Run247 columnist Kirsty Reade is one of six non-elite trail runners on the Trail Team 2014, who are being given some of the opportunities that are usually reserved for the elites
Back in 2013 the good people at Freestak launched The Trail Team, an initiative to pick four non-elite trail runners and give them some of the opportunities that the elites get (kit, a training camp) to support their running and nurture their enthusiasm and passion. After a successful first year they repeated it for 2014 and the team has now been picked!
Interested runners had to submit an application, detailing their reasons for wanting to be part of the team, their achievements to date and their plans and dreams for future races. All of these applicants were whittled down to a shortlist of 100 who were invited to attend one of two Trail Team Days at Helvellyn or London. Attending these days was a great opportunity in itself, with inspirational speakers such as Berghaus athletes Steve Birkinshaw and Helene Whitaker, the irrepressible Stuart Mills, and David and Katharine, a couple who took running adventures to a whole new level by running the length of South America (www.5000mileproject.org), as well as product talks from the companies sponsoring the team: Berghaus, Torq and LED Lenser.
The Trail Team days were topped off with sociable group runs. The Helvellyn lot had the better end of the deal here, but Hampstead Heath in the sunshine also provided a fantastic venue for a run. And what an opportunity to run with Steve and Helene, or Stuart, as well as 49 other like-minded trail mad runners. The Trail Running days resulted in a flurry of new friendships, both in person and on Facebook and Twitter. And this sums up what the initiative is all about - building a community of trail runners.
The final four eventually became a final six after much anguish on behalf of the organisers and much generosity from the sponsors. The six who comprise the team for the next 12 months are: Martin Indge, Graham Kelly, James Young, Kirstie Smith, Danny Wood and Run247columnist Kirsty Reade.
Run247 will be reporting back on them, their races, their training and their kit.
Kirsty explains: "I attended the Trail Team Day in London, expecting nothing but a really interesting and fun day out with other runners. It certainly delivered that as I met some utterly inspirational people, marveled at their achievements and mentally made dangerously expensive plans to do some of the races we talked about.
"However, much to my surprise, I ended up in the team! I’m incredibly happy, proud and excited to make the team and am looking forward in particular to using this opportunity to be a positive and enthusiastic part of the trail running community. I’ve already run an overseas race which a couple of other runners from the Trail Team Day were doing and cheered on a couple more at another race. I hope that I’ll bump into friendly faces at most races I do this year and I hope this community is going to grow and grow."
Check out www.trailrunningteam.com for more information
Facebook: www.facebook.com/trailrunningteam
Twitter: #TrailTeam2014
