View From The Edge | China race disaster is a reality check – trail running is still an extreme sport with inherent uncontrollable risks despite becoming mainstream
- Trail running is becoming so popular that running 100km at altitude is normalised, but we need to remember the risks and ask ourselves where responsibility lies
- A storm strikes a race in China killing 21 people, raising questions about the standards race organisers should set to keep runners safe
The disaster is a reminder that the sport we love is an extreme sport. Trail running has exploded in popularity over the last 10 years, and with it you see people from all walks of life on the startline, from elite athletes to first-time runners. The realm of ultra and mountain running was once the domain of a crazy few, but now it has been normalised. If you finish a 50km, you almost inevitably get asked “have you done 100km yet?” like running 100km is the most natural thing possible.
But the tragic event in China this weekend is a reminder that no matter how prolific ultra running becomes, there are dangers like any other mountain sport where Mother Nature rules.
It is great that so many people are finding the wonders of nature, and wanting to push themselves outside their comfort zones. It is great also to see prize money, as professionalism extends opportunities to new groups. Long may both continue. But trail running is not, and will never be, just a casual sport.
The difficulty is knowing who is responsible for making sure the most extreme races are as safe as possible – the runners who enter them, the race organisers or the government?