Written by Gina Lucrezi for ATRA’s Winter Trail Times Newsletter.
About six years ago, I moved to Carbondale, Colorado to work with Trail Runner magazine as their Advertising Manager. I was an avid trail runner and wanted to take my racing to a more competitive level. What better place to train than in the Roaring Fork Valley, and having the opportunity to work for a company directly related to my passion it couldn’t get any better.
It just so happened that my new co-worker Ashley Hunter Arnold (Associate Editor) was also a badass trail runner, and like me, wanting to strengthen her race performance. So, as you may have guessed, we were instant training partners.
Trail Sisters founder Gina Lucrezi.
We worked together, trained together, and were even housemates. Trail running was a non-stop topic of conversation and activity. Spending so much time around each other, we considered one another sisters…and because of our passion for trail running, we were trail sisters.
Ashley and I knew how to motivate each other and how to work together. If either of us was having a rough training day, we knew what to do or say to get the other one back in the right headspace. Support and empowerment were staples of our friendship, and were key pieces to our success on the trails.
The trail sister relationship we had developed was something I believed every woman should have or experience. I wanted other women to have the same support and motivation I had received. I wanted them to know that they weren’t alone in their struggles on and off the trail, and that there was a sisterhood that would welcome them with open arms.
Gina at the 2011 NACAC Mountain Running Championships in Ajijic, Mexico.
I realized there weren’t many media outlets in the trail run space dedicated to the female voice or point of view, thus, I realized the importance of creating an outlet and a community.
In April of 2016 I created TrailSisters.net. The site serves as a place for information, inspiration, and empowerment for women looking to get out on the trails. It is a community of women inspiring others to lead healthy lifestyles while adventuring outdoors and protecting Earth’s playgrounds.
I’ve recruited 16 contributors (and counting), who stem from all corners of the trail running arena. Having a variety of voices and opinions helps with reach and understanding. Articles are posted every Tuesday and Thursday with an occasional bonus post on Monday or Wednesday, depending on the amount of content received. This site and the community it has created would be non-existent without the help from these amazing ladies.
ATRA Executive Director Nancy Hobbs.
The feedback and support Trail Sisters has received is off-the-charts amazing. The readers are engaged and are welcomed to share their own thoughts and experiences as guest contributors. The more conversation we can create, the more support and empowerment we can all receive.
In 2017, TrailSisters.net will be adding a few more features to the site, including a group run network, product reviews, athlete interviews, and more.
With the growth and interest Trail Sisters has received in such a short time, it is no doubt a “thing” and is here to stay! Keep your eyes and ears open for future announcements and events.
If you want to support Trail Sisters, visit www.trailsisters.net and share with your friends. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter. And if you want to show off your love for the community, visit our store www.trailsisters.net/store.
Facebook: TrailSisters1
Instagram: @trail_sisters
Twitter: @trail_talk
If you have any questions, or comments, feel free to email [email protected].
