Trail running. It’s a clever idea, and when you think about it, it’s probably no younger than when humans first started to walk on two legs. There were no roads then, only trails, and when you needed to get somewhere fast (or perhaps outrun a hungry aggressor), you picked up your pace.

These days, as the face of the earth is slowly turning in to a big parking lot, when it comes to footsports, jogging is king. Marathons, half-marathons, speed-walking, mall-walking, and everything else – all of these utilize one thing strangely absent in nature: pavement. Who says you have to stick to the roads if you want a workout?

That’s why trail running is so appealing. It gets you off the streets and into the woods, where you can reconnect with nature and see all of the sights and sounds endemic to a wooded sojourn. Plus, if you’re moving at an accelerated pace, depending on the difficulty of the trail, you will not only be attaining and maintaining those workout BPMs, but you will be improving your physical coordination and strength as well.

Unlike other trail-based sports, like mountain biking, you don’t need a ton of equipment either. You might even be able to forego the necessity of mosquito repellent like some of the simple hikers, since you’ll be moving quickly and washing away the insects in your wake. You just need a pair of heavier-duty shoes, since standard jogging shoes might not hold up as well on rougher trails, a pair of shorts or light pants, some sweat-wicking materials, and off you go.

With enough experience, and if you find yourself truly enjoying the sport, you can maybe join up and do off-road marathons or half-marathons. While competitions like these might be more tiring and aggressive, you get out what you put into it, as they say, and for this reason, the rewards are immeasurable. Your body will thank you.