October/November 2024

Come for the Sport, Stay for the Community

Bob Crowley
Oct 2024

In my childhood I loved to run, not as a sport but as an activity. We ran while playing tag, army, whiffle ball, capture the flag, to and from school and home for dinner. No one taught us how to run—it was just something we did: a way to get around and be part of a community.

Up until age 10, I was fast. Then my body changed, gaining significant weight, and I went from speedy and agile to slow and cumbersome. My new identity, which came with the usual middle-school-aged harshness and name-calling, became “Buttox,” and I was picked last for teams, if at all. My joy for running ceased and instead, it became a punishment I rued.

After college, starting my career and getting married, I was determined to figure out a way to drop the weight and stop the self-loathing. I was 30 years old and knew it would require a fundamental change to my lifestyle, starting with getting smart about nutrition.

I had several fits and starts at purported diets, all of which I failed. Then one day in 1986, I found out about a book, Fit or Fat. I was hooked and I began losing meaningful weight over the ensuing months, but still without exercising. Then, a close friend suggested I add a few weekly runs around the neighborhood to burn more fat and accelerate the weight loss. Little did I know that this was the beginning of a life-changing journey of deep self-discovery and belonging to a clan which reflected an ethos towards which I strived: humble, non-judgmental, selfless, respectful and authentic. I came for the sport and stayed for the community.

Fast forward 40 years to the present, and trail running has enabled me to uncover personal attributes – good and bad – which have, in turn, helped shape me into a better person. And it remains the most meaningful community to which I belong. Has the sport changed? Undoubtedly. And the community? Absolutely. And the ethos beneath it all? I believe it is in tact but at risk of erosion.

The growth in awareness of, and popularity for, trail running over the past 15-20 years has been significant, out-pacing all other categories of running and most other sports. This has led to increased participation (nearly 20 million worldwide), events (tens of thousands globally) and inevitably, commercialization.

Although the fundamental values remain, the rapid increase in new participants unfamiliar with the trail running’s community and values combined with accelerated brand interest and commercialization, have unconsciously begun to erode the pillars of the ethos. The community is a little less accepting and welcoming, a bit more chippy and edgy, far less humble and bordering on disrespectful at times. And the authenticity has been skewed from private self-discovery and satisfaction of personal achievements to humble-bragging and one-upmanship across the web.

Can the values be preserved while the sport and community continue to rapidly expand? I believe so, but not without a conscientious effort on the part of the leaders and influencers within trail running, to foster and preserve our ethos through discussion, education and setting an example. There’s no better way to assure our unique and beloved community will persevere and sustain the onslaught of growth and prosperity, than to consistently remind us of all our cherished values and put them to practice.

I learned the ethos of trail running from my mentors, during long training runs. Then I’d witness them putting the values to practice at events, selflessly helping a competitor in need, volunteering when not competing, cheering for and educating all members of the community. There was a concerted effort to educate and assure the values were passed on to the next generation. Learning our ethos begins locally, by educating and mentoring through runs together, side-by-side volunteering, witnessing our values in action.

I had the good fortune of finding the trail running community early. My 40-year love affair with the sport has enriched my life, introduced me to some of my dearest friends and taught me values which I try to practice to this day. Over the past decade, it’s been my turn to be the mentor, try to educate “newbies” to our ethos and practice what I preach. In doing so, I’ve met so many members of the next generation of trail running that “get it,” do it through their actions and intend to pass it on and pay-it-forward. It’s encouraging and motivating.

Trail running is in good hands. We can balance the growth and ensuing commercialization while maintaining our community ethos, but the threat to the latter is real. It will require vigilance and unwavering courage to invest in education and mentoring to assure we don’t lose our way and bury our “why” that distinguishes us from other sports. Let’s ensure that from the local clubs to national and international bodies, we keep our values at the forefront of the discussion. I believe we will be fearless with our advocacy and relentless with our preservation. That is my hope and wish for us all.

Guest