Ms. Fitzpatrick, 61, a lawyer who is also a runner (she, too, has competed in Western States five times), worked with a committee of four other board members to develop the policy. They looked at existing guidelines from other organizations and races, and spoke to leading figures in transgender sports.

During the process, they were also cognizant that the runner who had sparked their action did not ask for the guidelines.

“The whole transgender issue is one that’s very private,” Ms. Fitzpatrick said, adding that she wasn’t sure Ms. Fisher “ever wanted to be the poster child for transgender ultrarunners who happen to be good.”

The guidelines they came up with, and which were announced in March, are being viewed as a model for other participatory running events.

“Western States has gotten out in front of the issue,” said Amby Burfoot, the former editor of Runner’s World magazine (and 1968 Boston Marathon winner), who has written extensively on transgender inclusion in racing.

“It seems to me that everyone should be welcome to run the race. And if someone finishes high in the standings and questions are raised as to whether it’s the appropriate division, it’s totally within the right of race management to decide how they want to deal with that rare situation of who belongs in what gender.”

Ms. Fitzpatrick acknowledged that “we really tried to have a `live and let live’ view on this.”

Hence Western State’s guidelines state that “a runner’s self-declared gender at registration will be accepted at face value.” No one need produce a driver’s license or other identification as has been the case for some races.