The following article, Finding My Way Home on the Trails: My Journey Into Ultrarunning and the Birth of Terrain Trail Runners-STL, was written by Shalini Bhajjan and embodies ATRA’s 2026 theme Roots and Horizons.
I never set out to become a race director. I certainly never imagined founding a trail and ultrarunning community in St. Louis. There was no blueprint, no ambition to build something big. There was only a quiet, persistent need to move—to breathe—to find a place where the noise of my life softened enough for me to hear myself again.
Running gave me that space. The trails gave me something deeper: a sense of home.
Where My Running Journey Began
I had been a track athlete in high school, but when I returned to running in 2010, I was stepping into a completely different life. I was a mother of three children under six, juggling work, family, and a marriage where support came reluctantly, if at all. My days were full of obligations, but running became the one thing that belonged entirely to me. I started on the roads because they were familiar. Predictable. Safe. But as my miles stretched longer, something inside me stretched too. I craved more than pavement and pace charts. I wanted challenge. I wanted to feel small in the best possible way.
The first time I stepped onto a trail, everything changed. The woods didn’t ask for speed; they asked for presence. They didn’t care about my pace; they cared that I showed up. Among the trees, I could finally exhale. I could let the weight I carried slip off my shoulders for a few miles at a time. Running became therapy. Trail running became meditation.
But when I looked for a community to share this with, I found a St. Louis ultra-running scene dominated by a long-standing club—white, male, insular, and built around a paid membership model that felt more like a gate than a welcome mat. As a woman and a person of color, I felt the unspoken message clearly: this space wasn’t built with me in mind.
Running should be free.
Running should be inclusive.
Running should be for everyone.
So instead of squeezing myself into a space that didn’t fit, I went searching for people who believed the same.
The Spark That Became Terrain Trail Runners-STL
Terrain Trail Runners-STL didn’t begin as an organization. It began as a longing—for connection, for community, for a place where anyone could show up exactly as they were and feel like they belonged.
In the beginning, we were just a handful of runners meeting at local parks, exploring singletrack, learning the rhythm of the woods together. But something beautiful happened: people kept coming back. They brought friends. They brought stories. They brought their whole selves.
Slowly, almost quietly, TTR-STL became more than a running group. It became a family. Some of my closest friendships—my support system, my people—were born on those early morning runs. We’ve grown older together, from our mid-30s to our 50s, still keeping the wheels of TTR turning, even if those wheels squeak a little more now.
Becoming a Race Director — One Course at a Time
I never imagined I’d be designing race courses or hauling supplies to aid stations at 2 a.m. But trail running has a way of nudging you into the unknown.
It all started with a simple question: Why aren’t there more trail ultras in St. Louis?
And because I’m the kind of person who can’t let a question linger, I decided to create what I couldn’t find. In November 2013, I stood in front of 30 runners at TTR’s first event—Rockin’ Rockwoods 50K, a Fatass-style race. It was raw, simple, and full of heart. By 2014, I was directing two official races—Ozark Foothills and Rockin’ Rockwoods—on public trails where no races had ever been held.
Those early events were small and scrappy, but they were built with intention. I wanted runners to feel challenged but supported, tested but inspired. Every course I design reflects what I love most about Missouri’s trails:
• Rugged, untamed beauty
• Rolling hills and rocky bluffs
• Quiet moments where the forest feels alive
• Wild, unpredictable terrain that keeps you humble
Today, Terrain Trail Runners hosts twelve annual events—from 5Ks to 100-mile races—each one crafted to showcase the hidden gems of St. Louis. Many of these races exist in places where no trail events had ever been held before.
My purpose has always been simple: I want runners to feel the landscape, not just pass through it.
Why St. Louis Trails Matter
St. Louis isn’t the first place people think of when they imagine trail running, but maybe it should be. Our region is full of surprises—technical singletrack, steep climbs, sweeping ridgelines, and forests that feel a world away from the city.
Through TTR-STL, I’ve watched runners discover these places for the first time. Their awe mirrors my own early trail days—the sense of possibility, the thrill of the unknown, the quiet magic of the woods.
These trails have character. They have history. They have soul. And they deserve to be celebrated.
The Heart of What I Do
Race directing isn’t glamorous. It’s long hours, unpredictable weather, endless logistics, and problem-solving on the fly. But it is the most rewarding work I’ve ever done.
I get to witness transformation—sometimes in a single race, sometimes over years. I see runners break through mental barriers, find new strengths, and build friendships that outlast finish lines. I see people discover parts of themselves they didn’t know existed.
Every time someone crosses a finish line—whether it’s their first 10K or their hundredth ultra—I’m reminded why I do this.
Still Learning, Still Growing
The past 12 years as an ultrarunner and race director have changed me. My ethos has evolved. My purpose has deepened. I don’t just run and direct races—I give back. I build and maintain trails. I support nonprofits that protect our outdoor spaces. I stay connected to the community that shaped me.
The trails continue to teach me that growth isn’t linear, that progress requires connection, and that the best stories are written one mile at a time.
Terrain Trail Runners-STL began as a spark, but it has grown into something far bigger than me. It stands as proof of what can happen when people come together with passion, curiosity, and a willingness to step into the unknown. After 12 years and 12 annual events, I’m still learning. Still growing. Still listening to what the trails have to say.
What’s next? I don’t know yet. But I do know this: I represent an underrepresented group in the outdoor world, and I want to change that. I want to stand for diversity in the outdoors even more fiercely than I stand for race directing.
And every day, I’m grateful—for this community, for these trails, and for the unexpected journey that brought us all together.
Editor’s Note: Follow Shalini on Instagram @shalinibhajjan and @terraintrailrunners_stl.
