Takeaways from the US Trail Running Conference 2022

At a trail running conference last week, I learned how something seemingly boring can be a catalyst for business operations and community, and even inclusion, life experiences, and purchase conversions.

What is that? Safety.

Is that boring? Well, it turns out to be a gamechanger.

This was at the US Trail Running Conference in Mukilteo, Washington. It's an intimate, niche kind of event topic, but, when you put together a sincere and hard-working event director Terry, a diverse attendee body, a passionate subject, and spaces for honesty and brainstorming, you can have some real breakthroughs.

Safety doesn't always get the attention, when we're all thinking about Instagrammable moments, riveting content, finish line parties, and flashy marketing.

But we realized the effect an attention can have on business and inclusion.

How?

  1. Communication on course and with aid stations: for courses that really get out there, being able to communicate with aid stations and even participants is a game changer. To help: cell coverage maps, Starlink, repeaters.

  2. Live Tracking: we've been using satellite based systems or closed app systems. Time to open this up to better tech, cellular and web-based solutions, and resilient data caching.

  3. Make it clear your event prioritizes safety: when participants consider registering, especially if they are new runners, black, indigenous, or underrepresented groups, women, feeling that safety is a priority leads to signups and transactions faster

  4. Pre-race briefings: too many participants ignore pre-race briefings. Try new ways to share, like podcast episodes

  5. Women runners face additional safety and harassment threats on the trails: make it a priority, create communication options, and ensure your participants stay on course

  6. Don't get lost: getting lost in a race is a nightmare in many ways. Maybe it just adds time to your race, and you lose a few finish places. Or, it causes anxiety, you cannot back to the course, you attempt shortcuts, or you put yourself in a dangerous situation. And, it’s absolutely scary for the race organizers, especially if they don’t know any details. Solid trail markings are critical in the trails, but great races augment with digital signage.

What does safety in running mean to you?

Learn how RunGo can help, at rungoapp.com/races

Inside RunGoNoah Bloomtrail running, conference, atra