Running Brands: You Can Better Serve Women.
Running brands can do more to serve women.
I’m obsessed with the convos I’ve had with folks after they listened to this Long Run Labs podcast episode I was a guest on. TBH, I’m starting to feel the momentum I’m building around a more equitable world for women in outdoor sports. 🥹
To keep this section short(er), I wanted to pull out just 4 points (for now!) that we discussed about how trail/running brands, events, and media can better welcome women in 2026:
Chill out on the overly hardcore branding. A recent study found that nearly 1/3 of women find trail running's messaging intimidating. Which makes them less likely to enter the sport. Or spend their dollars on your product.
Guide your athletes to relatable storytelling. People love to take in athlete-created media that shows a transformation that could apply to themselves as a consumer. The “I just broke 2:30 marathon” content is inspiring and cool, but we also want the “I had to squeeze in a 20-minute run between dinner and my kid’s bedtime” story.
PLEASE, talk about how women FEEL, not just how they look. Yes, we want our outward appearance to show how badass and strong we are. But that starts from the inside, where we can feel fueled, strong, capable, curious. Many of us are far more likely to invest in a product that serves our “insides” more than our “outsides.”
Don’t shy away from the body talk (but make it evidence-based). Menstrual cycles in training, bone health, RED-S, fueling strategies, perimenopause… We NEED to be talking about these in women’s sports. What if more running events held workshops by medical experts? What if media focused more on bone stress injury prevention than “how to get strong without looking bulky”?
Suggested Action: Share the podcast episode with someone you know who works in running media or events.