2025 XTERRA Trail Run World Championship
Four runners. One honoring a loved one. One uplifting a cause. One fueled by community. One embracing the challenge of age. These are the stories of Chris, Sergi, Koki, and Dominic as they prepare to meet the mountain in Snowdonia.
Every trail runner has their own reason—a question they’re answering, a truth they’re chasing, a memory they’re holding onto. Some find joy in the solitude. Others, in the community. For many, running is a way to give back, to heal, or to begin again.
Why We Run is a series dedicated to the voices of those bound for the 2025 XTERRA Trail Run World Championship in Snowdonia. It explores what leads them to the trail—and what carries them toward the challenge that awaits on the slopes of Yr Wyddfa in Eryri National Park, Wales.
In Volume 1, Volume 2, and Volume 3, we heard from runners rediscovering themselves through injury, faith, nature, and purpose. In this final volume, we meet Dominic, Koki, Martin, and Chris—four men from four corners of the world, each running for something far bigger than themselves.
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63-year-old Dominic Halsmer of Jenks, Oklahoma, believes there are many good reasons to run. He likes running because, in a very real sense, it helps fuel a good life.
“When I engage in regular intense physical training, I feel, sleep, think, work, play, and eat better. And running on a rugged trail adds such a challenging but fun new dimension,” he says.
Dominic likens trail running to a dance—one where a runner must learn give and take, when to lead, when to pull back, and how to step in time.
“Trail racing has a lot to do with conservation of rhythm and forward momentum in response to the shifting music of the terrain. I often think of my movements as dancing down the trail and, before you know it, the song is over.”
"I often think of my movements as dancing down the trail and, before you know it, the song is over.”
While he’s philosophical about trail running, Dominic also has an analytical side. He’s a Senior Professor of Engineering at Oral Roberts University and is fascinated by the human body’s ability to negotiate difficult terrain by making split-second decisions.
“We take our ability to journey over challenging terrain for granted, but as roboticists know, our minds are continually solving multiple, difficult engineering problems as we run trails,” he says. “Our ability to control our own motion so precisely and so quickly has always fascinated me.”
Dominic grew up in the country with 12 siblings, thriving on exploration and friendly competition. His first trail race was at Turkey Mountain in Tulsa, Oklahoma, over 30 years ago.
“I remember thinking, ‘Wow! How did that race go by so fast?’ It must be all the extra decisions your mind has to make so quickly about foot placement and momentum flow,” he says.
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These days, Dominic is in the “final quarter of life,” as he calls it. He acknowledges the challenge of declining physical ability—but sees it as another interesting puzzle.
“I’m finding that my body and my mind are just not able to do the things that once seemed so easy. But I’m choosing to look at it as another interesting challenge. I appreciate groups like XTERRA that make space for older competitors.”
Dominic qualified for the XTERRA Trail Run World Championship at the Half Marathon Trail Race at White Tank Mountains in Arizona earlier this year.
“Trying to manage training, sleep, and nutrition, along with work and family life, and trying to maximize my performance on race day is an ultra-complex and difficult optimization puzzle. But I’m doing my best to solve it.”
Dominic is grateful to his friends at Paraclete’s Fitness Club, students and faculty at Oral Roberts University, and his best friend and wife of 41 years, Kate, as well as their four children and eight grandchildren.
“I experience an overwhelming sense of gratitude when I think about all the support and encouragement I’ve received. But the ultimate thanks goes to the One who makes my feet like the feet of a deer, enabling me to tread on the heights!” (Habakkuk 3:19)
27-year-old Koki Nakabuchi of Hakuba, Japan, has been running for less than two years—but it has already transformed his life.
He started because he wanted to enjoy the mountains more freely. His background is in mountain climbing, but he discovered that you could also run on them.
“It touched my heart, wanting to enjoy mountains more freely,” he says. “I didn’t do well at first, but I’ve been growing little by little.”
