From Hesitation to Trailblazing: How Sin Miedo and the Running Industry Diversity Coalition are Reshaping Inclusivity in Outdoor Running

Nashville resident Gabe Marrero harbored significant apprehension about venturing into trail running, an activity that, for him, was fraught with a litany of fears. The very notion of navigating dense woods conjured worries of disorientation, encounters with venomous snakes, and the imposing presence of bears. Yet, underlying these universal outdoor anxieties was a deeper, more personal concern: the thought of being isolated in a forest, particularly as a person of color. Marrero, like many others, had internalized the perception of trail running as a predominantly "white people activity," a domain where "black and brown people just don’t do." This prevailing stereotype, coupled with historical and contemporary racial anxieties, created a formidable barrier to entry for many communities.

This deeply rooted sentiment, however, is now being systematically challenged and dismantled by groundbreaking initiatives like the Freedom to Run program, spearheaded by the Running Industry Diversity Coalition (RIDC). This nonprofit organization was founded in the aftermath of the tragic 2020 killing of Ahmaud Arbery, a 25-year-old Black man who was murdered while jogging alone in Georgia. Arbery’s death sent shockwaves through the running community and beyond, highlighting the very real dangers and racialized perceptions that people of color can face in public spaces, including seemingly innocuous recreational activities. RIDC was established to address these systemic issues, aiming to foster a culture of safety, belonging, and participation for underrepresented groups in the running world.

The Genesis of "Sin Miedo": A Story of Collective Empowerment

In 2025, Gabe Marrero became part of a pivotal cohort of Freedom to Run, a program designed to equip individuals with the resources and confidence needed to embrace trail running. Along with him was fellow Nashville resident Yolanda Lopez-Haugabook. The program provided comprehensive coaching, essential gear, and a vital network of community support, all tailored to empower participants who had previously felt excluded from the sport. For Marrero and Lopez-Haugabook, this experience was transformative. They not only discovered the inherent joy and physical benefits of running on the picturesque nature trails surrounding Nashville but also recognized the profound need to extend this newfound access and camaraderie to others in their community.

Their shared vision quickly materialized into the formation of Sin Miedo, a trail running group whose name, translating from Spanish as "without fear," encapsulates its powerful mission. Sin Miedo rapidly grew into one of the few BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color) trail running groups in the Deep South, offering a sanctuary and a platform for collective empowerment. The group’s inception was not merely about promoting physical activity; it was a direct response to a challenging sociopolitical climate. Runners interviewed for this story consistently voiced concerns about feeling unsafe in recent years, citing factors such as the intensified immigration crackdowns under President Trump’s administration and a documented rise in racially motivated hate crimes.

Marrero vividly recalled the urgency that fueled their early efforts: “ICE was coming in May of last year and taking people away from their families. We made a conscious decision to say, ‘We’re going to show up.’ These things happening around us are awful and destroying our community, but we’re going to help people escape for an hour or two.” This commitment transformed Sin Miedo into more than just a running club; it became a vital support system. Members rallied to provide aid, offering shelter, food, and other necessities to those impacted by the prevailing adversities. “The trail running has been the catalyst for us to continue showing up for each other,” Marrero emphasized, underscoring the deep community bonds forged on the trails.

Addressing a Stark Diversity Gap in Outdoor Recreation

The emergence of groups like Sin Miedo is part of a broader national trend where inclusive running communities are proliferating, offering more Americans the opportunity to engage with the outdoors. This movement is particularly critical given the stark disparities in participation within specific segments of the running world. While running, as a whole, has seen an impressive surge in popularity, with marathons experiencing ballooning participation numbers and lotteries becoming common for major races, the demographics within different running disciplines tell a nuanced story.

According to the Outdoor Industry Association’s latest data, trail running witnessed the most significant increase (7.8%) among all tracked outdoor activities in 2025, reaching a robust 17.2 million participants. This growth signals a burgeoning interest in off-road running experiences. When examining the broader running landscape, the Sports and Fitness Industry Association reports that approximately 34% of runners, totaling 16 million individuals, identify as people of color. This percentage is poised for further growth, aligning with U.S. Census projections that forecast people of color becoming the majority population in the U.S. by 2045, with a 51% share.

