Is all trail running mountain running? And is all mountain running trail running? No, and no, actually.

Trail running is considered running on any unpaved surface. For example, you could run on a sandy beach trail or a neighborhood gravel path, and you'd be trail running.

And while mountain running takes place—you guessed it—in the mountains, there are circumstances in which running on a paved road uphill at elevation could also be considered a mountain run. 

“Mountain runs have significant elevation gain and most often take place on trails,” U.S. Mountain Running Team Manager Nancy Hobbs says, by way of definition. 

Competition

While folks have been flocking to the hills to run for centuries, competitive mountain running events have grown over the past couple decades, and the mountain running scene has become an increasingly competitive and high-profile affair. There's a U.S. Mountain Running Team, determined mostly at a U.S. Mountain Running Championship held each year at a different venue. The team—which consists of juniors and masters runners—travels to the World Mountain Running Championship in locales that change every year, as well.

These national and world mountain running races follow the guideline that, “there is a percentage of the course that must be trail," says Hobbs. But the races aren't long, like ultra marathons. Last year's U.S. Mountain Running Championship took place at the Cranmore Hill Climb on a 12K men's course and 8K women's course--three and two loops, respectively. And the World Mountain Running Championship in Poland tested runners with a 13.5K men's course and 9K women's course. And back to that point about how running on pavement in the mountains equals a “mountain run”: New Hampshire's Mount Washington Hill Climb (a 7.6-mile climb on a paved road) has been the course for the U.S. Mountain Running Championship a handful of times.

Each year the World Mountain Running Championship (and subsequently the U.S. Mountain Running Championship) alternates between an uphill-only course and an uphill/downhill course. This coming year New Hampshire's Loon Mountain Race will host the U.S. Championship, and Italy will host the World Championship.

There's been a recent emergence—2014 marks the first series in the U.S., in fact—in a subset of mountain running called “Skyrunning.” The International Skyrunning Federation defines its events as "races more than 22km and less than 50 km long with at least 1,300m positive vertical climb." Skyrunning has an ultra-distance event series, where events are longer than 50km but still climb at least 1,300 meters, and also includes "Vertical Races" (like the Empire State Building Run-Up), which have 1,000m positive vertical climb without exceeding 5km. The 2014 U.S. Skyrunner Series includes five "Sky" races, five "Ultra" races, and five "Vertical" races. *Note that the urban Vertical races aren't considered mountain runs.

Running for Fun

While all this competition at a national and world level gives the sport some legs, so to speak, it's not the only way to enjoy running in the mountains. And you don't have to compete in a race like the Pikes Peak Ascent, Mt. Washington, or anything close to a championship race of any sort, to call yourself a mountain runner.

Heading to the hills for a slow ramble on your feet rewards a runner with a sense of adventure, the fun of running varied terrain, and views you don't get on your daily outings through the neighborhood.

You also don't have to be an elite runner to enjoy your time in the mountains. Knowing where to go requires some research (asking friends, running stores, or your local outdoors store), planning (maps, recruiting a friend or two to join you), and perhaps a couple specific pieces of gear that will keep you more comfortable in a mountain environment.

But making the effort to explore a new route in the mountains once in a while can breathe new life into your running and do wonders for your weekly routine.

Headshot of Lisa Jhung
Lisa Jhung
Lisa Jhung writes about all things adventure and is the author of Running That Doesn't Suck: How To Love Running (Even If You Think You Hate It) and Trailhead: The Dirt on All Things Trail Running.