Girls Run Free at Wild Woman Trail Run
By Stephanie Irving
Trout Lake, Wash., April 11, 2024 — Women are finding their strides in the ultra-running world these days. What, with Camille Heron smashing 12 world distance records at Lululemon’s Further, Jasmin Paris finishing as the first female ever to complete the Barkley Marathon, and Courtney Dauwalter stunning the world with her Triple Crown wins of Hardrock Hundred, Western States Endurance Run, and the Ultra- Trail du Mont Blanc.
It’s an exciting time to be a trail runner right now—especially for women.
The Wild Woman Marathon (50K, Relay, and Half) in Trout Lake, Washington has been inspiring female runners to push their limits for the past twelve years. This year, the Wild Woman (June 22 nd ) is thrilled to announce that girls under 18 are invited to run the Wild Woman for free! Whatever distance you want, if you’re a teen—grab your girlfriends, your track team, your cross country team, and see if you can beat your best friend’s mom! Go after it! The relay is a great opportunity, especially for those who are relatively new to trail running or who simply want to turn their trail run into a team adventure—by basically divvying up the marathon into manageable distances (5- to 8-mile sections). Or go ahead, and run any distance solo.
Good trails, good food, and good friends. That’s really what it’s all about.
“I signed up for the half and then on the day before the race, felt overcome with a sense of possibility and asked to switch to the marathon,” reflected runner Ashley Gramolini. “I felt so nervous, but in the spirit of the wild woman, ran it with joy in my heart. It was my first ever trail race and I loved every second (except for maybe that last hill....)”
“You are spreading such joy, positivity, possibility, and happiness for others. I have often felt insecure with my abilities as a runner (not “fast enough”)” she confided “but when I run with wild women, I feel like I can let go and just enjoy myself running through the forests and conversations with inspiring women along the way. From the friendly people volunteering at the aid stations to the cheerful finish line, I felt so supported during this race.”
To register: www.wildwomanmarathon.com (or find the run on ultrasignup.com). To access the U18 free registration, contact the race directors at mtadamsrunner@gmail.com before you register for the race to get your unique U17 access code. See registration details at www.wildwomanmarathon.com or find the run on ultrasignup.com.
The Wild Woman is a trail run created by and for women (though your favorite men are welcome to camp, support, and be a part of your weekend too). It will be held on Saturday, June 22nd this year. Stay for the day or make it a weekend. Runners, their friends, and families can camp (RV, tent, or under the stars) in a big field at the base of Mt. Adams. After the run, hang out with your friends, rejuvenate with post-run yoga, cold tub soaks in the orchard, and refuel with some outrageous burritos.
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