Today, we are introducing our second flagship program: the Trail Coaching Fund, a fully funded path to certification and real coaching practice for aspiring trail running coaches of color.
After finishing a race or choosing a more ambitious goal, runners in our community have often asked us the same question: “Can you recommend a coach of color?” Too often, our list has been short.
At the same time, we know people who are already doing much of a coach’s work. They organize community miles, mentor newer runners, answer questions, and help others navigate the sport. They have relationships, experience, and trust. What they may not have is access to technical education, a recognized credential, and an opportunity to practice coaching with support.
The Trail Coaching Fund is built for them.
Coaches occupy an important position in trail running. They are technical experts, but they can also become trusted advocates and mentors within their communities. They help runners understand their training, prepare for unfamiliar challenges, and imagine what might come next. Their influence can extend far beyond one athlete or one race.
Selected coaches will receive a fully funded UESCA Ultrarunning Coach Certification. From September 8, 2026, through January 22, 2027, they will complete the self-paced coursework as a cohort and meet for one hour every other week.
Each coach will also complete community practice with two Trail Athlete Fund runners. The coursework provides a technical foundation. The practice introduces the questions that emerge when working with real people: how to communicate, adapt a plan, respond to setbacks, protect an athlete’s safety, and recognize the limits of a coach’s professional scope. Cohort calls give participants a place to work through those questions together, in community.
The program is designed to help people move from existing community leadership into a recognized coaching role, with the knowledge, judgment, and experience to build a practice and expand their place within the trail running industry.
Trail running will continue to grow as both a sport and an industry. Tierra Libre Run wants a seat in determining what that growth looks like. Helping more runners reach the start line matters, but it cannot be the end of our work. We also need to examine the roles that shape the sport, understand what prevents people of color from entering them, and create deliberate paths into that work.