Run Fast. Eat Slow. With Elyse Kopecky in Switzerland
Dates | Duration |
|---|---|
| Aug 12 - 18, 2025 | 7 days - 6 nights |
Join Elyse Kopecky in the Swiss Alps and run stunning trails above the village of Zinal and the iconic mountain destination of Zermatt, at the foot of the Matterhorn – all with time to relax and enjoy nutritious meals.
We’re excited to offer another one of our popular Alps trail running retreats with three-time New York Times Bestselling author Elyse Kopecky. Her books “Run Fast. Eat Slow,” “Run Fast. Cook Fast. Eat Slow,” and “Rise & Run” have transformed how we think about the intersection of food and sports.
Join Elyse and other like-minded women for a trail running and culinary adventure in the heart of the Swiss Alps. You’ll make wonderful friends and memories on this retreat, taking in the trails of Switzerland’s mountainous, glacier-filled Valais region on the border with France and Italy.
Elyse is well-known for her bestselling cookbooks on improving running performance and long-term health and happiness. On this level 3 tour, we’ll explore the best trails of the region while eating well and taking in classic alps culture. With daily runs of 19 to 27 kilometers (12-17 miles), and a minimum of 900 meters (3,000 feet) of climbing, often on technical trails, this tour would best suit those with a good level of fitness and prior trail running experience. There will be a chance to take rest days if you like. During the tour, Elyse will share advice on nutrition and lead run warm-up and stretching sessions. Run the Alps trail running guides, who are some of the best and most knowledgeable in the Alps, will keep you safe and informed throughout the tour.
Our tour starts in Zinal, a village at the high end of the beautiful Val d’Anniviers, just south of the Rhône valley, in French-speaking Switzerland. The centuries-old wooden chalets of this traditional farming village show its rich history. Today, Zinal is known as a year-’round sports paradise. There are wonderful options for trail running, including the course of the internationally-noted Sierre-Zinal trail race. We’ll run our favorite sections of this famous race, follow trails to azure mountain lakes and glaciers, and visit nearby Grimentz, widely considered one of the most picturesque villages in Switzerland.
After three days in Zinal, we’ll take a private taxi to Zermatt in German-speaking Switzerland, via a stop at the historic spa town of Leukerbad, ringed by mountains. We’ll climb the improbable trail up to the Gemmi pass – taking part in one of the world’s unique trail events– the timed Gemmi challenge, if you like! After lunch at a mountaintop cafe, we’ll descend from the pass on foot or take the gondola down to Leukerbad.
Our last few days will be spent in Zermatt, the famous mountain resort at the foot of the Matterhorn. There is a wide array of beautiful trails here, and dramatic mountain gondolas provide options if we want to take it easier on a climb or descent. We’ll stay in a luxurious hotel in a quiet spot just five minutes from the center of this car-free town, and we’ll be sure to sample the local Swiss-German cuisine.
Please note: Day-to-day itinerary is subject to change based on weather conditions. All route distances and vertical are approximate.
(Top photos: Lindsay Wozney, PatitucciPhoto, Mark Brightwell, Becki Penrose)
Itinerary
Swiss rösti – a popular dish. (Photo: PatitucciPhoto)
Day 1 - Zinal
Today, we’ll gather in the alpine village of Zinal as we each check-in to our hotel in the afternoon. Before dinner, we’ll meet for an overview of the week’s activities.
Hotel Weisshorn on the Sierre-Zinal course. (Photo: Milo Zanecchia)
Day 2 - Zinal
We’ll kick-off our tour by running the highlights of Sierre-Zinal, one of the oldest races in the Alps and one of the most famous trail races in the world. A stop for blueberry tart at the historic and delightful Hotel Weisshorn gives us time to take in some expansive views.
How about that blue! (Photo: Mark Brightwell)
Day 3 - Zinal
Today we’ll climb up and over Sorebois pass to be greeted by views of azure Lake Moiry. We’ll run above the lake to the Moiry glacier, and then the Cabane de Moiry for some refueling with classic Swiss hut cuisine. A mix of downhill and flat running alongside the lake brings us to the traditional Swiss village of Grimentz.
