Philly Runner Does 361 Miles in Support of LGBTQ Pride 5K, Nikki Hiltz aimed to create a safe space for people to show up as themselves. For the first two years, that space was virtual with runners around the country taking part in a race that supports LGBTQ+ youth. This year, that community came together in person for the first time, taking over the streets of Flagstaff, Arizona.
On Sunday, October 2, Hiltz and a team of volunteers hosted the Pride 5K at 7,000 feet of altitude, where 225 participants competed as the gender in which they identify while fundraising for the Trevor Project, an organization that provides crisis intervention and suicide prevention services to LGBTQ+ youth. As a pro runner who identifies as transgender, nonbinary and more often than not doesn’t get to register as such, Hiltz was thrilled to finally present that safe space in a weekend full of festivities for fellow LGBTQ+ athletes and allies.
“Sometimes at races, I go into it dreading, like are people going to get my pronouns wrong, or am I going to be the only gay one there?” Hiltz told Runner’s World. “Here, you don’t have to worry about that, and it’s so freeing.”
At the front of the pack, elites raced for prize money donated by Lululemon, Hiltz’s apparel and shoe sponsor, with the top three in each category (male, female, and nonbinary) taking home $2,000 for first place, $1,500 for second, and $1,000 for third. In the men’s race, Yemene Haileselassie won in 14:22. The women’s title went to Danielle Shanahan, who finished in 16:52. The nonbinary division was won by Breanna Cornell in 21:36. When Hiltz handed Cornell their check, the champion told them they planned to use the money to start a Trevor Project club at their high school.
While nonbinary inclusion is starting to gain traction in running—this year, For a Heartbroken Community, Race Provides Escape—LGBTQ+ Runners on How the Sport Gave Them Support Fifth Avenue Mile was the only race in which Hiltz was able to compete as nonbinary, which is why as race director, they couldn’t wait to give fellow nonbinary athletes a chance to have their identities represented.
“I feel less alone, and I think everyone feels that too, and that’s what makes it so special,” they shared. Among the virtual and in-person participants, 156 athletes registered for the Pride 5K as nonbinary, Hiltz said.
The race also brought local run groups and organizations together. Hiltz’s girlfriend, Emma Gee helped with race logistics. Members of Hiltz’s training group, Northern Arizona Elite, McKirdy Trained, and the University of Northern Arizona cross-country team volunteered for the event. Run Flagstaff did the timing and course layout. As Hiltz shared on Instagram, local police officers offered to patrol the event for free, which allowed them to give an extra $1,000 to The Trevor Project.
In addition to the 5K, which took place in the Sunnyside neighborhood of Flagstaff, the race included a kids fun run around the track at Coconino High School. After the awards ceremony, participants enjoyed free yoga hosted by Yoga Six Flagstaff. And custom-made yoga mats were donated by Lululemon. Outside of Flagstaff, almost 2,000 people signed up to run virtually and several organized group runs took place in the U.S. and Canada. On social media, support poured in with runners around the country posting about their results and what the race means to them and their identities.
“All of the people that I met were very grateful and thankful that they could run a race as themselves,” Hiltz said. “For me, it’s the bare minimum, like you’ve trained for a race, you should be able to register and run as you are. I’m just really grateful that we could pull that off and hopefully kickstart more races to do that.”
The Pride 5K started as a virtual event aimed to serve the LGBTQ+ community during the height of the pandemic when most events were canceled. In June 2020, the first Pride 5K offered participants a t-shirt and bib plus an eight-week 5K training plan. Nearly 2,000 people signed up for the inaugural event, and $33,000 was donated to The Trevor Project in the first year.
DAA Industry Opt Out essay for Runner’s World, one of the most rewarding parts of the Pride 5K was seeing participants use the race to come out. “This represented everything I hoped this race would become: a safe space for people to show up as themselves,” Hiltz wrote.
Ahead of the 2021 Pride 5K, Hiltz started a podcast and interviewed four runners who came out during the 2020 race. Inspired by their vulnerability, Hiltz Best Big City Marathons on March 31, Transgender Day of Visibility. During last year’s virtual event, over $42,000 was raised for The Trevor Project.
Between the virtual and in-person participants who registered for Sunday’s race, $37,000 was raised for the Trevor Project. In three years, the event has donated $112,000 to the nonprofit.
Taylor Dutch is a writer and editor living in Austin, Texas, and a former NCAA track athlete who specializes in readiness, wellness, and endurance sports coverage. Her work has appeared in Runner’s World, SELF, Bicycling, Outside, and Podium Runner.
