Nothing quite beats the feeling of hurtling through the mud on filthy trail run – then marvelling at the sock line left behind.
To embrace the natural environment at its toughest is what playing dirty is all about.
We asked INOV8 athletes and ambassadors what play dirty means to them and grabbed their top muddy running tips.
What does play dirty mean to you?
Nichola Jackson: “It means leaving everything else at the door, heading out into the local hills, embracing the weather, and getting splattered in mud. It’s a feeling of joy, adventure and good fun. I absolutely love muddy season.”
Sarah Perry: “It means adopting a child-like state – running through mud, embracing the elements, and enjoying the feeling of pure freedom.”
Andy Berry: “It’s about going out in all conditions, putting in the tough miles when it would be easier to stay home, and splashing mud everywhere.”
Lewis Bowness: “It’s about pure enjoyment. It’s not about splits, PBs or going full gas, it’s about letting go – running through every bog and puddle, feeling completely free. It’s that unleashed feeling where nothing else matters and you can just get stuck in.”
Laura Swanton Rouvelin: “It means trail freedom, feeling at one with nature at its muddiest, and running strong amid the elements. I love not caring how dirty I get, and instead just going back to basics and running free.”
Kat Townshend: “It’s that moment you stop fighting the terrain and start leaning into it – splashing through bogs, scooting down greasy paths and letting yourself get scruffy. Mud wipes out perfectionism; it forces you to relax, trust your footing, and enjoy being part of the landscape.”
Jack Scott: “Not being limited by any terrain, weather, gradient or temperature. You can prepare and protect yourself against any of the above with the correct products and equipment.”
Tom Wood: “It means an intense feeling of satisfaction. Some see the mud as a chore; I see it as something to embrace and enjoy. If you can flow over the trails, even in their worst condition, you feel empowered in a way that is difficult to find elsewhere.”
Hannah Rickman: “For me, it’s all about freedom and letting my hair down. I don’t need to act or look a certain way, I can have fun splashing about, playing outdoors.”
What is your top tip for muddy running?
Nichola Jackson: “Embrace it and make sure you have got super grippy shoes. My go-to is the MUDTALON SPEED. You don’t want to end up sliding down a hill on your bum!”
Sarah Perry: “Never trust a bog, running poles are handy for testing them first.”
Andy Berry: “Stay relaxed, smile and move those feet! Keep the tension low in the body so you can move as freely as possible.”
Lewis Bowness: “Keep your eyes up and scan ahead. In muddy races, look for strips of long grass or slightly rougher terrain where you can get better grip and stay upright.”
Laura Swanton Rouvelin: “Make sure you have grippy shoes otherwise you'll slide and end up in the mud. I absolutely love the TRAILTALON – so comfy and so grippy.”
Kat Townshend: “Commit to every step. Half-hearted foot placements lead to slips. Drive your foot down with intent, keep your cadence light, and let your ankles do the micro-adjustments. When you commit, you stay balanced; when you hesitate, the trail punishes you.”
Jack Scott: “Skipping over difficult terrain is a real skill. Be nimble and light. Stay on your toes and keep minimal contact with the floor. If you have poles, use them to test the depth and consistency of the trail ahead.”
Tom Wood: “Embrace it. Your feet are waterproof, and you can wash your shoes in two minutes when you get home.”
Hannah Rickman: “Laugh and have fun. It's easy to get frustrated when you're squelching around. Running in the mud reminds you not to take yourself (or running) too seriously.”
What is your favourite muddy trail to run?
Nichola Jackson: “I love the route from Keswick up Walla Crag to Bleaberry Fell, then along the mud and thigh-deep bogs to High Seat. There’s a respite of rock slabs to High Tove before a muddy fun descent down to Watendlath and back along the muddy trails below Falcon Crag. It’s a real strength and energy sapping route but so much fun!”
Andy Berry: “Any muddy trail that is under the snow line is a good trail. I love to feel a bit of softness in the ground again after biting through icy and snow.”
Lewis Bowness: “The Langdale Horseshoe race route, without a doubt. It basically rains there most of the year, so the bogs are relentless. It’s like navigating a technical maze of mud, streams and chaos.”
