The following article was written by Charles Trimmier and introduces Trailspect. Trimmier believes trail running is a powerful force for good, and he’s dedicated to proving it. He lost 50 pounds while training for his first 50k and loves sharing the mental health benefits of running in wild places. He lives in the San Francisco Bay Area.
Many trail runners say, “Trail running saved my life.” It’s definitely carried me through my most difficult times. I came to this realization while I was out running with my then-foster—and now forever—dog, Clover, during the first week of the pandemic.
As I was picking up groceries for the 10-day shutdown (which definitely lasted much longer), I got a call from my local dog foster organization. They said they weren’t considered an essential business and had to place all their dogs in homes by the end of the day. So, of course, I went by to pick up a dog. I was registered to foster large dogs. I drove up, opened the hatch, and stepped back as they brought out Clover in a crate.
Clover is not a large dog—he weighs about 15 pounds. Yet he embodies the phrase small, but mighty, which he proved as I participated in my first-ever virtual race.
Trimmier and Clover at the 24-hour virtual race.
Discovering Common Ground
I signed up for a 24-hour challenge that required runners to split the day into six segments of four hours and run at least five miles in each. Fortunately, I live adjacent to a practically infinite trail system. I took Clover out with me on the first leg and made sure to loop back by the house to see if he wanted to stop early. But he wanted to keep going for the entire five miles. And he wanted to go out on the next leg, too. And the one after that, and so on.
All day and night, we either ran or napped together until we had both run a 50k. Getting out on the trails with Clover was what kept me sane while the world around us went crazy. And Katrina, my domestic partner, went along for the ride too, eventually running her first 50k. During the pandemic, many people followed that same routine—both with dogs and trail running.
As the pandemic made it painfully clear that Americans were becoming increasingly divided by social media, I began wondering, “What would the country be like if people focused on their similarities instead of their differences?” Imagine what the social landscape would look like if that were true.
I often thought about this question during my pandemic trail runs. I stopped to take notes while my dog gave me side-eye. I spent a lot of time at trailheads observing people and working through this problem in my mind. I concluded that when Americans gather to participate in the same activity in real life, they see each other as fellow travelers, not as individuals with different opinions on divisive topics. I started to wonder if trail running might help bridge America’s divide.
Trimmier at the Grand Canyon.
Trail Running’s Travel Issue
The popularity of trail running is exploding. Participation in the activity has risen about 250% over the past decade, resulting in nearly 15 million trail runners in America. Even more are what I call trail-curious. And people who play outdoors love to travel. Outdoor recreation in general is having a moment, too. The US outdoor recreation economy has ballooned from $427 billion in 2017 to $1.2 trillion in 2024. Almost half of that spending is on travel.
This isn’t just a trend. It’s a fundamental shift in how Americans choose to spend their time and money. It was already underway before the pandemic, but the global health crisis cemented the value of nature and outdoor recreation in our collective consciousness. We stopped going to gyms for a bit and turned to the outdoors for exercise. Millions of Americans hit the trails.
When the pandemic was over, the previously steady growth of trail running broke into a sprint. People began traveling again and incorporating trail running into their trips. I did, too, and Clover got to come along. I’ve never had a dog small enough to fit under an airplane seat before. Now we have the opportunity to trail run together while I travel for work.
But that’s when I discovered another big problem I’m working to solve: it’s complicated to connect with a local trail running club when you’re traveling. More complex than it should be.
The current reality in America is that our grassroots trail-running clubs are scattered across the cyber-wilderness, stumbling through digital gathering places and using platforms that try to be everything to everyone. Clubs’ calls to welcome runners are lost in a cacophony of posts and the clutter of phantom clubs that aren’t real. As a result, many people who would otherwise embrace each other as friends continue to see each other as adversaries.
Community on the trails in the Pikes Peak region.
Community, Connection, Contribution
Trailspect is going to change that.
We’re working with national organizations and grassroots clubs across America to unite the trail community with a common platform that makes it easier to work and play on trails together, both at home and when you travel. We’re partnering with the US Trail Running Conference to provide a forum that supports their race director mentoring program. We’re providing a similar forum for leaders of trail running clubs to coordinate, share best practices, and offer feedback or a sympathetic ear. We’re partnering with international grassroots operators to offer unique trail-running experiences that leave a lasting, positive impact on local communities. And we’re sharing our profits with our club partners.
Connecting with a grassroots club is the fast lane to making trail running a core part of your identity. That’s why I founded Trailspect: to connect trail-curious people with their local club. It’s a great way to get past the confusion and gatekeeping that hold newcomers back. And it allows them to observe fundamental principles, like don’t litter or cut switchbacks, in action, building good habits naturally.
Trail running is a great way to experience new places, even in your own community. Local clubs typically use the best, most accessible trails. This is part of the reason why it’s so unfortunate that there’s no single, easy way to connect with clubs while traveling. Without that connection, traveling trail runners often miss the best natural highlights the area has to offer. Consider this example: the last two years at the US Trail Running Conference in Knoxville, Tennessee, we enjoyed beautiful trails that seemed nestled in remote wilderness, though they were just minutes from downtown. This experience was made possible through the guidance of the Knoxville Track Club. Trailspect connects people to similar local knowledge.
Building community on the trails.
The Future of the Trail Running Community
Uniting the trail running community is where Trailspect starts. In the years to come, we envision using the platform to help all trail users work together on impactful social issues, such as volunteerism and advocacy. Creating digital tools to unite people in the real world with opportunities to do activities they love can help bridge the rift that continues to divide America.
Designing a business to solve a social problem and give back to a community you love is an art, not a science. And companies can change over time, so I created the name Trailspect as a combination of trails and respect, baking those words into this business’s DNA forever. Trailspect’s mission is to open the arms of the trail community so it can embrace everyone.
During my first 100-mile trail race, I kept pace with a blind runner for a few hours in the first half. It was on a mountainous rail trail, and there were occasional branches and blowdowns he had to navigate. So, he had a guide runner with him. She would tell him what was coming up, allowing him to leap over the obstacles without breaking stride. I had a great time talking with them until they eventually left me in their dust. I finished under 24 hours (barely), but he was much faster. And that experience stuck with me.
At the start of a trail race, there’s a broad spectrum of humanity gathered together. You’ll see all ages and body types, but this diversity isn’t yet representative of the general population. There are many people and organizations already working to welcome marginalized groups into the trail running community, and Trailspect supports them. I’m actively listening to the people who’ve been doing this work and changing how Trailspect operates to incorporate their input.
For example, one small change Trailspect has made is adding demographic questions to the registration process. I’ve heard marginalized people say they feel seen when asked to identify their demographics. I’m making it Trailspect policy to allow people the option to provide this information. I’ve also heard safety concerns from people who feel afraid in specific environments, and Trailspect is doing what it can to help them feel safer. We don’t pretend to have all the answers, but we do provide a forum for people to collectively seek solutions and a platform to help club leaders and event organizers implement them.
Trailspect is taking people on a journey from curiosity to participation in the trail community, both at home and wherever they travel. And then, if they’re willing, we’re taking people on a journey from participation to leadership.
Trailspect provides free access for members and leaders of trail running clubs. We use a freemium subscription model that makes it easier for everyone to connect with a local club and participate in an authentic local trail run experience while traveling.
We hope you’ll join us at Trailspect.com.
Trimmier during the Cool Moon 100K
