We recently shared the unique history of Chamonix’s famous Vertical Kilometer, or “Kilomètre Vertical,” as it’s known locally. The 3.8 km route rises exactly 1,000 meters from the center of Chamonix’s old town, and is a popular experience for both locals and trail runners passing through town. So we’ve pulled together our tips for running the route safely,   Continue Reading →

Run the Alps is offering a special, one-time only trip to a trail running paradise, England’s Lake District, next May! We know, it’s not the Alps. But at the encouragement of several guides and past guests, we’ve been exploring offering a special trip to this region for some time. The Lake District has some of   Continue Reading →

One of the more popular trail runs in Chamonix is also one of its more unusual ones –  the “Kilométre Vertical” or “KV” – “VK” in English. The 3.8 km-long route, an attraction for both local trail runners and those visiting from afar, has also been a race as part of the Mont Blanc Marathon   Continue Reading →

“I could tell you my adventures—beginning from this morning,” said Alice a little timidly; “but it’s no use going back to yesterday, because I was a different person then.” ― Lewis Carroll, Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass What happened out there? That’s the lingering thought that returns whenever I think about last week,   Continue Reading →

Early this past summer, Run the Alps received an email about a new trail race, the Trail du Besso. Seeing the stats – 56km and 5400 meters of ascent and descent – I thought it would be a great race for the end of the summer. The race appealed to me for several reasons. Often   Continue Reading →

After a long day of trail running along the lower flanks of Mont Blanc, through the charming medieval town of Courmayeur, Italy, our aching legs demanded that we surrender ourselves to the mountain of duvets that blanketed our bed. We slept for hours– enough so that in the morning, our stomachs growled at the thought   Continue Reading →

Guest Post by Paul Martin CCC, short for Courmayeur-Champex-Chamonix, is sometimes referred to as UTMB®’s “Little Sister”– a 100 km trail race that runs over the second half of the UTMB® course, from Courmayeur, Italy to Champex, Switzerland and finishing in Chamonix, France.  In recent years, however, the CCC has come into its own, with a   Continue Reading →

Among the many events that make up the Ultra-Trail du Mont Blanc weekend in Chamonix is the PTL, or Petite Trotte à Léon. (The name is wink to PTL founder Leon Louvey, a longtime UTMB® volunteer based in Champex Lac, Switzerland.) The stats on the course are simply jaw-dropping: 300 kilometers long, with 25,000 meters of   Continue Reading →

Guest Article by Willie McBride, Columbia Montrail Athlete and co-founder/owner of Wy’east Wolfpack. Traveling to the Alps in Chamonix, France for the Ultra-Trail du Mont-Blanc® week is a very special experience, especially for trail runners from the United States. It’s like going to the Super Bowl– after only watching high school football. The sheer energy,   Continue Reading →

It’s the big Ultra-Trail du Mont-Blanc® week here in Chamonix, France, and the town has come alive with tens of thousands of trail runners and friends. It’s an exciting time to be here in the home of Run the Alps. There are events all over town throughout the week, and Run the Alps is pleased   Continue Reading →