Koki belongs to the skyrunning team Ssessionzz. His teammates give him courage and support, and this camaraderie is the main reason he keeps running.
“Through trail running, friends and rivals inspire each other to overcome difficulties, respect each other, and support each other, becoming indispensable members of our everyday lives,” he says. “We can become friends by running together, even if we don’t talk.”
At first, Koki felt trail running was a solo endeavor. After joining the team, he began to feel supported during training and races.
“I couldn’t help but feel happy that my running inspires and makes people smile. This is why I run and why I’m participating in this competition.”
“I couldn’t help but feel happy that my running inspires and makes people smile."
Koki is excited that the XTERRA Trail Run World Championship is in Wales—because the United Kingdom was the first place he ever visited overseas.
67-year-old Martin Tighe of Puerto Rico has been running for over 55 years, starting at age 12 in northwest England.
“My introduction came through cross-country running in high school, which led to being recruited by Sale Harriers running club during my freshman year,” he says.
Martin has always loved the peaceful surroundings and challenging terrain of trail running. Early in his career, he worked at an outdoor center in the Lake District, which gave him ample opportunity to run on the fells.
“It’s an environment where one can truly clear the mind and effectively problem-solve stressful issues,” he says.
In 1988, Martin moved to the U.S. to work with at-risk youth, becoming a social worker and high school counselor. One day, reading a running magazine, he learned about the first-ever North Pole Marathon.
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His students’ reaction—You can’t do that—inspired him to prove that anything is possible through discipline and focus.
“The message was simple yet profound: no matter what challenges are placed in front of us, we can overcome them by leveraging support systems, hard work, deep motivation, and discipline,” he says.
Martin ran the first-ever North Pole Marathon in 2003 and set a world record in the 12-hour Treadmill Challenge in 2005. In 2014, he won the Boston Marathon’s 55–59 age group.
“For me, running is more than just a sport. It’s a way of life and a continuous exploration of self and the world around me,” he says.
“For me, running is more than just a sport. It’s a way of life and a continuous exploration of self and the world around me.”
Martin qualified for the XTERRA Trail Run World Championship at XTERRA Puerto Rico—and again at the XTERRA South American Championship.
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42-year-old Chris Visser of Stellenbosch, South Africa, began running in 2013 when his wife, Torrin, asked him to volunteer at a Parkrun.
“Volunteering at Parkrun opened a whole new world to me, and I started jogging and eventually running,” he says.
Together, Chris and Torrin joined the CHOC Cows, raising funds for the Childhood Cancer Foundation. Over time, Chris built up to running marathons and even a 100km race—always in his cow-print outfit.
In a cruel twist, Torrin was diagnosed with stage four colorectal cancer in 2023 and passed away in 2024. Now, Chris runs in his cow-print suit in memory of her.
“She was extremely passionate about running in her cow outfit and raising awareness,” Chris says. “This passion, along with the fact that she always supported my running, drives me every single time I lace my shoes.”
“This passion, along with the fact that she always supported my running, drives me every single time I lace my shoes.”
Chris qualified for the World Championship at XTERRA Grabouw, supported by his friend Ellisha, who helped organize the trip.
When Chris competes in Snowdonia, he’ll wear the cow colors in Torrin’s honor. Even when she was very sick, she attended every race and reminded him to enjoy the scenery.
“I hope to make CHOC and my loved ones proud,” he says.
Why We Run is a series profiling runners on the journey to the 2025 XTERRA Trail Run World Championship in Wales. From quiet beginnings to bold new chapters, these four volumes have celebrated the personal stories that fuel a global community.
Read Volume 1 to meet Lynette and Isabela, Volume 2 to hear from Cat and David, and Volume 3 to discover the journeys of Claudia, Ryan, Tiago, and Sergi.
Stay tuned as we follow all these athletes to Eryri National Park and the slopes of Yr Wyddfa this weekend.
XTERRA is a global lifestyle brand that champions the outdoor enthusiast in their pursuit of relentless adventure.
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