The Running Industry Diversity Coalition has released a toolkit with actionable steps to increase diversity in trail running.
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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 acti…
The Running Industry Diversity Coalition has released a toolkit with actionable steps to increase diversity in trail running.
*Support us! iRunFar may earn a small commission from affiliate links in this article. Learn more.
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. They aim to make the running space more equitable and welcoming to Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) by hosting events, creating leadership opportunities, and encouraging community participation. 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.”
The Freedom to Run: Back Outside program works to increase diversity through representation, education, and access. All photos courtesy of Running Industry Diversity Coalition unless otherwise noted.
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.
Baseline Research on Diversity and Perceptions
Baseline research carried out by the RIDC in 2023, and in particular, their “Racial Diversity in Trail Running” study, has enabled the group to identify systemic barriers faced by BIPOC runners, ranging from safety concerns, access, gear, and the feeling of belonging. “The research allowed us to understand the underrepresented experience in trail running,” says Smalls. The research also led to the creation of the “Freedom to Run: Back Outside” program, a dedicated trail running program allowing the RIDC to support a group of BIPOC runners and improve the understanding of their needs. Among other things, the program aims to elevate BIPOC runners in order to help those new to the sport to feel seen.
The study yielded several interesting pieces of data. Of the 1,138 respondents to the survey, 79% were people of color, and BIPOC responses to the survey were distinctly different from those of their white counterparts. According to the survey responses, white runners are likely to cite inclusivity when asked what they value in the trail community. Inclusivity is a word that was conspicuously absent in BIPOC responses. The study also found that runners of color were more likely to rank the functional benefits of running — namely, physical health — highly, while white runners valued the emotional benefits more highly.
A survey found that BIPOC runners had different perceptions of the sport and valued different aspects of it. Photo: iRunFar/Eszter Horanyi
Through the study, the RIDC was also able to determine that runners of color had unmet needs in terms of product relevance and function. “Although there are many products, they don’t necessarily connect with BIPOC consumers,” says Smalls. BIPOC runners also reported a different perception regarding safety on the trails, in particular during races, than their white counterparts.
Understanding these different perceptions of trail running and ultrarunning is a first step to understanding how to build a more inclusive community, and this study was able to pull together a variety of viewpoints to do just that.
Opening the Path to Trail Running: A Toolkit for Runners
The RIDC toolkit, written by Allison Torres Burtka, is an industry-wide resource that represents a culmination of expertise acquired through years of work in the sector. It includes information on the history of trail running, gear, training, and races, as well as safety tips, all aimed at educating both runners and leaders within the trail running space. It also dispels myths about trail running, offers a list of BIPOC runners who are holding space in the running world, and suggests races that are currently taking steps to increase diversity in the sport.
Karla Estudillo Fuentes at the Freedom to Run: Back Outside event hosted by the RIDC.
Smalls hopes that the toolkit will help more people experience the joys and health benefits of trail running and racing by increasing exposure and creating awareness about the available products and resources. “It takes all of us to make sure that no one’s left behind, and there’s something in there for everyone to take away and to share.”
As the RIDC celebrates its fifth year of operation, it continues to look to the future and explore ways to increase participation in the sport.
Call for Comments
- How has your running community worked to increase diversity and inclusivity in the sport?
- What barriers have you experienced in the running world?
Deki Fourcin is an author with iRunFar, based in Orléans, France. She has also worked as a freelance editor for Komoot and is the SheRACES ambassador for France. Deki is passionate about the benefits of outdoor sports and finding ways to make them more accessible to everyone. You’ll likely find her out on the trails, exploring the Loire Valley and beyond with her family.