We stood, awestruck, as we watched a madman sprinting full-speed down a mountain, on a collision course with a massive ice block high in the Swiss Alps. Our cameras were out and ready to film this stunt go—we could only assume—terribly awry. His GoPro was stuffed in his mouth to record the moment from his
The packing list for the UYN Vertical Courmayeur Mont Blanc Trail Race: Running shoes; check. Sunglasses; check. Running vest; check. Climbing helmet… Check?! The northern Alps village of Courmayeur, at the base of Mont Blanc, recently hosted one of the more outrageous trail running races in the Alps: the UYN Vertical Courmayeur Mont Blanc. The
In June, Run the Alps’ friend David Loutzenheiser visited the Dolomites mountains of northern Italy and took part in the Dolomiti Extreme race. David found an enthusiastic community and a warm welcome and, after running his 53km race, he had the chance to meet with race directors Paolo Franchi and Corrado De Rocco. He
Simon Conroy is a Senior Guide for Run the Alps. You can read more about him, here. “Mummy, why is that man running in a dress?” It was a line I heard once, though it was probably uttered dozens of times as I ran this year’s Mont Blanc Marathon in Chamonix, France. To understand the
Trail des Dents du Midi’s full loop is now sold out for 2019– the earliest ever for the race. However, Run the Alps has access to entries as part of our September Chamonix-Champéry guided trip. You can read more about the trip, and race options, here. (And some spaces still remain for the Dents du
It’s three o’clock in the morning, and my partner Chase and I are running up Chamonix’s famous Vertical Kilometer, or “VK.” We sliced our way through spiderwebs, trudging up to the Planpraz finish with nothing to look at other than the dim circle radiating from our headlamps… but, we were on a mission. Now picture
The 2019 Mont Blanc Marathon series of races seemed to pass through the trail runner’s paradise of Chamonix as fast as the race winners themselves. The valley filled with an estimated 30,000 runners and supporters for a long weekend of racing… and then, come Monday, they scattered to the winds. As in years past, Run
One of the best parts about trail running in the Alps is the café culture that seems to frame every adventure.
Guest article by Hayley Done Since moving to Montreux, Switzerland a couple of years ago, cyclist and triathlete Hayley Done started to feel the draw of the mountain trails. Last summer she entered her first trail race in nearby Anzère, perched above the Rhône Valley in the Swiss Canton of Valais. Here she talks through
The Swiss mountain town of Verbier is well-known as a ski resort, and the St-Bernard pass is famous for its dogs who used to rescue needy travelers on this high mountain crossing between Switzerland and Italy. However, this beautiful region in the Valais Canton of southwestern Switzerland is increasingly known for its exciting trail running