Zermatt. (Photo: Sam Hill)
Day 4 - Zermatt
Travel to the bustling town of Zermatt with a pit-stop in Leukerbad to run the Gemmi Pass!
We heart Zermatt. (Photo: Becki Penrose)
Day 5 - Zermatt
Today we’ll run on the Europaweg, one of the most famous trails in all the Alps. This fairly smooth, rolling trail above the Zermatt valley includes the new Charles Kuonen bridge. Nearly a half kilometer long, it’s one of the world’s longest suspension bridges.
Running below the Matterhorn. (Photo: Mark Brightwell)
Day 6 - Zermatt
Today’s trail run brings us to the Alpine meadows of Höhbalmen, and a stunning traverse on rolling terrain leading to the Trift mountain lodge. Here, there’s the option of an out-and-back extension to the Mettelhorn, a 3,405 meter high summit that towers above Zermatt.
This evening we’ll head out to a nearby restaurant for celebratory dinner in town.
Moon and Matterhorn. (Photo: Steph Lefferts)
Day 7 - Depart from Zermatt
It’s time to say goodbye to Zermatt and the Swiss Alps. Swiss railway trains connect Zermatt with Zurich and Geneva airports with just a few, simple changes.
Regional map
- Daily guided trail runs with a licensed International Mountain Leader and special guest Elyse Kopecky
- Accommodation for six nights at 3 or 4 star hotels
- Buffet breakfasts, food and premium nutrition on the trail, and multi-course dinners every evening
- All transfers to and from trailheads and mountain trains or gondolas that are included on our planned itinerary
- Luggage transfers
- A copy of our Guide to Trail Running in the Alps, which contains 80+ pages of information and tips from Run the Alps staff and guides
- Unique welcome package
- Flights / transportation to and from the tour
- Transport to and from trailheads if you choose to shorten a run
- Drinks with dinners
- Extra charges made at accommodations such as room service or laundry
- Tips for guides
Plan to arrive the day your tour starts, at the latest. Flights from the US usually depart the day before. It’s about a 4 hour journey by train then bus from Zurich airport to Zinal, or around 3.5 hour trip with fewer changes from Geneva airport to Zinal.
Plan to depart after breakfast on August 18, 2025. The train to the Zurich Airport is about 3.5 hours, while travel to the Geneva Airport takes about 3 hours and 45 minutes to 4 hours. Plan on one night at a hotel in your departure city if you have an early morning flight.
- Why Run the Alps? Learn how Run the Alps compares to other trail running companies and what sets us apart.
- Want to extend your trip with more running? We can help provide self-guided run descriptions for nearby regions of the Alps, and/or trail race options.
- Concerned about being ready? We’re here to help. Check out our Alps Training Resources or get in touch if you’d like to be put in touch with a coach.
- Can a non-running partner join me on this tour? Yes–read how hiking and sightseeing companions can come too.
- Celebrating a special occasion? Each year we get a number of guests who are celebrating a birthday, anniversary or retirement with a Run the Alps trip. If this is you, let us know!
- Alumni Discount: We love welcoming our alumni back to the Alps and offer a 10% discount on all standard Run the Alps trips. Simply check the Alumni box on the registration form and we’ll apply the discount when we invoice you.
- Tour Balance: Your tour balance is due 90 days before your tour starts. We will send you an invoice about a month before that due date. However, you can pay your balance at any time. If you’d like the simplicity of paying in full sooner, or would like to pay in installments, please contact us.
- Trip Insurance: Life can sometimes throw us a curveball and wreak havoc upon the best laid plans, which is why Run the Alps requires trip insurance. Learn more here.
- Terms and Conditions: You can read up on them here.
Guides for this Tour
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Gemmirunning: One of the World’s Most Unusual Trail Runs
Starting in Leukerbad, Switzerland and racing to the top of Gemmi Pass – If you’re fast enough up, you’ll get a free tram ride down!
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The Allure of Running Sierre-Zinal
Sierre-Zinal is a 31-kilometer mountain race that climbs over 2,200 meters from Sierre in Switzerland’s Valais region to Zinal.