According to the Outdoor Industry Association, nearly 60 million people in the United States identify as runners, making this sport the second-largest outdoor recreation group in the country. Trail running, specifically, has emerged as one of the fastest-growing sports with a 6% annual growth rate, and recent data shows that runners recreate more frequently than any other sport – averaging 9x the number of outings compared to hikers who are the next most active recreation group in the U.S.

The growing number of runners and organized running events occurring on public lands each year highlights the need for runners to be more involved in caring for the places where they run. Working directly with lawmakers and land managers to advocate for legislation, funding, staffing, conservation policy and collaboration is necessary to ensure that our public lands and waters are safe, healthy, and welcoming for all to enjoy.

This session will educate the running community on challenges related to protecting and expanding access to public lands and waters through the lens of trail running races. We will have a robust discussion and a call to action that will empower the audience to advocate for the protection of public lands by writing postcards to their lawmakers and signing digital action alerts.