Watch: Breaking Down Barriers to Trail Running Panel Discussion
We had close to 400 RSVPs for our panel discussion with Patagonia on breaking down barriers to trail running. You can watch the replay here (with the robust chat responses!) or by clicking on the video above.
This was a panel and Q&A focused on better understanding the barriers that underrepresented runners face in the sport and ways we can work together to create safer, inclusive, and welcoming spaces.
Panelists: Martin Johnson (MJ), Rahaf Khatib, Lionel Brodie, and Peyton Thomas with moderators Kiera Smalls and Sasha Teninty.
Some takeaways and resources from attendees (more can be found in the video):
Get to know BIPOC communities, knock on our doors if you need to, and invite them to your race.
Have options for race event costs to be more accessible. Think sliding-scale (if you are a race director).
Make sure running groups have all levels of pacers available so that everyone can feel comfortable joining.
Make sure orgs hire BIPOC for leadership positions and pay them equally.
Civil Conversations Project: This is the organization that Peyton is associated with focused on uncovering lost stories, specifically of Black Americans, and the history of the US.
Black Faces, Whites Spaces by Carolyn Finney
The Adventure Gap by James Mills
Black Female Marathon History in honor of Ted Corbitt, pieced together by Gary Corbitt, his son
Podcast: The Land is Ours with Guarina Lopez
The Gear Fund Collective, redistributes new/lightly used gear to BIPOC, LGBTQ+, and adaptive athletes across the US for free. People of means can donate their gear or money to support. On Instagram @thegearfundcollective.
Lobbying locally to invest in infrastructure to create usable or accessible trail systems? BIPOC-specific events to foster familiarity and comfort in the trail systems? Ally-specific workshops to hit all the low-hanging fruit items that would be somewhat of a waste of time for BIPOC folks to have to sit through…
