Meet Our Participants
Meet some of our past participants and learn more about their trip highlights and the Runcation experience.
Name: Gavin
Hometown: San Francisco, CA, USA
Which Runcation did you attend: Dolomites
What is your profession: Esquire
How long have you been running?: 20 years
Did you have experience running trails before the trip?: Yes
What did you like about the trail running on the trip?: I loved that it was point to point and had great stops along the way. A trip highlight for me was the views.
Did you learn anything cool?: I learned about the glacier formations of the Dolomites!
Do you have a favorite trail where you live?: Yolanda Trail.
Anything else you’d like to share?: I’m so grateful I got to go it was stunning
Name: Marne
Hometown: Burlington, VT, USA
Which Runcation did you attend: Dolomites+Slovenia, Patagonia
What is your profession: Consultant
How long have you been running?: 15 years
Did you have experience running trails before the trip?: Yes
Why did you choose this Runcation?: I wanted to go on a running trip but didn't trust myself enough to navigate new trails in a new country with a new language, so I searched for a solution and found Runcation.
What did you like about the trail running on the trip?: Amazing views, knowledgable guides removed my fear of getting lost (lol), diverse terrain was clearly picked based on expected energy levels. Would have a less technical day after a big day!
Did you learn anything cool?: YES! A little bit more spanish, about the other folks on the trip, and that I can push myself a little more than I thought.
What was one highlight of the trip for you?: There are so many! But eating Kaiserschmarrn at the top of a pass in Italy. Absurd views, fun people, one too many cappuccinos, and the most delicious "pancake" of my life....OH and the lakes! And getting ice cream with Liz :p
What was a challenge of the trip for you?: Getting out of bed after naps to eat dinner... lol
What did you like about the group experience: Perfect mix of group time and solo time. I'm an introvert so was a little nervous about that, and I didn't need to be cause there is the solo time built in if you want it.
Do you have a favorite trail where you live?: Yes! Jack Rabbit Trail in Keene NY!
Name: Maren
Hometown: Boise, Idaho, USA
Which Runcation did you attend: Dolomites+Slovenia
What is your profession: Consultant
How long have you been running?: Since I was in high school - almost 20 years now.
Did you have experience running trails before the trip?: I only started trail running about three months before the trip, but I trained a lot in the months leading up. Prior to that I’d only done the occasional short trail run on low-technical trails.
Why did you choose this Runcation?: I love having a challenge and something to train for to keep me motivated, and this year my goal was to learn to trail run. Having the trip to look forward to forced me to get out of my routine and onto the trails for long hard runs I wouldn’t have done otherwise. I chose the Italy and Slovenia trip because I’d never been to either country and the photos looked amazing.
What did you like about the trail running on the trip?: It was great running with a group and having guides. There was a lot of bonding and chitchat that made the miles easier to get through.
Did you learn anything cool?: I loved seeing the culture and vibe of the small Italian ski towns. Each was breathtaking and unique, with interesting architecture and design. Being there in summer when they’re quieter felt like you’d stumbled on a secret gem.
What was one highlight of the trip for you?: Eating mini lingonberry pancakes on top of an Italian mountain with goats 🐐 .
What was a challenge of the trip for you?: The trip was physically demanding, even for someone who’s used to running pretty high volume. I’d especially recommend practicing longer, slower runs with stops, starts and snacks in the middle. My body wasn’t used to that routine and my stomach definitely let me know it on the longer days.
What did you like about the group experience: Getting to know and make friends with all of the other participants. I think of it as summer camp for adults.
Do you have a favorite trail where you live?: Any running in the Boise foothills, or up at Bogus Basin in the summer.
Anything else you’d like to share?: The one thing I wish I’d done was book massages in advance! They were very popular on our trip and sounded amazing to recover after the long days on the trail.
Name: Ryan
Hometown: Long Beach, CA, USA
Which Runcation did you attend: Yosemite + Mammoth Lakes
What is your profession: Property Management
How long have you been running?: 20 years.
Did you have experience running trails before the trip?: Yes.
