They move forward - What trail running reveals when women speak up

On the occasion of International Women’s Rights Day, we gave the floor to our ambassadors.

• Not to talk about performance.
• Not to talk about gear.
• But to share what trail running changes in a woman’s life.

We sent them a simple questionnaire, a few open-ended questions. One rule: answer anonymously.

Why? Because the goal wasn’t to highlight individual profiles, but to let a collective voice emerge.

The answers speak of freedom, motherhood, doubts, strength, encounters on the trails.

They also share a reality: despite steady progress, women are still a minority in certain trail distances, especially ultras.

But things are changing. And their words tell exactly that.

Why they started running

We often think we start trail running to run farther. Faster. Higher.

But the answers tell another story.

Some talk about a need for silence. Others about a moment in life when everything became too noisy.

An ambassador shares that during a time in her life when everything revolved around image, events, and others’ opinions, she felt a deep need for solitude. Trail running became that space. A place where you can finally meet yourself.

"I think I was seeking silence and solitude."

Others mention a need for fresh air, nature, perspective.

"I wasn’t looking for speed. I was looking for depth."

In many responses, trail running appears as a mirror. A place where you discover who you are when no one is watching.

The moment they discovered they were stronger

Every runner remembers a specific moment. An instant when fatigue seemed too strong. When giving up felt almost obvious. And yet, something shifts.

For some, that moment comes during a race. On an endless climb, in the cold or the wind.

For others, the real challenge had started long before.

An ambassador shares that she became a mother at 19. Life had already taught her to stand tall when the ground shakes. So when she talks about difficulty in trail running, she puts it into perspective.

"When you’ve already faced inner storms, a 2,000-meter climb becomes a conversation."

Trail running doesn’t always create strength. Sometimes, it reveals it.

Being a finisher: a promise you make to yourself

In the trail running world, the word Finisher is almost sacred. But for these women, it means more than just the finish line.

Being a finisher means keeping a promise. Not a promise made to others. A promise made to yourself.

“Being a finisher means fulfilling the commitment you made to yourself.”

Failure exists. It’s part of the journey. But it doesn’t define a runner.

“It’s not crossing a line that matters. It’s refusing to give up the person you decided to be.”

Being a woman and running

Running in the mountains doesn’t erase life. On the contrary.

The answers often talk about motherhood, the delicate balance between roles, already full days.

But the mountain has one particularity: it doesn’t ask who you are. It simply asks if you keep moving forward.

“The mountain has no social rules. Up there, there is only endurance.”

On the trails, many say they learned something essential: to claim their place.

“I don’t run to prove that a woman can. I run because I can.”

Sisterhood on the trails

Trail running is often presented as an individual sport. Yet the stories tell a different reality.

An ambassador remembers a very intense moment at the Tor des Géants. She was about to quit. She had already taken off her bib.

Another runner came over. She simply encouraged her, with insistence and kindness. Then she left.

“She believed in me when I no longer believed in myself.”

Because even if running seems individual, you never really run alone.

The advice they would give to a woman who hesitates

When asked what advice they would give to a woman hesitating to start trail running, the answers are surprisingly simple.

None of them talk about time. They talk about courage: starting as you are. With your doubts. With your fears.

“If you feel a ‘I want’ somewhere inside you, then the first step already exists.”

Women don’t take small steps. They move forward.

A collective energy

Throughout the answers, one word often comes up: decisive.

The presence of others. The collective energy. The look of someone who believes in you when you’re doubting yourself.

In trail running, you often think you’re starting alone. But you rarely move forward without others.

• Passing it on.
• Support.
• Strength.
• Together.

Because behind every finisher, there is often a community.