Enthusiasm and collaboration generates community building at 2024 US Trail Running Conference

November 26, 2024

Knoxville proves to be a perfect setting for industry-leading event

November 26. /ENDURANCE SPORTSWIRE/ – The US Trail Running Conference, presented by Marathon Printing, Inc., was held October 23-25, 2024, in Knoxville, TN. Organizers report that 152 participants registered, with in-person attendance of 120. Attendees included race directors and event organizers, exhibitors, sponsors, trail runners and fans of the sport. Race directors and event organizers at the Conference represented more than 83,000 runners.The Conference was held in partnership with Visit Knoxville Sports Commission, and the American Trail Running Association.

The Conference featured a range of presentations and panels over three days, covering subjects like state of the sport, race mentorship, harnessing the power of social media to increase registration, the importance of a race committee, new race format ideas, funding your race, how to livestream your event, how to start an effective podcast, event budgeting, shaping the future, event logistics, how to reduce the ecological footprint for your race or event, and aid station best practices.

On Thursday morning, business coaching sessions focused on tools to create a culture of innovation in an organization, and applying innovation tools to community building.

The theme for this year’s Conference was Building Community and Culture. This theme was an ongoing focus throughout the Conference.

Presenters and expert panelists included Dale Garland (Hardrock 100), David Callahan ( UltraSignup), Jay Kelley (UltraSignup), Steven Aderholt (Cocodona 250), Alex Ross (Denver Colfax), Mandy Mullen (run.Windsor), Tom Hooper (SIX03Endurance), Shalini Bhajjan (Terrain Trail Runners), Matias Saari (Mount Marathon), Zac Marion (Mountain Outpost), Scott Warr (Trail Runner Nation), Aric Manning (Trail Manners), Jamie Nott (Iron Legs Mountain Races), Kimberly Aubuchon (San Antonio Trail Runners), Kim Levinsky (Sassquad Trail Running), Aimee Kohler (The Running Kind), Rob Palmore and Wil White (Black Men Run), Olivia Affuso (Outdoor Adventurer), Lara Hamilton & Shea Aquilano (The Trail Team) and more.

This year’s Conference saw a revitalized format with a focus on achieving increased diversity in both panelists and presenters, as well as participants. The goal was to have every panel be as diverse as possible to represent the diversity that organizers would like to see in the sport. Organizers also created an advisory committee early in 2024 that focused on creating the content for the sessions for the event, and several of the committee were also at the Conference in person to ensure that processes and goals for the event were followed. These changes were also designed to improve safety for all presenters, panelists and participants.

Knoxville,Tennessee was selected as the location for this year’s Conference based on a thriving trail running community, an urban wilderness trail system that features trails within easy access of downtown, a vibrant downtown area to relax and enjoy social time after the day’s sessions, and a centrally located Conference facility that was able to host the event in comfort. This was the first time the Conference has been held in Tennessee, the home of bluegrass and blues music and the Great Smoky Mountains.

A post Conference survey revealed key factors participants learned during the event to be incorporated into their races or events: How to make true connections with participants; Importance of sustainability and action points to achieve this; How to effectively broaden social media outreach; How to include and the relevance of a land acknowledgement; How to create scholarships for race entries; How to create an event strategy; How to establish effective communication processes; How to manage logistics issues more effectively; How to livestream events; How to step out of isolation and be able to bounce ideas off connections to communities that had not been known before.

Conference organizers have announced that the US Trail Running Conference will return to Tennessee for the 2025 event. Dates are set for October 15-17, 2025, with the event moving to the University of Tennessee Conference Center in downtown Knoxville. Registration is open now for race directors and event organizers.

American Trail Running Association President, Adam Chase, added, “After a long gap since I last attended the Conference, it was wonderful to return to such a vibrant and engaging event. I’m thrilled USTRC will be returning to Knoxville next year, as it was such a hospitable place to convene.”

Event Director, Terry Chiplin, comments, “This year’s Conference exceeded our expectations. The enthusiasm, passion, interest, collaboration and cooperation that was shared by everyone in the event was evident from the first moments to the last. We have heard from many participants that they took away many key actionable items to their communities. We plan to build on this momentum and the changes that will be introduced to the sport as a result. We look forward to returning to Knoxville for an exciting and inspiring event in October 2025.”

More info:

For details on the US Trail running Conference and to register, go to https://ustrailrunningconference.com/

Contact Event Director, Terry Chiplin for further information, terry@ustrailrunningconference.com, or +33 (0)6 79 76 31 53

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About the American Trail Running Association

The American Trail Running Association, ATRA, was formed in 1996 as a Colorado not for profit corporation.Their mission is to represent and promote trail running, mountain running, and ultra trail running. They offer individual, club, race and corporate memberships. One of their primary benefits is their quarterly newsletter, Trail Times. ATRA offers numerous resources, timely articles, an event standards program, and has a robust online searchable events calendar.

About the US Trail Running Conference

The US Trail Running Conference, presented by Marathon Printing, Inc., provides education, inspiration, and unique networking opportunities for trail race directors, trail runners, brands and fans of the sport. The Conference is held in partnership with Visit Knoxville Sports Commission and the American Trail Running Association. The annual Conference is supplemented with ongoing education from the RD Master Class monthly webinar series. The mission of the US Trail Running Conference is to lead, educate, connect and empower an inclusive family of trail runners, race directors and industry leaders working to share best practices with the trail running community.