Trail running in NorthamptonOff the tarmac,
into the green.
Northampton has better trail running than most people realise — canal towpaths, the Nene Valley Way, Hunsbury Hills, Delapre and the network of quiet paths connecting the villages south of the town. Northampton Road Runners has a strong trail contingent who run off-road year-round and race the local cross-country and trail circuits.
Trail routes on your doorstep
The club's route library includes plenty of off-road options — Hunsbury Hills, the Delapre trail loops, canal towpaths heading out towards Blisworth, the Nene Valley Way as far east as Cogenhoe. Wednesday club nights run road routes for reliable lighting and pace groups, but Sunday long runs and members' own-time runs happily go off-road when the weather permits and the ground is dry enough.
Members share informal trail runs in the WhatsApp group — if you prefer mud, grass, gravel or gentle canal-side terrain over road miles, you'll find your people here.
Cross-country & trail races
NRR fields teams in the Northamptonshire Cross-Country League — six fixtures across the autumn and winter, on grass and mud, everywhere from Kettering to Northampton. It's a proper old- school series: club vests, marshalled courses, hot drinks afterwards, and results by team as well as individual. Perfect for building strength through the darker months when the road racing calendar quietens down.
On top of that, individual members chase trail races and ultras all over the country — the Snowdonia trail marathon, Hathersage Hurtle, The Grizzly ultras, and further afield. If you've got a trail race on your bucket list, someone in the club has probably done it and can tell you what to expect.
Trail running vs road running — what to know
Pace on trails is slower than road — often by about 20 seconds to a minute per km depending on how muddy or climby the ground is. That takes some adjusting to if you're used to watching your watch on tarmac. Trail shoes with more aggressive lugs help enormously through the winter; road shoes are fine on the canal paths and hard trails in summer. The club's members can advise on both — everyone has an opinion about shoes.
If you're new to trails, the safest first step is to join a Sunday morning group. Trail running solo in the winter isn't recommended around here; in a group it's some of the best running the town offers.
Get off the tarmac
Come to a Wednesday club night — meet the trail crew and find out what's happening at the weekend.