Headlands 27K Trail Race

Header photo credit: Tiare Bowman/Headlands 27K

A Push for Equity: How Trail Racing is Paving the Way for Women in Sports

Trail running is growing fast, and with it, a variety of races have taken form to highlight the sport and promote athletes from around the world. One such event is the Golden Trail World Series, on their seventh year running, feature nine events globally and attracts pros in the sport and amateur racers alike. We connected with Jeffrey Stern, the founder and director of the Headlands 27K, one of the races in the GTWS here on home turf in Marin County, CA. Stern discusses what it’s like to organize a world class trail race, how he’s making it possible to achieve a 50/50 split in the women’s and men’s races respectively, and making sure to leave the race course and the world a better place than he found it.

 

What inspired you to start this race, and what kind of crowd do you hope it will attract?

I’ve been so fortunate to spend my entire life playing on Mt. Tam and in the Marin Headlands, so being able to share the magic that these trails inspire with the rest of the world is a dream come true. I’m most excited about giving women the opportunity to take to the trails on their own race day (Saturday, September 14) before the men go on Sunday, and we’re making a big push for an even split in registered participants. As of 8/19, we have 42% women and I believe in the next month we can get to 50%. Beyond that, it’s great to have seasoned veterans out racing, first timers dabbling in their longest race ever, and everything in between.

As a runner yourself, how has your understanding of the sport shaped how you’ve organized races for participants?

After attending nearly 300 races in the last 15 years, I feel as if I have a pretty good idea of what makes an event so special. I put on a race last year and in the post-race survey, 99% of the runners said they would recommend the event to family and friends — that really warmed my heart, brought tears to my eyes, and was a lifetime highlight I’ll never forget. Building out a marquee event from top to bottom is all about the little details from consistent communication, ability to answer questions quickly, bringing on partners that really add value to the participants, to having engaged and enthusiastic volunteers, and being willing to try new things. Even attempting to touch on all of these elements, there will always be room for improvement the next year and that makes it really fun to keep coming back to create something special and memorable for every single attendee.

 

As part of an international trail running event, the Golden Trail World Series, you welcome world class athletes and also amateurs. How do you create a welcoming environment for all?

One of the things I love most about trail running is that even at the most competitive, toughest courses in the world the events are for everyone. From the front of the pack to the back of the pack, everyone experiences the same course, aid stations, finish line celebration and camaraderie. We aim to have as generous cutoffs as our permits will allow so that even if 27km is your longest race ever, we want to see you through to the line and bring you home with a well-earned smile on your face. 

What sets apart Headlands from other trail races in the area, and why did you pick Marin for the race to take place?

There are a plethora of great events in this area which many consider to be one of the world class destinations for all things trail, ultrarunning, hiking, and mountain biking. What I hope sets the Headlands Race apart is that even though it’s a first year event, it’s put together by so many locals that truly care about sharing and preserving the environment for the generations to come. We’re a cupless event, encouraging carpooling, giving back by making donations to Friends of Mt Tam, supporting small local businesses, volunteering to do trail work with State Parks, and more. I’m also very proud to be a third generation Mill Valley resident — this is my home, my mom grew up here, and my grandfather built a house here nearly 100 years ago. Even though it’s an event that’s part of a larger international series, the local ties and dedication to be stewards of the sport and environment are second to none.

 

Anything you’d like to add or follow up questions?

We really appreciate people like yourself, who even though you’re not racing are coming out to support and volunteer. Volunteers are what make these events run so smoothly and we’ll have nearly 100 of them at the Headlands Race. It’s incredible to have so many people willing to dedicate their time to uplift other strangers who are tackling scary and audacious goals out on the trail.

Want to get involved?

The Headlands 27K trail race on September 14-15 is open to female participants, as the men’s race is capped. Use code WOMENRULE for 15% off registration in the women’s race.

If you can’t race, volunteer slots are open on the Headlands 27K website. Volunteering gets you an automatic entry slot for 2025, and it’s what makes these events happen.

 

Read more of Ella’s articles here, and follow along on her Instagram @ellasuring.