"While it's easy to see that trail running and ultrarunning struggle with a lack of diversity, understanding how to address the issue has proven difficult in many sectors of the running space. Recently, the Running Industry Diversity Coalition (RIDC) released a guide, " Opening the Path to Trail Running: A Toolkit for Runners, Retailers, and Communities," designed to provide discrete and actionable steps that the running community can take to improve diversity in the sport. The RIDC is a non-profit that has been working to improve racial diversity, equity, and inclusion in running since 2020."
"The new toolkit serves as a guide for BIPOC runners starting or continuing their journey into the sport, and also as a call to action for the trail running world as a whole, highlighting ways in which the industry is currently falling short. Kiera Smalls, executive director of the RIDC, is one of the driving forces behind the nonprofit. "Trail running is booming," she says, "and our mission is to unite the running industry, to improve inclusion and visibility for BIPOC runners, and to make the sport more representative of the demographics of the country.""
"When Smalls says that trail running is booming, she's not exaggerating. According to the Sports and Fitness Industry Association's 2024 Topline Participation Report, trail running grew from 13.2 million participants in 2022 to 14.8 million in 2023 - an increase of 12.3%. However, according to RunRepeat's 2024 " Ultimate Trail Running Stats [179 Facts]," 69% of trail runners are white or Caucasian."
Trail running participation rose from 13.2 million in 2022 to 14.8 million in 2023, yet 69% of participants are white or Caucasian. The Running Industry Diversity Coalition (RIDC) is a nonprofit founded in 2020 focused on improving racial diversity, equity, and inclusion in running. RIDC hosts events, creates leadership opportunities, and encourages community participation. RIDC released a toolkit titled Opening the Path to Trail Running to offer discrete, actionable steps for runners, retailers, and communities. Baseline research in 2023, including a Racial Diversity in Trail Running study, established data to inform targeted interventions. The effort seeks to make the sport more representative of national demographics through concrete changes across organizations and events.
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