Meg Mackenzie explores trail running's macho language problem.
Have you ever noticed the amount of war language we use in everyday life? We ‘roll with the punches’ at home, ‘pull the trigger’ on an exciting project, fire off ‘bullet points’ in a work email, and get ‘caught in the crossfire’ of a dispute. We call problems ‘ticking time bombs’ and sometimes we horrifyingly call women ‘blonde bombshells’. To be clear; bombshells are “large-caliber projectiles fired by artillery-armored fighting vehicles during war.” If you find this sexually attractive you might want to see a therapist.
But let’s get to trail running; a beautiful fringe sport with a natural connection to nature, peace, and joy in the mountains. Despite this obvious connection as a spirited, soul-filling activity – nearly all the common phrases and terms we use to talk about running and racing are heavily focused on patriarchal-enforcing qualities or war language. Often we compare running a trail race with going to battle. We ‘obliterate’ course records, ‘crush’ our competitors, ‘defend’ our titles and ‘dominate’ the field. All these words imply that, in order to succeed, we need to beat another into submission.
But one person shining shouldn’t come at the cost of ‘crushing’ another person (or a mountain!). And this surely shouldn’t be what we celebrate on the trails or in society.
There is nothing inherently domineering about the pure desire to shine. My light shining brightly doesn’t suggest that your flame needs to be extinguished.. Rather, this is a false narrative we have been taught through generations of books, myths, and in history classes. Stories of winning and losing, beating, retreating, and defending have flooded our minds and language from the very beginning which is why it is so deeply internalized that we even apply it to something as peaceful as trail running.
You may have overheard people talking about trail racing in this way:
“Wasn’t it so cool seeing Jo obliterate the course record at the Worlds Gnarliest Hardcore Death Defying 100-mile yesterday?”
“Yeah he totally dominated that field, nobody else stood a chance. He crushed the uphills and killed the competition…”
“Whoa and did you see him annihilate John on that downhill? That was so badass. He totally owned it; what a hero. It was killer. Go Jo!”
Now let’s have some fun and flip this. Have you ever heard someone describing a race with non-violent language?
“Did you see Jo run the Spirit Soaring 50k out of sheer joy over the weekend?”
“Yeah it was so awesome to see him embrace those uphills. He really encouraged everyone as he went too. Did you see his happy tears on that flowing downhill?”
“Yes, he expresses himself in such an admirable way – so intune with nature and connected with the trail.
He is such a caring athlete too, so sensitive to his fellow runners. Go Jo!”
Language matters. The words we use frame our experiences and define our culture. They shape our stories and dictate the narrative. Adjusting and playing with different language can begin a process that describes the full experience of complex human reality instead of just one side of it. What if we could blend it all together, tempering male encoded language of warriorship, stoicism and power with empathy, giving weight to love and nurture?
“Your energy flows where attention goes.” We’ve all heard the saying in some way or form and it informs why language is so important. If we continue to pay attention to violent language and hierarchical ways of describing situations that is what will prevail.
Trail running does not exist in a vacuum. It’s part of the larger narrative that currently exists in the world. Perhaps, next time you tell a story of your favorite athlete or race – play with language that reflects that world you hope to live in.
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I knew the patriarchy was evil when all those women pretentiously claimed Des Linden “killed it today.” Or when Courtney Dauwalter “absolutely crushes” any race. Or when Beth Pascall ran “the second fastest in women’s history” or “dominated the women’s field.” ?
Your sensitivity and hypocrisy displayed in this article is an embarrassment to the females out here who crush it and trigger your soft, limp emotions.
Agreed. It also seems like this doesn’t take into account the competitive person that WANTS to crush a course. Not everyone that runs trails is as passive in the way it’s being portrayed in this piece . And to say that men are exclusive to the warrior mindset and women don’t have a “warrior” mindset is totally disregarding an entire pillar of character in a person. As Robert Moore said “you can’t just take a vote and cast the Warrior out”. It’s a part of the human experience. It’s just the outlet it’s used. If we’re “destroying humans” then obviously it’s terrible. If we’re “destroying PRs” then obviously it’s great! Language has intentioned spirit to it. So in the spirit of performance and elevating yourself I see nothing wrong with crushing your doubts and destroying PRs.
Trail running has been a male-dominated sport for a long time, and this is so evident in the language we use. I agree it’s time to drop the war-oriented toxic masculinity and embrace new language to describe our strength. Great article, Meg.
Well written, Meg! We need to ask ourselves not only “do we agree that the only (or best) way to describe striving and victory is with violent metaphors?” But also, “what kind of world do we want to be building?” Too many of us are operating from an assumption that competition and violence are the natural state of our species, which evolutionary biology and cultural anthropology left behind a generation ago because that narrative simply doesn’t account for the facts. (Skeptics should check out the work of David Sloane Wilson) But here’s the big dilemma of our time; if you choose to live as if human nature is to live a life that is “nasty, poor, brutish, and short,” you will be right. If you choose to live as if cooperation and sharing are the way to the best life,” you will also be right.
Thanks for writing this, Meg! I love the positivity and kindness. Great job!
You’re picking out nuggets to match your title. Certainly the phrases you refer to are used but so are a lot of others that you decided not to include. When you toe the line at a race, it is a competition and when we compete man or women we tend to use warrior style terms to enhance performance and psyche and crowds apply those terms to either sex as they cheer. When we go for a relaxed run through the woods we fuel the soul and enjoy the little things in nature. We all run for our own reasons and if your reason is to crush and set a course record – good for you!
“Male dominated sport!! Omg, the patriarchy!! Words are violence! Silence is consent!” Okay cool. Now do trans athletes. Two genders do or don’t mean two genders? I’m cool fighting the patriarchy by allowing women to run with men and vice versa. Oh wait. They already do. Now, if you fools calling for changing the language in the name of equity truly want equity… make one single category and include everyone. Just overall win and one podium. That promotes the definition of equity and distances the purpose of equality.
Some of you are apparently too dumb to see the irony here. You’re promoting inclusion through division.
Joe really crushed that sensitive state of interoception that allows using neither too much nor too little capacity in the context of the day, the terrain, the weather, the training background, and the point in the event!
It’s sad that someone would think that caring about competition and winning is something limited to athletes who identify as masculine. There are so many people-without-penises who enjoy winning, running faster than the others who came out wanting to beat them, or even just performing at a level superior to their own previous record. Personally I don’t have a body and mind that perform at that level, but I don’t try to criticize those who do, or claim that they have a “language problem”. I embrace uphills, dance downhills, float through the flowery forests, and recognize there’s room for those of us just having fun as well as honoring those who compete to be the single winner who is fastest, best, and superior in competition.
Let the swearers swear, the non swearer use more respectful words and accept diversity.
I personally have a major problem with the F word or anything resembling it, I can make a point without being vulgar but some people cannot.
Variety is the spice of life let us remember that we have something in common: we love to run and stretch ourselves big time.
If foul language is unbearable to you let me suggest that you pick up long distance swimming which I did a fair share of, nobody uses any language long distance swimming, period, end of the story.