There are already many hurdles to maintaining consistency in trail running, from injury to juggling work and family, limited daylight during winter and the culminating weariness that comes with age.
But there is something more sinister, more unpredictable, more problematic coming for our sport. For many of us, it’s already here.
Climate change.
In October 2024, Australian race-walk athlete Rhydian Cowley was named World Athlete of the Year at the BBC Green Sports Awards. I missed his bronze-medal efforts in the Marathon Race Walk Relay Mixed alongside Jemima Montag, but it wasn’t his athletic performance that inspired me.
Cowley is part of a growing number of elite athletes who are upfront about the impacts climate change, particularly global warming, is having on their ability to train and compete. Organisations such as FrontRunners, Sports Environment Alliance and EcoAthletes are providing athletes with the resources they need to use their influence and platform to become climate leaders, giving passionate people like Cowley a vehicle for advocacy.
But a changing climate isn’t just affecting elite athletes.
In November last year, the GPT100 in Gariwerd/Grampians in Victoria’s northwest was called off mid-race due to a series of extreme weather conditions. And the following week, Ultra-Trail Kosciuszko had to pause mid-race due to a lightning storm and experienced snowfalls in 2023.
The call by SingleTrack to call off the solo 100mi at GPT100 was met with broad understanding and appreciation. Runners and spectators alike understood the risks posed to people suffering heat exhaustion and dehydration. Mitigation measures, such as trucking in piles of ice and adding unmanned water stations helped, but at the end of the day, the safety of runners was paramount and could no longer be guaranteed.
In a country that already has a variable climate, the increased frequency of extreme weather raises the question of what the future holds for running in general and the races we love to be a part of.
The impacts don’t just stop at heat: bushfire smoke can make being outside harmful; high winds increase the risk of falling branches; high humidity can be suffocating, and; being caught out in unexpected cold can quickly turn dangerous.
With the trail and ultra calendar looking more packed than ever, it’s increasingly difficult for events to break even, let alone turn a profit. Climate impacts will cost our favourite local events dearly, from the increased insurance levies to refund policies and added event costs to mitigate extreme weather impacts and the general uncertainty of a changing climate.
We need to make life easier for our hardworking race directors, not make it harder.
While the outlook might be dire, the good news is there is plenty we can and must do right now to not just stop global warming, but reverse the damage already done.
Whether you’re an elite athlete, an Olympian, a parkrunner or someone who loves getting after it – your voice matters.
Together, we can unite against the problem.
Slowly but surely, more athletes and teams are saying no to accepting sponsorship from fossil fuel companies. As people who love being outside, spending time in nature and experiencing the rich biodiversity of our continent, we can echo the calls of people like Crowley and join the conversation.
The future of not just our sport but every outdoor-based activity depends on a safe climate.
This story originally featured in Trail Run Magazine # 54. Grab your copy here
