Hot on the trail: Scandinavia's newest running trend

Trail running is becoming one of the most popular outdoor trends in Scandinavia and there are so many reasons to get excited about it (yes, really). Trail running is similar to road running but takes place in natural terrain, with steep gradients and unpaved surfaces. It is an opportunity to be immersed in the outdoors, exploring new surroundings, while of course, boosting both physical and mental health.

I spoke to two of Scandinavia’s trail running experts who offered their tips on where to go and how to get started:

A mountain runner and ski mountaineer, Emelie Forsberg's passion for nature and sport began during her childhood spent in the Swedish forest. Now, after racing at the highest level for 11 years, she is as passionate about her sport as ever and training towards even bigger goals.

“It really warms my heart that more people are finding out about the trails and nature,” says Forseberg. “Maybe one reason is that, more and more, we feel the urge to connect to what is real. I love the bond it can give people to nature. To feel connected it also makes us want to take care of it. To combine outdoors and exercise is a beautiful thing; you get both fresh air as well as training,” she says.

Do you have any favourite trails?

One of my favourite trails is the Kungsleden trail which is around 450 km. It goes through the northern part of the Swedish mountains and is very scenic. You don’t have to do the whole 450km of course, you can also run parts of the trail. Norway and Sweden have it all in terms of different trails. Very wild ones, tiny ones, bigger ones, connecting to mountain huts which makes it easy to do multistage trails with a small backpack for example. My favourite is running between mountain huts where I only need to bring a small change and money for the overnight – this feels like true freedom to me.

What advice do you have for someone who would like to start trail running?

Just do it! Try an area close to you, in a park, in a nature reserve or whatever you are closest to. Don’t think in terms of speed or time; it’s very different from road running.

What gear or equipment is necessary when starting out?

I think most important is good pair of trail shoes – a road shoe does not have any grip. A running vest or backpack can be good if you are out on longer trails, and a rain or wind jacket. Then the rest is more or less the same as you’d use for road running.

Iceland’s Þorsteinn Roy is a trail runner who grew up at the base of the largest glacier in Europe. The Öræfasveit athlete recently rediscovered his passion for running in nature and now there’s no stopping him.

Trail running is one of the hottest outdoor trends in Iceland right now, why is that?

First of all, being outdoors is what humans are made for. Our homes and houses are just for shelter and safety, but we are supposed to be outside. It has such an impact on our mood, health, and wellbeing, and I think that during Covid, when everything was closed, people rediscovered how nice it is to go outside for a run. If you combine running with amazing nature, you have a pretty good match!

Tell us a little about yourself and how your love for trail running started

I grew up in Svínafell in Öræfi, which is a farming area in the southeast part of Iceland. It is located straight beneath Vatnajökull, the biggest glacier in Iceland. Growing up in an area like this shapes your life. You have to connect to nature since nature has a real impact on the lives of the people who live there. My parents were sheep farmers, and, in the fall, we had to gather the sheep from the mountains where they spent their summer. I think that my trail running skills developed during those years, running after sheep in the mountains. Then I moved away from the farm for school for a few years and trained and played a lot of football. When my amazing football career [laughs] was over, I rediscovered my passion of being out in nature, especially in the mountains and I started running. I realised that I was pretty good at it, and I have been doing it ever since.

What makes Iceland perfect for trail running?

The obvious answer is the breathtaking nature. Iceland is one of the most unique countries in the world when it comes to nature and being able to run alongside glaciers with sheep wandering around you and no other person in sight is truly amazing. Speaking as a local, I think the temperature is also perfect for running. It is rarely too warm and if it is too cold you can always add another layer – this is way easier than running in boiling heat. And if you are running in nature, it is almost guaranteed that you will find a creek where you can fill up your water bottle or even just skip the bottle and drink straight from the cow – or the creek! Iceland is basically just a big backyard full of mountains and opportunities for people like me who want to run every trail they see.

Tell us about your favourite trail run in Iceland

It is really hard to pick one favourite, there are so many great ones, but Laugavegur Ultra, where you run from Landmannalaugar to Þórsmörk (53km) in the highlands of Iceland is one of my favourites. There is something about it; you are in the highlands, there are a lot of people participating and the atmosphere is just amazing. Of course, the nature is spectacular along the way, which makes it a lot easier to run an ultra-marathon. But there are many trails I love to run when training as well. My home ground, Öræfi, the area that I grew up in, is my favourite training field. It is just unreal to walk out of the door of your childhood home and run or hike up the mountain behind your house where you have a view over Vatnajökull and many of its outlet glaciers and then be able to get home for coffee an hour and a half later – this is truly a privilege.

What would you tell someone who is keen to start trail running?

Trail running is so much fun and it is truly a lifestyle. Everyone that I have met running has been in a good mood – you never meet a boring person in the mountains! The running community is so positive, and I would say to everyone who wants to join – welcome to the party!

What are some must-haves before starting out?

First of all, you need trail running shoes, that's about it. But all jokes aside, you don't need anything else in the beginning. Just start small and figure out if you like running before you start to gear up. Then you figure it out on the way. I personally like to run light and I don't have a lot of stuff with me on my tours. Of course, it depends on how long the training or race is. But it's good you have a running vest or backpack where you can store a water bottle, extra clothing, some nutrition, your phone, and a safety kit of some sort. But my advice is really to start simple – try to figure out what you like and build your gear from that.