It has become a trusted and familiar formula that has been applied often: Time plus Covid equals trail running. Canadian runner Melodie Gilbert is among the people familiar with the formula; about three years ago, when she had just finished her studies in physiotherapy, she was alone and Corona had a massive impact on everyday life. “I went into the mountains time and again, mostly to hike, but for some reason, I increasingly started running instead of walking until I finally got hooked on trail running.” And when she says she got hooked, she means it. She fell for the feeling of being in nature, outdoors, for running without a pace. “It was fun and I enjoyed the freedom it gave me,” Gilbert says. It didn’t take long for her to compete in her first races and to fully immerse herself in the community. “I started to listen to trail podcasts; I was like a sponge, taking in everything I could related to the sport.” Thanks to running, Gilbert learned many new things regarding equipment and food; she gained experience on longer races. “And suddenly it was my biggest dream to become a trail runner.”

A dream that came true, with the World Mountain and Trail Running Championships in Innsbruck-Stubai being a first highlight. She will compete on the Trail Short, which covers 3,132 meters in altitude over a distance of 44.6 kilometers. While as recently as 2021, Gilbert exclusively ran in Canada, she first appeared on the international scene in 2022 and even made it to the Golden Trail Series finals in Madeira. “I want to take another step this year. The WMTRC are my big goal. I want to prove to myself that I can compete with the pros.”

And this is why she is focusing on running, which means that there is little time left for other disciplines like mountain biking in summer or ski hiking in winter. Her biggest deficits are uphill. “Uphill certainly is my weakness,” Gilbert says. The mountains surrounding her home town of Quebec, where she works as a self-employed physio, are just not as high as the Alps. “On the other hand, we have loads of forests with roots, mud and narrow trails.” In order to get used to Alpine terrain and practice running in high altitudes, she is going to complete a training camp with her sponsor Dynafit in Colorado.

She and her team will only arrive in Innsbruck-Stubai a few days prior to the races. “I’d obviously love to get there a month earlier but I have to pay for the trip myself, and it’s just not going to happen. It is not that easy to be a trail runner in Canada,” Gilbert says. At least she is able to plan her work around her training schedule, thanks to her own practice. “Even though I am passionate about being a physio I won’t deny that I would just love to be a professional trail runner.”

“I have not been to Innsbruck-Stubai yet but the images I have seen were stunning. I cannot wait to run the trails there.”

Good results at the World Mountain and Trail Running Championships 2023 Innsbruck-Stubai could be a first step in the direction of becoming a pro. “Since it will be my first time participating in such a major event it is more about gaining valuable experience and to secure my spot in the national team for next year. I have no idea how I will rank but all I can say is that I would be super happy to rank inside the top 40.” She would be equally happy if the WMTRC were a public success too, “so that people can experience what World Trail Running Championships actually are. I am hoping for an experience similar to the Olympic Games.”