More and more running enthusiasts are setting aside their road running shoes on Sundays and swapping them for more aggressive, high-grip trail running shoes, choosing to take on not a classic 21k or a marathon, but a mountain race. Characterized by significant elevation gains, singletrack, and unpaved terrain, an increasing number of trail races are being held in the mountains of our country. This is one of the reasons why more and more innovative and high-performance gear is being developed every day—gear designed not for road running, but specifically for trail running: Among the companies that were among the first to recognize the needs of trail runners is Oxyburn, which has designed an entire line of graduated compression apparel specifically tailored for mountain running.

But where should I go running on Sunday, February 7? It’s worth noting that winter isn’t exactly the best season for trail running; it’s much better suited for cross-country. Even so, there’s no shortage of trail running races to sign up for right now.

It’s not exactly a trail race, but the third stage of the 2016 Trofeo Neveazzurra—the Ciaspolata della Valle Antrona, a snowshoe race to be held on Sunday, February 7, in Antrona Piana/Cheggio—is certainly worth mentioning: Following the two successful stages in Magugnaga and San Domenico di Varzo—and the two canceled stages in Valle Bognanco and Piana di Vigezzo—we’re hoping there will be enough snow to allow the race to take place.
As part of the 37th edition of “Dal fiume Serchio ai Monti Pisani,” a recreational running event featuring various distances, the Trail del Monte Penna will also take place—a non-competitive mountain race covering 26 kilometers with 950 meters of elevation gain, starting at 8:30 a.m.

But on Sunday, February 7, there will also be a race in Sicily, specifically within the Monte Cofano Nature Reserve – Custonaci, in the province of Trapani, where the second edition of the Cofano Trail will take place—a fascinating 24k mountain race with a total elevation gain and loss of 1,280 meters.

But that’s not all! For ultratrail enthusiasts, the 6 Ore Pastrengo Trail Fest will take place on Saturday, February 6, in Pastrengo (Verona), just a stone’s throw from Lake Garda: featuring a highly technical loop course with 250 meters of elevation gain, the Pastrengo Trail kicks off the season of ultra-distance hour-long races.