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As someone living within a city, trail running is something that I enjoy but don’t have the opportunity to do frequently. Whenever I do get the chance to head out on a trail, I find that I tend to run slower than I would if I was running on the road. This made me wonder, what is the average time it takes to run a mile on a trail.
Typically, the average time it takes to run a mile on a trail is anywhere from 10% to 20% slower than a runner can expect to achieve on flat surfaces such as roads or treadmills. For example, if a runner can typically complete a mile on a treadmill in ten minutes then it is likely that they will be able to complete the same distance on a trail in around twelve minutes.
Although we know that it can take longer to complete a mile on a trail, it helps to know exactly why it takes longer to complete the same distance and what we can do to account for this.
The Average Pace For Trail Running
A 10-20% increase in your running time might not sound like a lot. But it can easily add up. Runners preparing for a race are going to get a nasty surprise if they are preparing to run on a trail by jogging on the road. At the same time, runners might underestimate their abilities if they are only running on treadmills and don’t realize that their performance would be significantly better if they were running on different surfaces.
Several factors mean your run is going to be a lot slower on a trail when compared with other environments. Examples include:
- Inclines and Declines- As many trails happen out in rocky environments, there are likely to be a lot of hills and slopes throughout your run. Running up a hill is going to take a lot more effort than running on a flat road. Declines might help speed you up. However, you are likely going to want to watch your step as running too fast on a slope can easily lead to a fall or injury.
- Terrain- Ground surfaces on trails are a lot more challenging for runners to cross through than smooth road tarmac or a treadmill conveyor belt. Mud and rocky ground can have a big impact on how easy it is to move. Furthermore, bad weather like snow, hail, and sleet can make surfaces especially slippery and reduce friction. The terrain of trails is one of the main reasons that many runners choose trail running shoes that are specifically made for these kinds of environments. If you’d like to know more about trail running shoes, I wrote a complete guide on them which you can find here.
- Navigation and Obstacles- Trails typically have a lot more bumps, dips trees, and other obstacles that runners need to avoid. Navigating your way through these obstacles can be part of what makes trail running so fun. However, it’s worth noting that it can also slow you down. Finding your way along a trail can also be difficult if you have a specific route in mind. Doubling back on yourself is likely to make the run take a lot longer too.
What Is A Good Trail Running Pace
According to experts, the average time to run a mile is around 9 – 10 minutes. If we accept that a mile on a trail typically takes around 10 – 20% longer, then a runner could assume that they have achieved a good trail running pace if it happens to be under 11 minutes. This is a generalized guideline that runners can follow however it’s important to remember that trails can be very different from one another and some may be easier to run than others.
A better way to figure out if you’re reaching a good trail running pace is to compare it to your previous records and aim to create a new personal best. For example, it typically takes me around nine minutes to complete a mile on a trail. If I was focusing on what a good mile time for me would be, it would be much more productive to focus on getting a time under nine minutes.
However, if another runner was taking 14 minutes to complete the same distance, then achieving a time closer to ten may be something they could see as a good mile time. My point is that when it comes to running, it is much better to compare your performance to your past self rather than other runners who may have different skills and abilities.
If you’re thinking of running a race on a trail and are wondering what kind of time you should aim for, then the table below should give you a good idea of the sort of times you can achieve. These times are based on the average time a runner can expect to get to finish a race and are then increased by 20% to account for the maximum difference that most runners will experience from running on a trail.
| Typical Race Examples | Average Trail Time |
| 1 Mile | Approximately 10 – 12 Mins |
| 5K | Approximately 36 – 48 Mins |
| 10K | Approximately 60 – 84 Mins |
| Half marathon | Approximately 2:30 – 2:62 Hours |
| Marathon | Approximately 5:06 – 5:38 Hours |
Is Trail Running Harder Than Road Running
This is somewhat of a subjective question, and I’m sure that everyone has a different opinion, to get the best insight possible I reached out to some trail running enthusiasts on Instagram to get their take on trail running when compared to road running.
Lara, who is an outdoor adventurer and running enthusiast from North Wales had this to say:
“It’s all about the effort you put in, running a PB at any road distance is really hard work. Running trails can be equally as hard. They are two branches of the same sport and you can make either one as hard as you like!”
I also reached out to, George Foster an Ultra Trail runner for Great Britain:
“Running is as hard or easy as you want to make it regardless of the surface you choose to run on. The metrics by which you choose to measure how hard your run is will likely depend on the surface. It’s certainly not as black or white as one being ‘harder’ than the other, assuming by harder you mean in terms of effort not one of the other hundreds of variables.”