Why did you choose this Runcation?: It was a Father’s Day gift.
What did you like about the trail running on the trip?: It was challenging while still being accessible for many ability levels. Also selection of distance and elevation was well thought out.
Did you learn anything cool?: I learned I want to do more trails! I’ve primarily been a road runner and after my next rod race in April, I plan on dedicating more time exploring trails and hopefully trying my first 50k.
What was one highlight of the trip for you?: Yosemite for sure. It’s maybe my favorite place to be.
What was a challenge of the trip for you?: The elevation. I typically run at sea level so that was for sure the hardest part to adapt to.
What did you like about the group experience: I love meeting other runners! Our group was small but it was great exploring with other folks new to the area.
Do you have a favorite trail where you live?: Crystal Cove State Park. It’s easy to get to and has great Ocean Views.
Anything else you’d like to share?: Liz is great!
Name: Jessica
Hometown: New York, NY, US
Which Runcation did you attend: Peru
What is your profession: Nurse Practicioner
How long have you been running?: 25 years.
Did you have experience running trails before the trip?: Some, not a lot.
Why did you choose this Runcation?: A friend had a great experience in Patagonia and recommended Runcation. I had never been anywhere in South America so chose Peru.
What did you like about the trail running on the trip?: It was a new challenge different than what I am used to (road running). It was a great way to explore the beauty of Peru, and something I would never have been able to do without the help of the trail guides.
Did you learn anything cool?: I learned a lot about the history of Machu Picchu.
What was one highlight of the trip for you?: Being at the highest altitude I’ve ever been to!
What was a challenge of the trip for you?: Being without a shower for a few days.
What did you like about the group experience: Meeting new people from all over that love running.
Do you have a favorite trail where you live?: Central Park, New York City.
Name: JP
Hometown: Black Hawk, CO, USA
Which Runcation did you attend: Tour du Mont Blanc
What is your profession: Retired
How long have you been running?: 25 years.
Did you have experience running trails before the trip?: Yes.
Why did you choose this Runcation?: It was affordable and the tour fit my schedule
What did you like about the trail running on the trip?: Nice variety of trails, with some easy, and some a bit more technical.
Did you learn anything cool?: First time running with a group over several days. I wasn't sure I would enjoy it, but I did. Would do it again.
What was one highlight of the trip for you?: Getting to one of the huts, sitting down with a lunch and a beer and enjoying the views of the mountains and the valley from were we came.
What was a challenge of the trip for you?: Deciding whether to skip part of a section one day due to thunderstorms..
What did you like about the group experience: Getting to know other trail runners and to learn about their experiences.
Do you have a favorite trail where you live?: Golden Gate Canyon State Park. But also a section of CDT (Continental Divide Trail) around Jones Pass, Colorado.
Anything else you’d like to share?: It was a very enjoyable experience. Liz's groups are laid back and there’s no pressure. If you feel like taking it easy one day, that's fine, or if you want to run faster, go for it.
Name: Barbalee
Hometown: Rock Springs, Wyoming, USA
Which Runcation did you attend: Run to Machu Picchu Peru
What is your profession: Registered Nurse
How long have you been running?: 16 years.
Did you have experience running trails before the trip?: Yes, I had run a trail 50k and 50 miler before this trip.
Why did you choose this Runcation?: I love trail running and felt it was the best way to experience Peru, a bucket list destination of mine.
What did you like about the trail running on the trip?: The terrain was difficult, varied, and absolutely beautiful!
Did you learn anything cool?: I learned that the people of Peru are kind and generous. I discovered that I enjoy getting to know new people while doing difficult things, it brings out a different side of them that you would never encounter otherwise.
What was one highlight of the trip for you?: The breathtaking scenery.
What was a challenge of the trip for you?: The elevation of 15,000 feet was more difficult than I expected.
What did you like about the group experience: I enjoyed getting to know new people, the guides were amazing, and having everything set up and taken care of was worth every penny.
Do you have a favorite trail where you live?: I love to run any trail but don't have many close to home, I do most training on the road.