However, despite these encouraging overall trends, trail running significantly lags in diversity, particularly at its elite levels. A revealing 2024 survey conducted by the American Trail Running Association, which polled roughly 600 runners, found that an overwhelming 84% self-identified as white. Strikingly, the number of respondents identifying as Black was so low that it didn’t even register a percentage. This data underscores a profound disparity and highlights the systemic barriers that prevent Black individuals and other people of color from fully participating in and feeling represented within the trail running community. The lack of representation is not just a statistical anomaly; it reflects historical and ongoing issues of access, safety, and cultural perception that RIDC and groups like Sin Miedo are actively working to overcome.

RIDC’s Comprehensive Approach to Inclusivity

Kiera Smalls, the executive director of RIDC, notes that the organization’s database of BIPOC-led running groups across the U.S. is expanding weekly, with many of these groups attracting dozens, sometimes hundreds, of participants each week. "At the end of the day, barriers still exist for people of color: safety, time, cost, perception – all of those things are still there," Smalls acknowledges. "But we can tell by the increase in representation that something is happening."

RIDC’s strategy extends beyond individual programs to foster systemic change within the running industry itself. Its multifaceted approach focuses on two primary pathways: increasing participation among underrepresented communities and enhancing diversity within the industry’s workforce and leadership. This commitment is supported by strategic brand partnerships that provide crucial funding and resources for various initiatives.

One such initiative is "Movement for All," a three-year program powered by On Running. This program offers free coaching, both in-person and online, making professional guidance accessible to a wider audience. In 2026, Movement for All received an impressive 1,350 applications, demonstrating the immense demand for such inclusive programs and their widespread availability across all 50 states.

Another significant partnership is "Run the Block" with Brooks Running. This initiative provided a $200,000 grant to support the establishment of a Black-owned running store. After a competitive application process, RIDC selected Carol Holland and Jesse Holland, who successfully opened their store, Haraka, in Prince George’s County, Maryland, this year. Haraka represents more than just a retail outlet; it serves as a community hub, a symbol of economic empowerment, and a visible testament to the growing diversity within the running industry. These ventures are critical for creating inclusive spaces and fostering a sense of ownership and belonging for diverse communities.

Unveiling Industry Disparities Through Research

Beyond direct programming, RIDC is also dedicated to conducting rigorous research into diversity within the running industry, often revealing eye-opening insights. With funding from New Balance, RIDC undertook extensive industry research, surveying 63 running organizations, including retailers, product manufacturers, and event organizers. The findings highlighted a significant gap between stated intentions and tangible actions: while approximately 70% of these organizations claimed to have Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) goals, a concerning 59% admitted they did not track their progress. Furthermore, only a meager 14% publicly published their DEI goals, indicating a lack of transparency and accountability.

The research also exposed a critical lack of diversity in leadership roles related to DEI initiatives. Nearly half of the surveyed organizations reported having a senior executive leading their DEI efforts, yet a staggering 77% of these leaders identified as white. This statistic underscores a fundamental challenge: while organizations may be allocating resources to DEI, the leadership guiding these efforts often lacks the lived experience and diverse perspectives necessary for truly transformative change. "Every time we do research, we don’t just provide info for the individuals," Smalls explained. "This is what retailers can do. This is what brands can do." RIDC’s research serves as a critical tool, providing data-driven recommendations for systemic improvements across the industry.

The Transformative Power of Nature and Community

Yolanda Lopez-Haugabook’s personal journey perfectly exemplifies the reasons behind the historical lack of diversity in trail running and the profound impact of programs like Freedom to Run. Before joining the RIDC initiative, both Lopez-Haugabook and her husband were avid runners, but their routines were confined almost exclusively to concrete pavements. The wilderness, for them, had always felt like an unsafe or inaccessible space, a common sentiment among people of color due to historical exclusions and contemporary anxieties.

