Editor’s note: Mark Brightwell is a guide for Run the Alps. He grew up in suburban Hampshire – England’s gently rolling South. He served from 2005 to 2011 with the Royal Gurkha Rifles and was injured during the Iraq war. Trail running has since become an important part of his life: a way of experiencing   Continue Reading →

This coming trail-running season, Run the Alps is excited to be offering the Via Valais, a new multi-day, trail-running route developed by the team over at ALPSinsight. A new twist on the classic hiker’s Haute Route, the Via Valais focuses on the very best mountain running available in the region. Run the Alps has just   Continue Reading →

Several of the world’s most famous trail-running events take place in Chamonix, France. At each race, an army of volunteers ensures everything runs smoothly, and hundreds if not thousands of supporters cheer on competitors. But one supporter stands out from the rest: Robert Etellin. Etellin has been involved in the Chamonix trail running scene for   Continue Reading →

Last summer Michelle Kho booked her first trail-running vacation, a self-guided Run the Alps trip from Courmayeur, Italy, through Champex, Switzerland, finishing in Chamonix, France – roughly following the Ultra-Trail du Mont-Blanc CCC race route. Over five days, Michelle covered 94km and 4870m of vertical gain. She also learned a lot along the way! Here’s   Continue Reading →

“The beauty is unparalleled, the trails are dreamy, and the peaks are inspiring, but what never leaves you is the spirit of the people.” That’s US ultra runner David Laney, who finished third in the Ultra-Trail du Mont-Blanc in 2015, sharing his thoughts about what makes trail racing in the Alps so special. (You can   Continue Reading →

“Still living the dream, are we?” Simon, arguably the funniest of our Run the Alps guides, shuffles out into the living room of our staff apartment in Chamonix, France. It’s 7:00 am on an August day last summer, and I’ve already been working for two hours. I sigh loudly. “Ah! There it is! The famous   Continue Reading →

With the Swiss Alps coated in a thick blanket of snow during the winter, trail running enthusiasts may want to head to Geneva for a festive urban race in early December. The Course de l’Escalade has a number of distances to choose from, all of which wind their way up, down and around the narrow   Continue Reading →

We’re pleased to share this story from Run the Alps Ambassador David Laney. David was Ultrarunner magazine’s 2015 Ultrarunner of the year, and has finished third place (2015) and fourth place (2016) in the Ultra-Trail du Mont Blanc. This short piece is the foreword to a new Run the Alps publication, the Guide to Trail Racing in the   Continue Reading →

Got plans this March? Join us for something new and totally different! For our first time ever, Run the Alps is offering a winter “Ski Mo” trip! You can check out trip details here. Based in Chamonix, France our winter trip includes time training and learning Ski Mo skills with two of Europe’s best-known ski   Continue Reading →

Some of our best stories come from guests on our trips. Here’s one from Chase Willie, who joined Run the Alps with his family on our Eiger Ultra trip. We enjoyed Chase’s story, and wanted to share it with you. — Editor. I had never been on a train before. Well, that’s not entirely true.   Continue Reading →