Hey gravel road riders – runners want in on the action too

I find it interesting that you – or anyone- would find this surprising. I suppose part of it is an urban thing. If you’ve lived in less urban environments where not everything around you is paved, this is the norm, whether on bikes or on foot. I run and ride, among other things, and seeking out more remote routes with less pavement is nothing new. The fact that the bike industry has made it a market segment doesn’t really mean it wasn’t a thing before, nor is it a new thing for runners.

I’m still waiting for the gravel-barefoot running segment to take off. Someone should find a way to capitalize on that market.

I love running on gravel roads! They have almost the peace and quiet of single-track, but I don’t have to watch my footing as much, and passing people or being passed (usually the latter for me) is effortless.

I especially like trail races that start out with a gravel road segment, so everyone gets themselves sorted by pace and spread out some before the singletrack.

It’s called trail running, and it’s not a new phenomenon. No need for fearmongering.

I work in the running industry. We would generally consider running on gravel part of the trail running category. Like gravel road cycling, trail running is growing rapidly across the country. The company I work for is planning on greatly expanding our offerings in that area as well. There are a series of trail races offered by Rainshadow Running with all of the races set in Washington and Oregon. They have become so popular that most of the races now go through a lottery process because they were selling out so quickly.

I think that most all of this phenomenon would more descriptively be called get away from cars running/biking.

I know that for me, whether it be walking, running, hiking, or riding, (whatever the surface conditions) the best times and experiences are when one get’s away from the noise and danger that cars pose to vulnerable road/trail users.

Oh for sure. Less impact. Only run on pavement when forced too and the track is boring after awhile. As I get older I seek out softer surfaces more and more. ONLY because I have too do I even consider running on the concrete around the Esplanade.

Off-pavement running – it’s about the escape, variety of landscape and the softer surface. I’m not too keen on tricky or technical footing. I want to hit a stride.

Impossible to run on a sidewalk without fear of busting an ankle, so thank you urban commuters for letting me share space in the roadway.

These runners… Sheesh. They think they own the road!!!

🙂

Cross-country has been around for a long time.

come over the the NE/SE pdx area..lots of unpaved roads and alleyways…

Trail running is the best of running
Followed by beach running
Then gravel backroad running
But it’s all about getting out the door
Long distance runner what u standin there for
Amen

Use of peaceful gravel roads for everyone is great but, we need to play by the same rules. My hope is that runners would consider themselves part of traffic and run “with traffic” as opposed to against it (like some do in the streets for safety reasons.) The picture on the front of the article of the runners three abreast reminds me of the time I rounded a corner on Leif on my bike and literally ran smack dab into three runners going “against traffic” on an inside blind curve. ouch.

I am a mountain biker, road rider, ex-cyclocross racer, trail runner, bike commuter, backpacker, hiker, and just love any excuse to get outside and explore. Running gravel roads has never really interested me, but running trails in the mountains is very close to my love of mountain biking.

Running gravel roads to me would be quite boring (a little too close to road running which I really don’t like). Honestly, I view riding gravel roads to be more interesting than road riding, but not much more. I really don’t get the allure when there are so many amazing places to mountain bike or trail run, but that is me. Being dusted out by cars is no more pleasant than inhaling exhaust while road riding, but to each their own.

I am always happy that people find other things to do other than what I enjoy, as that means there are fewer people out doing what I am doing. One of the things I truly cherish is getting away from people. If gravel road running and riding means there will be fewer people riding & running on the trails, SWEET!

shouldn’t be surprising at all. Portland has a huge and growing ultra distance running culture. My wife is one of them. 30+ mile races all over the PNW sell out in minutes. Those folks get tired of crowded trails too and always looking for new challenges that involve running 30-60 miles unsupported.

Wait!!!

Isn’t that a picture of Leif Erikson, the mountain bike trail……
What are runners and road bikers doing on there?????????

I’ve never understood why the running “lobby” isn’t more involved in safer streets, too. I would guess twice as many folks in Pdx are runners then bikers. A lot of them run around their neighborhoods on the streets. I don’t think there really IS a running lobby, but if there was, they would be an incredible ally to the bike community.

The idea of a running “lobby” came to me a few years’ back. I was biking on SE Salmon (a bike boulevard or neighborhood Greenway, or whatever you want to call it). Ahead of me was a group of maybe twelve runners, running in the road. Instead of being all “get onto the sidewalk!!!”, I instead thought about how many runners run on roads, and how their runs could benefit too from diverters, speed bumps, and other traffic calming measures.

A lit if runners choose to run on roads instead of sidewalks for very practical reasons. Sidewalks are often eneven, with big slabs at odd angles causing a major tripping hazard. They often don’t gave curb cuts, meaning you have to jump up and down curbs every 200 feet ,- another tripping hazard. And they are often blocked by overgrown vegetation, huge recycling bins, people parking on them etc.

I would guess out of my social circle, maybe twelve of them bike, and 40 of them run.

I also agree most runners don’t identify as a “type” of broad user. Not the way pedestrians and bicyclists do. The latter two have organizations on their behalf – namely the BTA, and Willamette Pedestrian Coalition.