If you’ve ever thought about joining a trail run but felt intimidated, let me tell you—GRIT is the perfect race to start with! GRIT stands for Girls Running in Trails.
Girls Running in Trails (GRIT) is hosting a nationwide race series dedicated to celebrating women in trail running. Kicking off in March to align with International Women’s Month, the events are set to take place across Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao.
The Visayas leg was successfully held in Cebu on March 2, while the upcoming races are scheduled for March 30 in Baguio (Luzon) and April 20 in Davao (Mindanao).
As someone who has always been a hiker but never joined an official trail race before, I finally took the leap and joined the 16km race in GRIT Visayas.
So, if you’re wondering how and where to start trail running, here are 5 reasons why GRIT is the best place to begin your journey:
Made by Women, for Women
GRIT (Girls Running in Trails) is an all-women trail race designed to be beginner-friendly, with ample cutoff times to ensure everyone can complete the course at their own pace. This year’s Visayas event featured two categories: 8KM and 16KM, welcoming both beginners and seasoned runners to the trails of Barangay Buhisan, Cebu City. The gun start was at 5:30 am for the 16km and 6:30 am for the 8km and both cut off were at 3pm.
The event is all about empowering women to take on the trails, break barriers, and celebrate strength together. This year, they have also expanded the race and open it up for non-binary participants plus they even have a kids category too.
Event Poster Source: Philtra
Practice Hikes to Get You Race-Ready
Worried about race day? No problem! The organizers offer practice hikes leading up to the event, so you can familiarize yourself with the trails and build confidence. I joined one of these hikes, and it made a huge difference in preparing for the real thing. Plus, the organizers? Absolutely amazing. Hands down to Cebu Mountain Goats and all the amazing Ladies behind GRIT Visayas.
Stunning Yet Challenging Trails
Even though this is a beginner-friendly race, don’t underestimate the trails of Buhisan! The rolling hills, lush greenery, and breathtaking views make every step worth it. And just when you think it’s an easy course, the technical sections and steep climbs remind you why it’s called GRIT.
A Super Supportive Community
One of the best things about this race? The people. From fellow runners to the volunteers and pacers, everyone is out there cheering you on. Whether you’re sprinting or power-hiking up an incline, there’s always someone giving a thumbs-up, a high five, or an encouraging “Kaya pa!”
Running for a Good Cause: The GRIT Fund
GRIT isn’t just about personal achievement—it’s about uplifting women in trail running. This year, PHP100 from every registration went to the GRIT Fund, an initiative focused on introducing trail running to women in mountain communities and supporting them on their journey—from their first race to the very trails they call home.
With the growing success of GRIT Visayas (from 160 runners last year to 340 this year!), the fund is set to launch a grassroots trail running program in select remote areas of Antique.
One incredible story that embodies this mission is Angelica Alejo, a trail runner from the mountains of Madjaas, who went from humble beginnings to winning championship titles, earning a spot on the national team, and representing the Philippines at the Asia-Pacific Trail Running Championships. GRIT aims to support and uplift more women like her through this fund.
Now, let’s talk about one of the highlights of the race—the Aid Stations. If you think aid stations are just for water and bananas, Trail Running will change your mind! The sponsors of the aid stations were very generous and prepared a variety of snacks, local treats and fruits for the runners.
The 16km trail had four aid stations across the route, which was manned by ADR, DCTR, PlanOut and Pabukids.
My personal favorite was the aid station of Plan Out, Loved the choice of snacks and the energy of the volunteers there and also another fan favorite was the ADR Aid station which had a whole lechon waiting for runners and, the ultimate kicker… a shot of beer and tequila!
Yes, you read that right. Somewhere along the trail, I found myself being offered a shot of tequila mid-race—and honestly, how could I say no? Trail running is definitely something else! Where else do you get to run through scenic mountain trails, push your limits, and celebrate with a fiesta in the middle of it all?
Of course, once the race was done and the adrenaline had settled, the next mission was finding my race photos. A huge shout out to all the photographers who capture every sweat-drenched, joy-filled, and utterly exhausted moment on the trail.
- Tikila Shots
- JM Shutter
- Modern Analog
- Proactiv Sports Promotions
- Social Climber
- Laurence photography
- Tokensworks shots v2
- Nomad Photography
- Jbm clickers
- Rednax Photography
- Bisayang Bikepacker
- Romart Ybañez
Scrolling through their albums, hunting for your face (or two), and reliving every moment through pictures is part of the post-race fun. Nothing beats that feeling of spotting yourself mid-stride, covered in sweat, knowing you just conquered the trails.
And so, If you’re like me—intimidated at first to sign up for a trail run—just do it. The best time to go for something new is when you feel that little bit of fear. That’s where growth happens.
So, who’s joining next year? Hope to see you at the starting line!
Liked what you read? show some love by sharing your comments and upvote the content. Feel free to re-blogged the post and help spread positivity by paying it forward.
¿ᴺᵉᶜᵉˢᶦᵗᵃˢ ᴴᴮᴰ? ᵀᵉ ˡᵒ ᵖʳᵉˢᵗᵃᵐᵒˢ ᶜᵒⁿ