Slovenia has a long mountain running tradition. One of the first mountain running competitions was part of the Steelmen of Bohinj Triathlon, in which competitors had to run from Pokljuka to Vodnikova koča mountain hut on Velo polje or even as far as the Planika mountain hut just below Mt. Triglav. Another important traditional mountain run is the annual run up Šmarna Gora, which will be organised for the 43rd successive year in 2021. The most extreme run is still the one up Mt. Grintovec in the Kamnik-Savinja Alps where runners must climb over 1,900 vertical metres.
In the years 1994 and 2000 mountain running also became a part of the so-called team pentathlons. These were the first sports-touristic events in which foreigners also participated. From 2011 onwards so-called trekking competitions evolved which combined a mountain run of 10, 20 or 40 kilometres with orienteering. These competitions were also international.
Later, from 2017 onwards, so-called trail runs with distances of up to 100 km were organised in the Vipava and Soča valleys.
Šmarna Gora annually hosts the final run of the World Mountain Running Association (WMRA) World Cup.