2.2 Miles, a Bigger Invitation: What Dirt Circus Nashville Got Right
You don't need to run 100 miles to belong in trail running. Sometimes, all it takes is showing up.
When people think about trail running, they often picture steep mountains, muddy shoes, ultramarathons, and athletes pushing themselves to extraordinary limits.
And yes, trail running can be all of those things.
But it can also be something much simpler.
A few miles on a trail. A conversation with someone new. Discovering a local race you didn't know existed. Finding a group of people who make you feel like you belong.
That's what made Dirt Circus Nashville such a special event.
And why we were excited to be part of it.
More Than a Trail Run
On Sunday, November 8, 2026, UltraSignup brought its Dirt Circus community event to Nashville's Vaughn's Creek Cross Country Course at Warner Parks.
The concept was refreshingly simple.
Bring together runners, local race directors, running clubs, specialty stores, and outdoor brands. Go for a run. Meet people. Celebrate the community.
And make it free.
The morning started with a casual 2.2-mile group run, with additional loops available for anyone wanting to go farther.
There was no need to sign up for a marathon, commit to an ultramarathon, or prove that you were an experienced trail runner.
You could simply come out and participate.
After the run, the event brought everyone together for food, conversations, giveaways, and opportunities to discover local races and organizations.
It was part trail run, part community gathering, and part introduction to everything that makes this sport special.
The Hardest Part Is Sometimes Getting Started
One of the biggest barriers to trying something new isn't necessarily physical.
It's uncertainty.
Am I fast enough?
What if everyone else has more experience?
Do I need special equipment?
Will I be able to keep up?
These questions can stop someone before they ever reach a starting line.
And that matters.
Because there are people who would love trail running but haven't yet found their way into it.
Events like Dirt Circus offer a different kind of invitation.
Instead of asking people to commit to a major challenge, they create an opportunity to experience the community first.
Run a little. Walk if you need to. Meet someone. Ask questions. Learn about the local trails.
Perhaps discover that the sport you thought wasn't for you actually has a place for you.
That's how a community grows. Not just by celebrating the people already in it, but by welcoming the people who haven't joined yet.
The Conversations That Make a Community
One of the best parts of Dirt Circus wasn't necessarily the running.
It was meeting the people behind the movement.
We had the amazing opportunity to connect with individuals and organizations doing meaningful work to make trail running more accessible, inclusive, and welcoming.
Running Without Fear: Sin Miedo Trail Runners
One of those conversations was with Yolanda "Yo" López Haugabook, co-founder of Sin Miedo Trail Runners, a Nashville-based trail running community.
Sin Miedo means without fear in Spanish.
And that name represents something important.
Yo and her husband, Antoine, helped create a community where runners, particularly people of color who haven't always felt represented or welcomed in outdoor spaces, can discover trails, build confidence, and find belonging.
It's not simply about organizing group runs.
It's about creating an environment where people feel comfortable showing up, learning, and exploring something new.
That's an important distinction.
Because having access to a trail doesn't automatically mean someone feels welcome running on it.
Organizations like Sin Miedo are helping change that.
UltraSignup: Investing in the Community Behind the Sport
We also had the opportunity to speak with Jay Kelley and David Callahan, co-CEOs of UltraSignup.
Most trail and ultrarunners recognize UltraSignup as a platform for discovering and registering for races.
But events like Dirt Circus demonstrate something bigger.
Instead of focusing only on race registration, they're bringing together the people who make the sport possible.
Race directors, running stores, clubs, volunteers, established athletes, and people taking their first steps onto the trails.
And they're creating opportunities for those relationships to happen naturally.
It's an investment in the community, not just the technology or the transactions behind the sport.
That's something worth celebrating.
The Cairn Project: Helping More Women Find Their Place on the Trails
Another meaningful connection was with Angie Lake from The Cairn Project.
The Cairn Project is working to expand opportunities for women and girls in outdoor adventure.
One initiative especially close to us is its 2027 Trail Running Sisterhood.
The program will support 36 women through two experiences: the First 50K Sisterhood and the First Half Sisterhood.
Through coaching, training, gear, mentorship, and a supportive community, the program helps women overcome barriers that might otherwise keep them from pursuing their first trail running challenge.
Run Slick is proud to support this initiative.
And meeting Angie was a reminder of why programs like this matter.
Sometimes, what someone needs isn't another training plan or a new piece of equipment.
It's encouragement, access, and people who believe they belong.
Different organizations. Different approaches. But one common belief: more people deserve the opportunity to participate.
The People Behind the Miles
These conversations reinforced something that can be easy to overlook.
Trail running wouldn't exist as we know it without the race directors, volunteers, running clubs, local stores, and countless others who put their time and energy into creating opportunities for people to participate.
These are the people who organize races, answer beginner questions, introduce friends to the trails, and help people discover their next adventure.
At Dirt Circus Nashville, local partners including Fleet Feet Nashville joined race organizers, clubs, and brands to connect directly with runners.
And that connection is what makes events like this special.
Behind every great race is a community of people making it possible.
Sometimes the best way to support that community is simply to bring everyone together.
Why Run Slick Was There
We're a young company. And yes, we make an anti-chafe roll-on.
But our purpose goes beyond preventing friction.
We believe people should be able to move, participate, explore, and challenge themselves without unnecessary barriers getting in their way.
Sometimes that barrier is physical discomfort.
Other times, it's not knowing where to start, who to ask, or whether you'll be welcomed.
We can't solve every obstacle.
But we can support the people and organizations working to remove them.
That's why participating in events like Dirt Circus matters to us.
It's an opportunity to meet the people we're building Run Slick for, listen to their experiences, and become part of a community that believes movement should be for more people.
Not just the fastest.
Not just the most experienced.
Everyone willing to give it a try.
Maybe Your Next Adventure Starts With 2.2 Miles
We often celebrate running through distances, personal records, and finish times.
And those accomplishments deserve recognition.
But there's another kind of achievement worth celebrating.
The person who shows up to their first group run.
The runner who discovers trails for the first time.
Someone who meets a race director and realizes that signing up for a trail race isn't as intimidating as they imagined.
Or a person who comes for a short run and leaves with new friends.
Those moments may never appear on a race results page.
But they can change someone's relationship with movement.
That's what we love about the idea behind Dirt Circus.
The goal isn't simply to create more ultrarunners. It's to create more opportunities for people to discover what they love about moving outdoors.
And if a free 2.2-mile run can help someone take that first step, it's already accomplished something meaningful.
Thank you to UltraSignup, Jay Kelley, David Callahan, the Dirt Circus team, Fleet Feet Nashville, and everyone helping make trail running a more welcoming community.
And a special thank you to Yo from Sin Miedo and Angie from The Cairn Project for the opportunity to connect and learn more about the communities they're helping build.
Here's to more people discovering the trails, more friendships formed along the way, and more opportunities to move together.
Because everyone deserves a place to start.
Want to explore trail running? Discover the Dirt Circus event series, learn more about Sin Miedo Trail Runners, or explore The Cairn Project's Trail Running Sisterhood.
At Run Slick, we believe movement is for everyone. Read more about why running was never really about running.
Keep moving.
The Run Slick Team