Trail preparation: white trails

The white trail or snow trail is another effort, another challenge, another mountain.

It is the grayery of changing its habits and discovering nature in a different light, the fun side of running in the snow ...

But it is also, specific difficulties that should be well anticipated and preparing, even for a well -trained runner.

Here is everything you need to know to properly prepare your 1st white trail.

Anticipate the difficulties specific to white trail

The supports: they are unstable on slippery surfaces, with a masked relief by snow and less intensely lit.

Fatigue: it arrives faster because of the cold and the difficulty of progressing in the snow, added to a little stress caused by the fear of falling ...

Hydration: it deserves special attention because the dry and cold air dries up quickly, while the body feels less the need to drink than in summer. There is also the problem of the cold temperature of food and drinks.

The outfit must be well managed during the effort, protecting its ends from the risk of frostbite linked to vasoconstriction.

What physical preparation?

Obviously: training to run on snow , as much as possible!
In the snow, you have to lift the knees more and adopt a shorter stride, so as not to go up too quickly in heart rate.
In the race, take more time than usual to be perfectly heated, and to properly adapt the stride to the situation of the moment.

Train to run at the front lamp , to adjust your lamp well, know where to look and read the relief under this lighting.

In general physical preparation (PPG), working the ischios: indeed running in the snow is like running in the sand, there is no rebound. The muscular power requested to propel itself is therefore greater, added to the energy necessary to find its balance on unstable supports.

Also work on proprioception to improve your support (work on board).

Without forgetting that an organic and medical check up is never useless!

Nutrition and hydration

Increase the frequency of sockets compared to its usual needs, because fatigue and dehydration come faster. Drink before the feeling of thirst, and even to warm up, in small sips.

Increase the share of slow carbohydrates in the power to keep the glycogen stock high, because the thrill consumes a lot of carbohydrates.

Protect your drinks or gels: too cold, not only are they difficult to ingest, but they can also cause dental pain or in the belly.

A few little tips well known to trailers:
- Leaving with warm
- Place a hand heating in a waterproof bag in your can
- use a saline drink, to the point of jelly lower than water
- protect its hydration under a layer of Clothing
- Wrap the tube and pacifier in neoprene
- if it is very cold, favor solid foods easier to ingest.

 The equipment

Waterproof with high cloning trail shoes (4-6 mm), which can be completed by tips or chains, and waterproof gaiters.

Three layers for the outfit: a thermal layer near the body, an insulating and hot layer, and a windbreaker or a waterproof jacket for warm-up and the after-cours.
In the race, you have to know how to undress according to the intensity of the effort to avoid significant sweating, allow the evacuation of sweat and thus escape dehydration and cooling.

The sticks, if authorized and useful, will be the same as in summer trail and will be just equipped with a wide washer for better lift on snow.

Light gloves and a hat.

Without forgetting, some light safety equipment: whistle and survival coverage at least, also to adapt according to the race regulations.

The 2024 white trails agenda around Cauterets is updated on this site.

Do not hesitate to stay at the chalet the source to prepare or practice your shopping.

Good white trails ... and don't get cold!