Through the remote coaching and expert guidance provided by RIDC, Lopez-Haugabook and her husband began to cautiously transition their running habits onto nature trails. Their initial foray into Nashville’s Percy Warner Deep Well Trailhead was a revelation, unveiling a world of experience they had previously missed. This realization was profoundly cemented during a simple interaction with her father. When she showed him photographs of various mushrooms she had discovered during one of her trail runs, his reaction was poignant: “He said, ‘I’ve never seen these in real life. I’ve only seen it on TV.’ And that was almost me,” she recounted. “I almost missed out on this opportunity. I had done a hike here and there. But it’s such a different experience to run through the woods. You’re connecting to something ancestral. You’re getting something the road could never give.” This anecdote powerfully illustrates how limited access to nature can perpetuate a disconnect from ancestral heritage and the rich sensory experiences of the natural world.

Motivated by this profound personal transformation and the desire to share it, Lopez-Haugabook, her husband Antoine Haugabook, and Gabe Marrero co-founded Sin Miedo. They recognized the urgency of creating a space where people like them could safely access and enjoy the trails. Their efforts coincided with a period of heightened fear and uncertainty in Nashville, particularly due to immigration raids. An analysis by the Nashville Banner in February revealed a pattern of "systemic racial profiling" and "demeaning conduct" by ICE, further exacerbating anxieties within the community. In this climate, "moving in numbers together" became a deliberate strategy for safety and solidarity.

Realizing that their community needed more than just weekly runs, Sin Miedo adopted RIDC’s holistic approach, integrating education and training into their mission. They developed a comprehensive 16-week training program, inspiring several group members to participate in the Wild Thangs trail race series in Alabama. The enthusiasm from the community was immense, with Lopez-Haugabook noting that some new members had been champion runners in their home countries but were unaware of how to pursue such opportunities in the United States. This highlighted a significant loss of talent and potential within the American running landscape due to lack of information and access.

The impact of their efforts was palpable. “When we went [to Wild Thangs] last year, we were the only people of color at the first race. Then there were a couple more at the others. By the fourth, we brought 16 people of color to the race. We also brought 27 to a race in Chattanooga in December,” Lopez-Haugabook proudly stated. “That has been a beautiful reward for us, to be part of that advancement of people of color within the running industry.” These numbers are not just statistics; they represent lives transformed, barriers broken, and a growing sense of belonging and achievement within a previously exclusive sport.

A Growing Coalition and a Future Without Fear

The success stories stemming from RIDC’s Freedom to Run program, with Sin Miedo as a shining example, underscore the immense potential for fostering greater diversity and inclusion in outdoor recreation. RIDC’s programming has continued its impressive growth, evolving from its initial focus on safety for BIPOC runners to encompass a wide array of initiatives aimed at increasing diversity not only among participants but also within the very fabric of the running industry.

As for Sin Miedo, the group continues to expand its membership, and its powerful message of "without fear" now resonates far beyond its initial demographic. The group’s anniversary celebration in May saw a diverse attendance, including many "allies" from various backgrounds who participate alongside Latino and African American members in weekly runs. The profound impact of Sin Miedo’s ethos was evident when one such ally, upon learning of his deployment to Iran, specifically requested a Sin Miedo T-shirt “to carry that idea with him.” This anecdote symbolizes the universal appeal of overcoming fear and finding strength in community, transcending racial and cultural boundaries.

“That phrase, ‘Sin Miedo,’ has been adopted by people in our community – even the non-BIPOC ones,” Lopez-Haugabook reflected. “It’s been one heck of a year.” The journey of Gabe Marrero, Yolanda Lopez-Haugabook, and the entire Sin Miedo community, catalyzed by the vital work of RIDC, stands as a testament to the transformative power of inclusion. By dismantling historical barriers, challenging stereotypes, and actively creating spaces of safety and belonging, these initiatives are not only diversifying the trails but also enriching the broader tapestry of American outdoor culture, one fearless step at a time. The future of running, it seems, is increasingly embracing the powerful idea of moving forward, together, without fear.