Points of view

So let's go back to the definition of trail!

Everyone has, more or less, their definition of practice. First of all, I think that trail running is not a simple running.

To practice the trail, it is to move on foot in a sporty way, in full nature (often in mountain, in hilly environment), in an autonomous way. Trail running involves managing your effort and understanding the environment in order to progress. In competition, this movement is done on a marked course and the goal is to advance as quickly as possible, running or walking.

For competitions, a categorization of trails appeared. Short, medium, ultra ... depending on the distance.

To differentiate them, it is better to rely on the time they require to be completed. Indeed, the elevation and the kilometers to cover are only topographical data, to which must be added the technicality of the terrain. The duration of the effort is what will make the difference.

In my opinion, it is quite difficult to categorize trails this way. Indeed, the trail covers a notion of freedom which implies being able to travel one distance or another without being constrained by anything.

More than "trail courts", which I find to be a misinterpretation, I prefer to speak of "discovery or initiation trails". Indeed, the practice of the trail implies a certain length in the effort. They are "short" since they only need to run between 2 hours (for the best) and 4 hours. This is only an idea, but above all these trails are accessible to beginners and therefore less technical or less uneven.

A "classic" trail (rather than "average" will last, for the best, around 4 hours, and on which it is important to know how to manage everything: the terrain, the technique, the passing of time, the atmospheric conditions ...
An ultra incorporates a different dimension insofar as one spends at least a day and all or from a night. This setting is important and changes everything.