{"id":40125,"date":"2020-01-11T15:08:33","date_gmt":"2020-01-11T21:08:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/gearinstitute.com\/?p=40125"},"modified":"2020-01-21T16:03:54","modified_gmt":"2020-01-21T22:03:54","slug":"ashley-brasovans-comback-hacks-trail-running-thick-shoes-and-great-views","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/gearinstitute.com\/ashley-brasovans-comback-hacks-trail-running-thick-shoes-and-great-views\/","title":{"rendered":"Ashley Brasovan\u2019s Comback Hacks: Trail Running, Thick Shoes and Great Views"},"content":{"rendered":"

After Ashley Brasovan won the cross country national championship in 2007, it looked like she was on the cusp of a promising running career. But a series of training-related injuries over the following years kept her from approaching her potential.<\/p>\n

Today, running for HOKA ONE ONE\u00ae, the Colorado trail runner has enjoyed a resurgence. After earning a master\u2019s degree in Environmental Management from Duke, Brasovan moved to Colorado in 2015 and found a love for trail running. Running a variety of trails and softer surfaces seemed to keep her injury free and allowed her to begin posting some impressive results.<\/p>\n

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Photo Courtesy: HOKA ONE ONE\u00ae<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

In 2017, she won the USA Track & Field half-marathon trail championship, and then grabbed the win at the 30K trail championship in 2018. Now, she\u2019s preparing for February\u2019s U.S. Olympic trials to fight for a slot on the U.S. marathon team after dropping a scorching 2:40:19 qualifying time in the 2017 California International Marathon.<\/p>\n

\u201cI run both roads and trails, and the Olympic Trials are next up, so that\u2019s my focus now,\u201d she said. \u201cBut I generally prefer softer surfaces for running.\u201d<\/p>\n

Brasovan said even when she is training for road races like traditional marathons, she tries to get off pavement. \u201cI think it is important to cross-train in different aspects of the sport. I really like to mix up terrain. During the summer I like to get up high, above 10,000 feet, and run trails. But I live in Colorado \u2013 we just got 20 inches of snow (late November) \u2013\u00a0so I have to do a lot of training on roads in winter.\u201d<\/p>\n

Given that stress fractures and other impact-caused injuries hampered her performance during her early running career, it is understandable that Brasovan prefers running on the softer surfaces of trails. But she also simply likes the aesthetics and peace of trail running.<\/p>\n

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In Colorado, we pre-game afternoon weddings with 14ers! A little adventure (and round trip FKT) up Mt. Yale before celebrating @terrabear44\u2019s and Nick\u2019s wedding tonight ? . Also definitely got called out a few times for wearing shorts up top when it was 32 degrees…. . . . #coloradolife #mountyale #14ersofcolorado #pushpeaks #hokaoneone #mountainrunner #mountains #trails #trailrunning #runnersofinstagram<\/a><\/p>\n

A post shared by Ashley Brasovan<\/a> (@ashley_brasovan) on