Compulsory Kit

Time to get planning for safe winter running. If you have participated in a professionally organised trail running event with a compulsory kit list, then you will have been faced with the “waterproof jacket” requirement and the resulting debate on which one deserves your hard-earned cash. They aren’t cheap, but for good reason.

There has been a lot of chat about compulsory kit lately. In our quest as trail runners to be as light and fast as we can possibly be, it is always worth remembering that the mountains and unpredictable weather have the final say.

Winter on the trails will result in added exposure to the elements, and weather conditions can change rapidly. Hypothermia is a scary word bandied about regularly by mountain runners and race directors, but would you know how to spot it, or treat it, if you or a member of your crew showed the signs?

Essentially, hypothermia is caused by a combination of cold and fatigue. Long periods of time in low temperatures with insufficient protection against wind, cold or rain can be deadly. Your core body temperature drops rapidly when you slow or stop, even for a brief while.

First in a series of “know when to panic!” advice pieces. You carry all your compulsory kit, but do you know how and when to use it? We aren’t always able to keep our feet rubber side down, so here is some advice on what to do when… well, when there is blood. How to handle your own, or a fellow runners’ abrasions, gashes, punctures, scrapes, skinned knees and dramatic face plants on the trails.

If you have participated in a professionally organised trail running event with a compulsory kit list, then you will have been faced with the “waterproof jacket” requirement and the resulting debate on which one deserves your hard-earned cash. They aren’t cheap, but for good reason.