How Does Trail Running Survive This Boom With Its Soul Intact?

"Through lengthy text threads and other video conversations, our small group of passionate runners has discussed and brainstormed whether it's possible for commercialization and culture to coexist in a sport we've all come to love, and how to create a space that's welcoming to all types of runners. In other words, how does trail running survive this boom with its soul intact?"

"Alex, who works in public and environmental health planning and policy, says, "Growing up in a small U.S. Midwestern town as a Korean adoptee in a family dealing with a lot of illness, addiction, and instability, I never felt like I belonged anywhere. Running became the one steady thing I could count on. For the first time, there was no judgment, no expectation, and no one could take it from me.""

Four runners convene by video call to address growing disenchantment with the commercialization of trail running. The sport’s mainstreaming is characterized by big-production events and brands promoting gear, which can marginalize simple, community-focused experiences. The group explores whether commercialization and culture can coexist and how to create spaces welcoming to diverse runners. Personal pathways into running are varied: one runner found belonging and steadiness in running amid family instability, another parlayed youth training into alpinism, and another rediscovered joy through teammates after an initial cross-country influence. The central question is how trail running can endure growth while keeping its soul.

Read at iRunFar