Transgender Athletes and Competition

Ultrarunning is a sport that prides itself on welcoming all runners into competition, regardless of their background, religion, nationality, age, sex or political beliefs. I suspect that part of the reason is we all share this very unique hobby of running long distances and, let’s face it, most people think we’re not normal. While being different can be fun, it is also nice to belong to a community. Ultrarunners are some of the best I know at creating a community without discrimination.

So, what about transgender participation in running? On the surface, it simply feels like a no-brainer: everyone is welcome. But as participation in ultrarunning increases and competition for podium positions and prize money grows, it’s inevitable that this issue will surface as it has in the rest of the competitive sports world. In the international running arena, transgender females (born males), have gained an uncomfortable and controversial reputation as having a biological advantage over