Anything else you’d like to share?: This was a once in a lifetime experience and the memories made will be cherished forever!
Name: Shelby
Hometown: Boulder, CO, USA
Which Runcation did you attend: Dolomites Hut to Hut
What is your profession: Human Resources, Mergers & Acquisitions
How long have you been running?: 22 years.
Did you have experience running trails before the trip?: A little bit, but definitely not to this extent.
Why did you choose this Runcation?: I had never been to the Dolomites and I had heard that Runcation is the best way to experience the world!
What did you like about the trail running on the trip?: It was a nice balance between challenging and achievable. We took perfectly-timed breaks so even though we were working hard, we were able to recover quickly. It was incredibly rewarding!
Did you learn anything cool?: I learned that Italia has delicious food and wine even at the tippy top of the highest mountains. Who knew!?
What was one highlight of the trip for you?: Meeting new adventurous friends.
What was a challenge of the trip for you?: Climbing mountains, but it was worth it!
What did you like about the group experience: I really enjoyed learning about everyone's unique backgrounds and why each person chose to sign up for the trip. We all went through a challenging yet beautiful experience together which made us become fast friends. It's fun to continue following their life journeys years later.
Do you have a favorite trail where you live?: LOBO trail (Longmont <-> Boulder Trail). I can catch it right outside my house and it connects to dozens of miles of trails and roads around Boulder and Longmont - it's hard to get sick of it.
Name: Devon
Hometown: Portland, OR, USA
Which Runcation did you attend: Tour du Mont Blanc
What is your profession: Registered Nurse, Yoga Instructor, Personal Trainer
How long have you been running?: 20 years.
Did you have experience running trails before the trip?: Yes, we live in Portland, OR and run in Forest Park nearly every day.
Why did you choose this Runcation?: I wanted to go on an epic adventure for my 40th birthday and Runcation hit all the marks. Long, beautiful days on the trail, stunning scenery, intense elevation and all of it seamlessly organized so that we could run hard and enjoy every second of trail without worrying about the small details!
What did you like about the trail running on the trip?: Steep climbs, beautiful single track, technical sections with some of the most amazing views we've ever seen, we loved everything about the trail, even the super difficult descent.
Did you learn anything cool?: Yes! We loved meeting all the cool people on the trail. Sometimes people were on the same mileage plan as us and we loved seeing them a couple days in a row and exchanging our stories of the trail. We also loved learning about the different locals where we were staying, the culinary specialties of the area and meeting the owners and family of our hotels and hostels.
What was one highlight of the trip for you?: Running from Courmayeur into La Fouly, the views were absolutely breathtaking and the terrain was difficult, as we made the crest onto the highest peak of our trip the sun was shining and the sky a perfect blue and we were able to see for miles. We were tired in the best of ways and just in awe of the beautiful views and intense elevation. We made our descent down into Switzerland and passed hundreds of cows that were being taken down into the valley, mooing and clanging their bells, led by several families that energetically ushered us on. As we checked into our hotel for the night, it began to snow. We were served a group dinner of raclette and my husband and I recounted our epic day on the trail to our fellow travelers. We went to bed that night feeling like we'd won the lottery of life!
What was a challenge of the trip for you?: The last two days on the trail the descents were difficult after our previous long days on the trail, our knees and legs were tired!
What did you like about the group experience: We ran/walked/hiked and ate and drank at our own leisure. We loved the freedom of being able to stop whenever we wanted and take pictures or have a snack. Our GPS files worked great and we felt well supported with rifugios and little villages along the way.
Do you have a favorite trail where you live?: Forest Park in Portland, OR and the wildwood trail and the interurban trail in Bellingham, WA that leads into the beautiful Bellingham woods and many trail systems.
Anything else you’d like to share?: Our circumnavigation around Mt Blanc was the absolute trip of a lifetime. The physical feat of it was inspiring but the fact that we didn't need to worry about our bagge or where we were staying made everything feel extra luxurious. We loved every second of it and would absolutely go on another runcation again!