Time to Become One Trail by John Claridge

Imagine you arrive home on Friday, from a long hard week at work, you have squeezed in a quick training run on your local trail. Managed to grab your family takeaway meals and you have all sat down in the comfort of your living room.

Flicking on the TV you gather around arguing over which of your favourite trail runners will take out the points in this month’s round of the Golden Trail series as you watch the spectacle unfold on prime-time TV.

How awesome would this be?

For many years most of us have not understood why trail running has not and is still not seen as a mainstream sport. From short explosive races of mixed and vertical type terrain to the awe-inspiring feats of those gliding through ultra events like they are out for a Sunday jog. Trail running has all the potential to captivate and spectate just like any other easily recognised sport.

Many have said that the commercialisation and global recognition of trail running would see our beloved sport lose what truly makes it what it is, the raw unadulterated act of simply going for a run in nature. This last decade has seen an uptake in trail running unmatched by any other sport, leading to what appears to be in many cases, knee jerk reactions and mimicking to cater for the explosion of participation.

It is for these reasons that many for the past few decades have been working toward, and called for, some form of national governance, assisting in unity, inclusion and cohesion for all that participate as a trail runner. Whether it be at a world championship representing your country, at a local race, attempting an FKT or simply moving through your favourite piece of nature, we need recognition and engagement at an international, national and state level to advocate for our continued and expanded access to all that encompasses trail running.

Many of us now believe this is the time move forward and form a group that brings all facets of trail running under the one umbrella. With our new bi-annual World Trail and Mountain Running Championships, a complete lack of funding for competitors at international level, access and approval with key stakeholders like parks services and councils getting harder by the day and lack of consultation on many largely impactful projects and trail builds.

Now is the time to join tracks and become one trail.

John Claridge

President
Tasmanian Trail Running Association