still bites through the mud too? Try the TRAILTALON SPEED and TRAILTALON. These have 6mm long outsole lugs compared to the 8mm lugs on the MUDTALON SPEED and MUDTALON.
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