Author Archives: Doug Mayer

Vertical Kilometer. Baguette. Chevy. Peugeot. Solitude. Uphill. American diner breakfast. Dogs. Kilian Jornet. Those were some of the answers in our rapid-fire Q&A segment yesterday during our Rendez-Vous with Black Diamond Athlete and Run the Alps Ambassador Hillary Gerardi.  And, well, it was a lot of fun.  It was a total, laugh-out-loud blast! Just what is

As we share this update from the Run the Alps staff in Chamonix, France, an interview with French President Macron has aired on CBS News in the US. In the interview, Macron outlines the broad guidelines France will be using to restart travel from the US and other countries, this June. Times are uncertain, of

If you had to pick one mountain range in the world where all the great climbs and test pieces had already been done, it would be the Alps. After all, people have been climbing here for over 160 years. But, you’d be wrong. Because this past weekend, something new, historic and truly badass just happened

From the moment I started Run the Alps, safety has always been top on my mind. This isn’t just because it’s good business. I spent over two decades on a four-season mountain rescue team in the US. We saw everything, and more than a few of those dramatic moments– successes and tragedies– will be with

As we close out the year, we thought we’d share our five most-read and most-shared stories from 2020. With most plans upended, and nearly all of us spending much of our time at home, 2020 was a year to read, watch great films, and tackle other personal projects at home. So, we made time to share

On the morning of August 8th, 1897, ten guides from Chamonix’s Compagnie des Guides gathered next to the Saint Michel church. Their objective? A mountain race up and down the Brévent. It was, as far as historians can tell, Chamonix’s first trail race. The route, according to Chamonix’s Blog de Christine, went via Les Moussoux,

Since last March, I’ve heard that phrase a lot. “I’ll come out and visit you… when things get back to normal.” “I’ll make those plans… when things get back to normal.” Normal, however, was just a daydream amid a steady drumbeat of difficult news. 2020 has been a year that has tested all of us.

Together, these two sets of changes have given me peace of mind that we can offer trips that are as flexible as possible, and as safe as possible.

This past summer was unlike any other– many trips and events in our trail running world were cancelled or rescheduled due to the Covid-19 virus. But, when doors close, others open. That was certainly the case with this next story. Three member of Run the Alps– Founder Doug Mayer, Tour Manager Steph Lefferts, and Ambassador

Sierre-Zinal is one of the world’s great trail races. Starting in Switzerland’s famous Rhône valley, the course climbs steeply out of the valley for 1800 meters, then rolls along a striking ridge, with views of five glacier-covered 4,000-meter peaks, before ending in the quiet end-of-the-line village of Zinal, not far from the Italian border. Now