Alister Bignell
International Mountain Leader
The outdoors and especially the mountains have been a way of life for me for as long as I can remember, starting with a career as an outdoor instructor in the UK and then a permanent move out to the Alps in 2006. As well as running lots, I like to go climbing in the summer and winter with friends, exploring new corners of the Alps and trying to improve my languages. The constant through all of this is plenty of fresh coffee and local cakes!
An avid racer of both short and long distances on road and trail, I’m as much motivated by the training required as the actual competition.
Sharing the Alpine trails with people and seeing them inspired by this amazing landscape is what motivates me as a guide. It’s also a constant reminder to see familiar landscapes through fresh eyes, as there is always something new to be learned from guests!
Run the Alps Senior Guide Alister Bignell serves up the first course at Les Mottets, on the Tour du Mont-Blanc.
There’s just a little bit of snow this winter, in the Alps! (Photo by Doug Mayer.)
How Run the Alps’ Guides Spend the Winter
Our guides share what they’re doing this winter—and they’re each up to interesting adventures to share next season on the trails with our guests.
Run the Alps Film Festival 2025
The 2025 edition of the Run the Alps film festival, in partnership with On, is a celebration of trail running in the Alps.
Patagonia Black Hole Duffel
A few years ago, we started looking for the perfect bag for our clients to move their belongings from inn to inn, when they’re trail running the Tour du Mont-Blanc. This is it!