Defining "Trail Running"

[zippetydude]

Does anybody else out there define "trail running" as loosely as I do?

For example, I think of running a 5k, or 10k, or any road race for that matter, as running pretty much the whole time.

On the other hand, when I do Skyline, I consider it "trailrunning" if I run a "reasonable" amount of time. To be fair:

I can't run the really steep uphill parts because I'll run out of air and die.
I can't run the really steep downhill parts, because I'll trip, crash and die.

Yes, that's pretty much the whole trail, but it's still trailrunning because I run at least two consecutive steps somewhere along the trail. Kind of a loose, working definition.

z

[Perry]

Skyline is borderline "speedclimbing" on some steep sections. Mt. Hood on the upper sections is a speedclimb even for the best runners. I think the main difference between hiking and "trail running" is the emphasis on aerobic training, whether you compete in races or just enjoy the adrenaline and endorphine rush. Hiking is more about relaxing.