Mentor network
Mentor Network
Practical race-prep support for athletes connected to the Trail Athlete Fund.
- Role
- Race preparation support
- Audience
- Experienced trail runners
- Status
- Building mentor bench
- Fit
- Careful, practical, consistent
A funded entry can still feel intimidating when terrain, cutoffs, aid stations, gear, registration, and race-day expectations are unclear.
This page is for experienced runners who can offer steady, bounded support.
We are building the mentor pool carefully before matching at scale.
How mentorship helps
Practical support, clear boundaries.
The goal is to make the race more understandable, safer to navigate, and easier to learn from.
01 / Fit
Tell us who you can serve well.
Good mentors know their lane: distance, terrain, logistics, language, schedule, and support they can offer consistently.
02 / Prepare
Support the practical questions.
Mentorship can cover race choice, course context, gear, aid stations, cutoffs, and what to expect.
03 / Boundaries
Keep the role clear and safe.
Mentors are not therapists, medical providers, or replacement coaches. The work is practical support and clear referral.
04 / Follow-through
Help the runner leave with a next step.
A strong mentor relationship makes one race clearer and helps the athlete choose the next step.
Where you fit
Mentors, athletes, and coaches need different doors.
This route is for mentors. Athletes and future coaches should use the more specific program paths.
Mentors
You can make trail racing less opaque.
You have enough trail and race experience to answer practical questions without taking over.
Athletes
Need support? Start with the Athlete Fund.
Mentorship is connected to funded entries. Apply for a supported race and tell us what guidance would help.
Coaches
Want a formal coaching path?
The Coaching Fund is the better route if you want certification, cohort support, and a deeper technical practice.
Mentor with us
Help a funded entry become a race an athlete can understand.
The mentor pool is being shaped before matching at scale. Athletes should start with the Trail Athlete Fund.