Laura Swanton Rouvelin: “I live near Dartmoor and love running the beautiful trails, which can be very boggy and muddy. A great loop I do with my husband incorporates this beautiful old pub right in the middle of the Moor near Princetown. It has an open fire and the best chips.”
Kat Townshend: “Hard to beat the stretch between Helm Crag and Gibson Knott after a week of rain — proper Lake District slop with enough rock to keep you awake.”
Jack Scott: “The trail up to my local woodland in Stone is a real challenge – a contour across an aggressive field. That or the south side of Shutlingsloe in the Peak District, where tough underfoot conditions meet difficult and aggressive contour lines.”
Tom Wood: “My favourite muddy trail is a steep sheep-track down into a small cwm on my local hill - Moel-y-Parc. It’s only accessible in winter, when the mud is thick and the bracken is dead. Momentum builds all the way down the steep path.”
Hannah Rickman: “My nearest trail is the North Downs Way – it has a special kind of sticky, chalky mud that gets everywhere. I spend a lot of winter Sunday afternoons on the train back into London, sitting in a little pile of mud looking like a swamp monster and getting side-eye from the well-dressed city-dwellers.”
What dirty races have you done this winter?
Nichola Jackson: “I’ve done fell races and planning on doing some cross-country races, which are usually good muddy fun, and very hard.”
Sarah Perry: “I did Spine Race MRT Challenger South. It was a harsh reminder of the relentless problem-solving required in a winter ultra.”
Lewis Bowness: “The Arc of Attrition 50 was the big one in January. A nice, brutal welcome to the 2026 season along the South West Coast Path. It was wet, muddy and savage.”
Laura Swanton Rouvelin: “I did the Winter Downs 100 in December finishing third female. I previously did the 200 and that was a flooded mud-fest.”
Jack Scott: “I was the on the Pennine Way, winning the Spine Race challenger South. It was so tough, some of the worst conditions I’ve experienced in a race.”
Tom Wood: “For me, winter is all about cross-country racing. Perfect for keeping your racing sharp and your fitness high on tough ground before the hills of the summer.”
Hannah Rickman: “I hit the South West Coast Path for the Arc of Attrition 100. I’d never done the race before and enjoyed some vintage Cornish mud.”
Dirty shoes – are they allowed in the house or not?
Nichola Jackson: “Absolutely not! Although my partner Billy tries to sneak them inside sometimes. Usually they get a quick rinse, stuffed with newspaper, brought inside to dry, then go back out to the shed.”
Sarah Perry: “Absolutely in the house. In winter we will accumulate quite a collection in front of the fire - a proud reminder of all the runs we've enjoyed throughout the week.”
Andy Berry: “We have a little stream at the bottom of the trail that leads to the house, so I normally run through that to get the thick off. Then I put them in the room we keep the dogs in to dry off because that room already smells bad - what's a little extra stink!”
Lewis Bowness: “Absolutely not. Zero chance. I’ve spent half my life freezing in the back garden scrubbing shoes because there’s no way they’re coming indoors. If I tried, my family would probably disown me. Most of the time they live in the porch.”
Laura Swanton Rouvelin: “I’m a bit naughty and bring them in the house to dry them by the fire! This is much to my husband’s disappointment.”
Kat Townshend: “If they’re still wet and carrying half a fell’s worth of turf, absolutely not. They get a good stomp outside to shed the worst, then live in the shed with newspaper stuffed in them. Once they’re dry, they’re welcome back.”
Jack Scott: “I’m a clean freak so, they stay in the garage and are aired to dry. The hoover is permanently in my hand. Sad really.”
Tom Wood: “Shoes off on the doorstep. Straight up to the bathroom where my shoes, scrubbing brush, and I all shower together! They then get hung outside on a set of deer antlers my dad found on the hillside. Once no longer dripping, they come back inside, get stuffed with newspaper, and go on top of a radiator.”
Hannah Rickman: “They live in a big muddy pile by the door, ready to go again the next time.”
