trail vs. street technique difference?

[stomper]

I did 6+ barefoot miles on pavement yesterday, which is unusual for me. More often I'm doing 4-5 barefoot miles on mostly trails and some pavement, but I have no problem or discomfort kicking that up to 6 miles if time allows.

However, about a mile into this all pavement run I started to notice some discomfort in one knee. After some experimentation, I discovered that if I shortened and quickened my steps the pain went away. So far so good... I was adapting. It was enjoyable to be on the street, as I was definitely going faster and smoother than I can on technical trails. But the lack of variety seems to have had a price, in that I ended up with some nonspecific stiffness and soreness today in my feet and my hips. Not pain, but definitely more of an aftereffect than I am used to.

Anyone have any tips on the difference between trail and pavement form?

I am thinking that perhaps the trail running gives me more variety in the types of motions and stresses I am experiencing, whereas the street running creates a more repetitive effect I may need to get used to.

 

[Blind Boy]

I don't have much to add in

I don't have much to add in terms of specific tips. I can say that this seems to hold true for me too though, even though I'm more or less the opposite. I run mostly on paved bike paths around town and I'm usually fairly stiff due to running way more than I should, really, but whenever I do a trail run I end up feeling better at the end of the run than I did at the start.

 

[NakedSoleNate]

 I really don't know....I

I really don't know....I usually start out on the roads, then trails, and finish on roads....use roads to warm up, kick it up on the trails, and then the road back feels kinda like "desert" to my feet....maybe you're "landing too hard" on the roads??