Mountain Adventure Holidays
I had the pleasure of speaking with Rebecca, our winner of the National Outdoor Expo, who just completed her first guided trail running holiday with Tracks and Trails on the Chamonix Classic Running Trails.
Rebecca started out as a road runner, but after moving to North Wales—near Snowdonia and within reach of the Lake District—she found herself drawn to the trails. "I began running in the hills and forests without even knowing it was called trail running," she explains. "Now, I can't imagine going back to the road; the trails offer so much more to see and experience."
Beyond the stunning landscapes, our conversation focused on the Low Impact concept of the holiday. Rebecca shared her thoughts on how this approach, which emphasises sustainability and minimising the environmental footprint, made her trip even more meaningful.
Today, we're excited to sit down with Laura, a competitive Belgian trail runner whose passion for the mountains is matched by her dedication to climate activism—and, of course, she wouldn't say no to a good cup of coffee. With the iconic UTMB just a week and a half away, Laura is here in Chamonix, preparing to tackle one of the toughest races in the trail running world. We’re eager to hear how she’s feeling as race day approaches, and to explore what drives her love for the trails and her commitment to protecting the beautiful places she runs in.
A guide to choosing a suitable headtorch for running or hiking, to help light up those dark nights and see you safely through from dusk until dawn.
Whether you’re heading out for an evening run, got caught out as the sun set on a hike, or just finding your way to the campsite facilities, a decent headtorch will make all the difference. Advances in lighting capacity and battery technology now offer us a dazzling range to choose from, depending on our budget and needs. Simple models with minimal adjustment sit alongside more advanced models, offering programmable lighting modes, multiple beams, and even intelligent reactive lighting that economises battery power.
Most of us like achieving a challenge, be it big or small. As a runner much of the time the goal is centred around a time, pace or distance. However for a mountain marathon there is a lot more to consider. In 2009 I wanted to run the Everest Marathon, and the main goals for this event is to reach Everest Basecamp healthy and acclimitised.
Read my top tips on trail running at altitude some of which are featured in this months 'Trail Running Magazine' attached.
