Say hello to ‘Trail Femmes’

And, one of my dream projects – starting a trail running group here in India – it is finally realised. Say hello to ‘Trail Femmes‘ – a community for women trail runners to connect with nature, inspire and empower each other.

On Feb 10, Saturday, four of my friends went on our first ‘group’ run in the beautiful city forest in our backyard Sanjay Van. We planned it to be a small outing from the beginning – didn’t want to ‘start with a bang’. Every group needs a slow and steady growth with members joining organically out of interest.

So, here we are a running club now. It is exciting and scary at the same time. Exciting because we are going to explore a lot of trails together in the future. Scary, as I am now tasked with guiding a number of women on trails and be responsible! Well, historically women working together has less chances of failure! So, we’d be okay!

Going back a bit on the why of this group – the key aim: to improve the participation of women in trail running events. But, as a participant in various trail races over the years, I have been noticing a huge gender gap in trail races and events. While even trail running in India has not developed much, the so called ‘leaders of trails’ are mostly men and to them the role of ‘exploration’ and ‘adventure’ are theirs and they are the ones to ‘lead’ women to trails! This language, more than anything, annoyed me.

I have seen men with their ‘run with the boys exploring…’ runs on Strava! So, why can’t women have their own adventures in their own comfortable spaces! And, historically (i drop in this word again), women has shown that then can do a task much better than men!

And why a ‘women’s club’?

1. Empowerment: We need a supportive environment where women can empower each other. Through shared experiences, encouragement, and mentorship, women can gain more confidence fostering a sense of community and mutual support.
2. Advocacy and Awareness: By coming together, women can amplify their voices, advocate for gender equality, and address societal issues affecting women.
3. Community Building: The sense of belonging is crucial for well-being, as it allows women to share their experiences, seek advice, and find common ground with others who understand their challenges.
4. Breaking Stereotypes: We want more female leaders on trails and break down barriers and inspire future generations of women to pursue their goals without limitations.

These are just early days! We have the vision and we have a bunch of incredibly strong women with lots of ideas! Kudos to them to trust us and coming together as a group!

More from the Femmes in the coming months! 2024 is just getting exciting!