This post contains affiliate links.
I live in a city however I love trail and outdoor running. So typically I run in all different kinds of environments. Many of my runs generally start on concrete before I decide to head out of the city and I end up on grass. Today I found myself wondering, which kind of terrain is best for me?
As a general rule, it is better to run on grass rather than concrete. Whilst concrete is hard and offers some bounce back for your feet, grass is softer and helps runners to work harder and build up their strength.
What Runners think
Forgetting the general rule for a second, I wanted to know what other runners believed was the best surface to run on. To find out, I went online and quizzed 289 of them. The results are in.
| Surface | Votes |
| Grass | 178 (61.6% |
| Concrete | 111 (38.4%) |
It’s good to see that so many runners agree with the advice. That being the case there’s still a fair number of runners who prefer to run on concrete. Some of the runners I quizzed had this to say:
“Grass has too many dips and bumps that you can’t really see, it’s too easy to roll an ankle. I voted concrete because it’s easier to spot any trip hazards.
Plus, there’s an abundance of streets, sidewalks, and trails to run on. There aren’t a lot of grassy areas that aren’t overgrown and that aren’t private property where you can run any meaningful distances.”
87880917
·
“I suppose I’m lucky, we have cricket and sports pitches available in most villages and towns around me – but if you can find trails, farm tracks etc or mix it up, then you’d reduce the impact on your body.
Still, if its what you’ve got, it’s still exercise!”
Capt_Darling8
“Grass is definitively better than concrete in all but 2 areas.
Races.
Where the grass has holes(rabbit holes etc)
The impact of concrete on your body is worse than asphalt, compact trails, grass or treadmills and prolonged hard running could cause stress induced injuries.”
Capt_Darling8
Running On Grass
Wondering if it’s ok to run on grass? Check out these pros and cons.
Pros
Less Impact
Grass offers a much softer landing than harder surfaces like concrete. A study carried out by the journal of Sports Sciences looked at the differences in foot pressure when running on four different surfaces, asphalt, concrete, rubber and grass. The study found that the maximum pressure the foot recieves when running on grass is around 9.3 to 16.6% less than any of the other surfaces.
Can Make You Work Harder
Generally speaking, you’re going to run slower when running on grass. This might sound like a bad thing but the reason your running slow is because your body is being pushed to work harder. Because your foot sinks deeper into the ground than when you’re running on concrete, you need to exert more strength when transitioning from one foot to the other, If you’re looking to build strength and resillience from your run, heading for the grass is a good idea. This can be seen within this study where it was found that runners had longer contact time on grass compared to concrete.
More Adventures
This is more of an opinion than a fact. I love trail running. The oppurtunity to get out in nature is a big part of running for me. For this reason, I generally find that when I’m running I’m either on a trail or some grass. It turns out, I’m not the only one who enjoys running out in nature. A survey carried out by Google found that around 88% of runners who had tried trail running agreed that it improved their mental health.
Hey, if you’re interested in improving your ability to running on grass, check out these amazing running spikes that are perfect for improving grip and traction. You can also find more information about running spikes within this article I wrote.
Cons
Allergies
Unfortunately, allergies to grass are one of the most common kinds in the world. According to NARF, as many as 16 million people (1 in 4) are allergic to grass in the UK. Typically, allergies to grass often mean suffering from a runy nose and sneezing. If you plan on running on grass for a long period of time, this can easily be enough to throw you off.
Slippery
Grass can change depending on weather conditions. The best time to run on grass is usually during the summer providing you don’t have any allergies. This is because the ground is usually firm. However, if you’re running on grass in the wetter months, the ground can get very slippery and runny, making it much harder for a runner to keep their feet in place and transition from one step to another with ease.
Different shoes
It’s not necessarily a con. But if you want to run on grass properly, it’s best to do so with a pair of trail running shoes like these ones. A standard pair of running shoes are usually designed for running on concrete surfaces such as the road whereas grass is much more suited to trail running shoes because it requires extra protection around the feet as well as lugs or spikes to help provide extra grip. Hey if you want to learn more about trail running shoes, check out this article I wrote.
Higher risk of injury
Grass is a natural surface and comes with a lot of dips and dives. Whilst this can make running on grass more exciting, it’s important for runners to watch their step as it’s a lot easier to slip and hurt yourself. Runners should be especially careful not to twist their ankles.
