Building resilience through trail running: A gender perspective

The purpose of this study was to determine gender related differences in development of resilience through outdoor adventure, specifically trail running. Focusing on trail runners and using purposive sampling methods, 148 participants were recruited from online communities and asked to fill out an online survey [Google Forms]. Results revealed two important themes. First, despite historical underrepresentation of women in the wilderness, women used trail running to shape their identities as self-confident, brave and tenacious. Second, differences in the ways men and women built resilience were apparent. Women appeared to rely more heavily on their positivity, optimism and social network than the men. Resilience is an important factor for many of the client populations that therapeutic recreation practitioners work alongside. Insight into the nuances of how resilience is developed and supported in individuals are key when it comes to fostering resilience with clients.