Opinion
Trail running’s loudest takes. Trailhead’s Opinion section is where runners, race directors, and writers share unfiltered perspectives on the sport — essays on race culture, editorials on competition and ethics, hot takes on gear and trends, and reader-submitted commentary on where trail and ultrarunning are headed. Sometimes provocative, always informed. Brought to you by UltraSignup, the world’s leading trail running registration platform.
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Why Runners Should Care About the Roadless Rule
Roadless areas are integral to trail running. If you want those places to stay intact, you need to act now.
Ashley Arnold
June 10, 2026
Is that the experiment you tried actually working?
From supplements to training, athletes are doing their own experiments. Here’s how to think critically about what works and what might be an expensive placebo.
Zoë Rom
May 26, 2026
What Happens When Ultra Goes Mainstream
Ultrarunning's mainstream surge means the sport is being translated, and translation can get things wrong, or fail to capture its authentic nuance.
Zoë Rom
May 22, 2026
Will We See Courtney and Katie Race Each Other Again? I Sure Hope So.
For a moment, it looked like Courtney Dauwalter and Katie Schide might finally meet at UTMB. The matchup never happened, but the story behind it reveals how the sport is changing.
Brian Metzler
October 28, 2025
8 Hot Takes From a Transformative Week in Chamonix
Brian Metzler has been to every UTMB week since 2010, and in this piece he shares his 8 hot takes from a transformative week of trail running in Chamonix.
Brian Metzler
September 2, 2025
How We Can All Take Inspiration from Kilian Jornet
Kilian Jornet is not like the rest of us. In fact, he’s not like anyone at all. He’s living his best life, trail racing, mountaineering, and embellishing the primal existence of his youth.
Brian Metzler
August 11, 2025
Opinion: Beware the Trail Running Industrial Complex
Veteran trail running journalist Brian Metzler examines the rapid commercialization of the sport and asks whether the growing industry is enhancing or eroding its grassroots soul.
Brian Metzler
July 8, 2025
Opinion: This is the Biggest Moment in American Trail Running.
Trail running industry veteran Brian Metzler shares his perspective about the biggest week in trail running.
Brian Metzler
June 17, 2025
Opinion: What does Cocodona mean for the rest of us?
This year’s Cocodona raised the bar — again! Is a 250-mile trail running race on your bucket list, too?
Brian Metzler
May 13, 2025
Opinion: Trail Running Isn’t Broken, But These Changes Could Help Fix It
Trail running is evolving fast—more expensive shoes, more global attention. Here are five things Brian Metzler would love to see emerge in the coming years.
Brian Metzler
April 8, 2025