It seems that trail runners also realize that comparing running on a trail to road running isn’t easily done. There are advantages and disadvantages to both. The following are just a few examples:
Running On A Road
Advantages
- Better Surfaces- Roads have been designed for constant use by both people and vehicles. Because of this, it is extremely easy to navigate from point A to point B without becoming lost or delayed. If you’re pushing for a personal best, then running on the road might be the way to go.
- Closer To Home- Whilst most people live close to a road, the same can’t be said for a trail, if you’re looking to incorporate running into a busy lifestyle, then running on the road might be the only option you have to fit a workout in.
- Kinder To Your Body- Due to the flat and (usually) even surfaces, roads are a lot kinder to your feet, knees, and body as a whole when compared to trail running. There is less need to scramble up and down hills and doge potential obstacles like rocks and trees. Furthermore, because roads are kinder to your body, road running shoes generally give runners a lot more freedom.
Disadvantages
- Traffic- There’s no denying that running on busy roads can be dangerous. If you’d like a full guide to running on the road, I wrote an entire article on it, which you can find here. The rules of running on the road can vary depending on where you are. However, it’s usually a good idea to run against traffic and make sure you are wearing something like reflective running gear which makes you appear visible.
- Other People- In addition to traffic, running on sidewalks shared by pedestrians can be challenging too. One of the big disadvantages to road running is that if you live in a heavily populated area, such as a city center, then successfully completing a mile on the road could take even longer than if you were running on a trail.
- Less Enjoyable- When asking a group of 273 runners where their favourite location was to run, more than 162 chose trail running. With that in mind, it is one of the most enjoyable places to go. This is more a matter of personal opinion. But if you live the life of a trail runner, road running might just seem a little boring.
Running On A Trail
Advantages
- Better Scenery- One of the reasons many runners head out for the trails is the scenery. Running is an excellent chance to zone out and escape everything and doing it out in nature can make this experience even better.
- Better For Your Health- Especially if you run on trails far out in the country. Countryside air is generally considered to be a lot cleaner than air in the city. If you suffer from breathing conditions such as asthma, running on a trail is going to be significantly better for your health than running somewhere with a lot more air pollution.
- More Of A Workout- Steep slopes, jagged rocks, and slippery surfaces are certainly dangerous. But there’s no denying that it makes you work harder. Whilst we’ve already established that a mile on a trail takes longer to complete, it’s worth noting that runners can reportedly burn 10% more calories on a trail compared to a road or track.
Disadvantages
- Higher Chance Of Injury- With the harder workout associated with trail running comes a higher chance of injury. The uneven surfaces can be challenging, especially during difficult conditions, if you preparing for an event such as a road race, running on a trail might be something you want to avoid.
- Harsher To Your Feet- Trail running shoes are equipped with much more protective elements to keep your feet safe. Examples include hard plastic around the toes as well as lugs to help you keep your grip. The downside to this is that trail running shoes come with a lot less breathability and flexibility, meaning your feet are going to take more of a beating.
- Time-Consuming- Trail running is great, but it can take a lot of planning and preparation, especially if you live far away from a trail and will need to drive to one before being able to run. If your looking to build up your skills and abilities by running frequently, running on a treadmill just isn’t feasible.
How To Pace Yourself On A Trail
- Expect You’ll Go Slower- We know that trail running generally takes a little longer than running on a road or a track, so comparing the time you’re getting on a trail with the time you get on the road is a bad idea. Instead, it’s best to be realistic and expect that going the same distance is going to take a little longer.
- Use A Tracker- Keeping track of the pace you’re going at can be complicated without the proper help. But keeping a steady pace on a trail is vital if you want to keep performing at your best. To keep track of your pace, I would recommend getting one of these Garmin Running Watches. Its built-in GPS doesn’t only keep track of how fast and how far you’re running but it also keeps track of your steps, calories, and intensity.
How To Improve Trail Running Times
There’s plenty of general advice available for runners looking to master skills that will help them improve their trail running times. The video below by Global Triathalon Network is a pretty good example of this:
To get a good idea of what people are actually doing and what works, I asked a group of runners what things they were doing to improve their trail running times:
“Run more get fitter to get faster. It really is that simple. Generally run mostly at an easy pace and then do workouts once or twice per week.
Minutes per mile is less important on trails anyway as the terrain can vary so much and incline and gradient come into play. Sure you can time multiple runs on the same trail to get a benchmark but comparing run speeds on different trails is useless.” – NRF89
“Practice makes perfect friend, and the only way to get faster on any type of terrain is to practice going faster on it. Just like road running add speed workouts of variable types to trail you’re running. Just have fun and blast trails.” – Alwaysuphill
“Get over the fear of falling or twisting an ankle. Sometimes you find yourself fearful and reserved, especially on a newer trail… which slows you down.” – 19millportfolio.
