At some point in your bugging-out career, you are going to need to run. Maybe you see a horde of zombies approaching from a few miles away while you're resting. Maybe salvation is only a mile away. Maybe you need to put some distance between you and a burning building. Whatever the reason, you need to run. Here are a few pointers so you can run successfully in the woods.

As a relatively fast and experienced runner, I can tell you that running in the woods is a dangerous thing to do, especially in a life-or-death situation. As long as you are careful and run smart, however, it shouldn't be too much of a problem.

Proper footwear is a big deal in the sport of running. This doesn't change when applied to a post Z-Day world. Here are a few guidlines to follow when choosing your bug-out footwear.

Make sure they are dual-purpose footwear. They need to be usable for both running and hiking. Some examples:

Here is a nice pair of trailrunning shoes, good for both hiking and running. They are expensive, but high quality.

Here is a cheaper pair, but still of good quality.

Do not use any kind of heavy boot as bug-out footwear. Unless you have a very good reason to do so, this is one of the worst things you can do. If you want a glimpse at what I mean, run a mile in the woods while wearing a pair. Now imagine even walking in them all day long.

Don't plan on bringing heavy boots and trailrunning shoes. Time yourself as you change from your pair of boots to your pair of shoes as fast as you can. How long does it take? Too long. In a real situation, if you are changing into your shoes it means you need to run. If you need to run it means you are in danger. If you are in danger, you can't afford to lose any time.

Test your shoes out! If at all possible, test them out before anything becomes final. Remember, your life may depend on these shoes.

Shorten your stride. This is important. A shorter stride has more control to it than a longer one, and it also makes running uphill much, much easier.

Quicken your leg turnover rate. To make up for the loss of speed that a shorter stride gives you, move your legs faster.

Go slower than you want to downhill. Your chances of twisting an ankle or falling are greatly increased while running downhill. It is very important to look out for obstacles that might trip you up as well, as you will be moving faster downhill than uphill.

When going uphill:

Pump your arms. This reduces the amount of energy your legs need to use.

Look ahead, not at your feet. This allows for better breathing.

Run on your toes uphill. This is more of a long-term tip, since it reduces joint damage. You shouldn't run on your toes unless you are sprinting or going uphill, though, as it is very tiring on your calves.