Hey, if you’re looking for something to help reduce any pain around your ankles caused by running on grass, check out these ankle compression sleeves. I could write an entire article on the benefits of compression sleeves, but most importantly they can help reduce swelling around your ankles and offer relief against common running ailments such as joint pain and heel spurs.
Running On Concrete
Is running on concrete bad? There are actually lots of pros and cons.
Pros
Accessible
If you’re someone who struggles to find the time to run then it’s likely that you have no other choice but to run on concrete. Unless you’re fortunate enough to live out in the country then the closest place you’re going to be abl to reach outdoors is usually a sidewalk or a road. Hey, if you’d like to learn more abut road running, check out this article I wrote. It’s worth noting that concrete doesn’t need to be your only choice when running close to home. Tarmaced roads may be an option too. However, when I quizzed 849 runers on what kind of surface they preffered to run on out of a road or sidewalk more than 57% voted for the sidewalk.
Flat
One of the biggest benefits that I’ve noticed when it comes to running on concrete is the flatness of the surfaces. Even when you’re running up a hill made from concrete, you can bet there aren’t going to be as many dips and dives as you would expect to see on grassy hills. In this sense, concrete can be a lot kinder to a runner’s ankles and joints. For this reason, runners can afford to pick a running shoe like this one which is geared a lot more to running performance and a lot less to protecting a runner’s feet.
More Grip in Wet Conditions
Even in the wettest conditions, concrete generally provides a better grip than grass. According to Phys.org, concrete generally absorbs rainwater whereas grass has a difficult time doing this. If you’re running repeatedly over the same patch of grass this can also have a negative impact on the grass itself. Furthermore, the more you irritate grass when wet, the more you damage the health of the lawn. On the other hand, because of the way concrete deals with water, it is a lot harder to do this kind of damage when running in wet conditions. Hey, if you’d like to learn more about running in heavy rain, check out this article I wrote.
Cons
Biggest Shock
Concrete is generally a solid surface. Because of this, it usually delivers the most immediate shock to the feet and legs out of all the surfaces runners have to run on. Many runners prefer grass or asphalt because there is more absorption from ground level, making it far less stressful on the ankles.
Less Space
If you’re running on concrete, chances are that you’re limited by the space available on the sidewalk or road. According to landscaping network, the average sidewalk should be around 48 inches in width, which is only just big enough for two adults to squeeze past each other. On the other hand, grass can vary massively in terms of how much running space is available.
Potentially Uneven
Whilst concrete is nowhere as uneven as grass, it still can have its fair share of uneven surfaces. Examples of potential causes can include potholes, cracks and corrosion. Runners who are choosing to run on concrete over grass should be careful not to run over poorly managed surfaces which can easily result in injury.
What’s The Best Surface To Run On?
I personally love running on a variety of different surfaces because they all have a large number of advantages and disadvantages. But you don’t need to take my word for it. Check out this video from the guys at Strength Running:
Does Running On Concrete Or Grass Make You Faster?
Surprisingly this isn’t as straightforward a question as you would think.
Although it would technically take a runner slightly longer to run the same distance on grass compared to concrete, doing so may make runners run faster. The reason for this is that running on grass requires more effort which can result in runners building more on their strength, agility and overall endurance.
According to Endurance Fam, running on grass can slow you down by as much as 15-30 seconds. Simply put, it takes more energy to transition from one foot to another on grass than it does on harder surfaces such as concrete or asphalt.
It isn’t just the surface of grass than can slow you down during a run. Holes in the ground, dewy grass and even overgrown grass can all have a big impact on the speed your running in. So it may help to scope out the grass before you choose to run on it.
Is It Better To Run On Harder Or Softer Surfaces?
Both the harder and softer surfaces that runners can choose to run on come with a variety of pros and cons. For this reason, it is a good idea for runners to head for a variety of surfaces. That’s not to say that your specific needs and preferences may not lead you to running on one surface more than another. For example, if you have delicate knees, it’s going to be a better idea to run on grass that isn’t as harsh to your feet. At the same time, if you’re wanting to run as quickly as possible, concrete may be the surface for you.
Personally, I like to mix up my runs. However, as I live in the city, I most often find myself running on concrete. If I am running on grass, it tends to be at my local park, which generally makes me run slower as it isn’t the best quality. Whilst I rarely run on asphalt, I have spent a lot of time running on treadmills and can confirm that it is certainly good for speed. By the way, if you’d like to learn more about good speeds for a treadmill I did an entire experiment on it which you can find here.
