${message}
Back
Credit: Aisha McAdams @ai.shoots
Trail running is often described as open, respectful and community-driven. But an inclusive environment does not happen on its own. It is not created by good intentions alone. It is built day by day through the language we use, the standards we set and the behaviours we accept as normal.
Men play a visible role in shaping that environment. On start lines, in training groups, within professional teams and in media narratives, they influence how the sport evolves. Through everyday choices and attitudes, they help define what feels normal and who feels welcome.
French professional trail runner and PTRA member Vincent Bouillard points to both the strengths of the discipline and the challenges that still remain. Trail running is fortunate to have extraordinary female athletes whose performances inspire the community and push the sport forward. At the same time, he notes that reaching the start line is not always the same journey for everyone.
“In trail running, we have the chance to have incredible female champions leading the way and inspiring many others through extraordinary performances,” he says. “It is a strength of our sport that female and male participants share the same race start line and the same trails. But before stepping on to any start line, women still have to overcome more barriers, challenge more status quos and win more battles than men do.”
Participation figures reflect this reality. In many trail races, men still represent the majority of runners. For Bouillard, this reflects a broader responsibility within the community.
“Sports are a great metaphor to our society at large, and the fight for intersectional feminism is just as important on the trails as it is in daily life.”
International Women’s Day offers an opportunity to reflect on that influence and to recognise that the continued development of the sport depends on shared commitment in practice.
Credit: Tanae Nelson
For Luke Nelson, American ultrarunner and co-race director of Scout Mountain Ultras, contributing to a more equitable environment was not a single decision, but a gradual process.
“I’ve been part of ultrarunning for 17 years,” he says. “I’ve seen the sport grow from small local events to large international races. Participation has increased significantly. Representation has not progressed at the same pace.”
Early in his career, Luke was mentored by strong women in the sport, including Krissy Moehl, Jenn Shelton and Anna Frost. He quickly learned about some of the challenges women face – including challenges with starting lines, race entries, prize money and media representation.
“For a while, I observed,” he reflects. “I recognised challenges I had never personally experienced. But recognition alone does not create change.”
A turning point came in 2010 with the birth of his daughter.
“I realised I didn’t want her entering a sport where those same barriers remained. If I wanted a different environment, I needed to be part of shaping it.”
As co-race director of Scout Mountain Ultras, Luke and his partner introduced equal prize structures, ensured space for women on the start line and worked to reduce participation barriers through scholarships and partnerships with initiatives such as Trail Sisters.
At the professional level, he also spoke with team managers and fellow athletes about equitable pay and benefits.
He remains measured in his assessment:
“I think I’m working as a strong ally for the women in our sport – and it is nowhere near enough. We’ve put initiatives in place, but participation is still far from equal. Women remain underrepresented in media and race coverage. There is still a strong emphasis on top men in the sport and too little on the achievements of women. There is much more work to be done – and it needs to be done by all of us.”
For British ultrarunner and PTRA member Tom Evans, equality is less about declarations and more about daily conduct.
“As trail runners, we like to think of our sport as open, tough and respectful,” he says. “But equality doesn’t just happen because we’re in the mountains. It comes from everyday behaviours and the standards we set.”
It begins with awareness – noticing who is given space, how performances are described and whose achievements are amplified.
“It might be small things,” Tom explains. “Language in a group chat. How race previews are framed. How women are spoken about in performance conversations. Those details accumulate. They shape the sport.”
In his view, equality means ensuring fair opportunities and consistent respect, including in media coverage and the way performances are discussed.
Credit: Tom Evans
Over the past two decades, trail running has expanded in scale and professionalism. With that growth comes influence. Not everyone experiences the sport in the same way. That reality means our presence and influence carry responsibility.
Creating space, listening and adjusting structures are not symbolic gestures. They shape who feels welcome – and who stays.
International Women’s Day offers a moment to reflect on the direction trail running is taking. Its future depends on the choices we make as a community.
ITRA would like to sincerely thank the Pro Trail Runners Association (PTRA), and the individual contributors Luke Nelson, Tom Evans and Vincent Bouillard for sharing their experience and perspective.
Their reflections contribute to the broader dialogue within the trail running community on how everyday behaviours and shared standards shape a more inclusive sport.
Copyright @ 2002 - 2026 ITRA, All Rights Reserved