Video with footage from our trail running tours.

Adventure Running Co. is excited to announce a collaboration with As Green As It Gets, a non-profit organization in Guatemala which focuses on economic development and environmentally sustainable agriculture, to provide an exciting new trail running tour in 2010.  While this is very short notice, we truly believe this will be a special running adventure.  In addition, the 2010 tour will be offered at a reduced price since it will be the first Guatemalan tour.

Over the course of the 8 day tour, runners will not only have the opportunity to run up a volcano and make camp at the top, but they’ll also run through green walled valleys and coffee plantations, across a steep gorge on a swinging bridge, and overlook the amazing crater lake of Atitlan.  While still a running tour, this trip will offer so much more, as runners immerse themselves in the Guatemalan culture, eating dinner in the homes of local coffee farmers, help local farmers harvest and process the coffee that will be used on the rest of the tour and run through many small villages along the route.  This running tour will encompass an amazing variety of scenery.  You won’t just run through the countryside, but you’ll experience it first-hand as you get to know the local people, from the local guides that you’ll run with to the families that you’ll dine with to the coffee farmers that you’ll harvest with.

Adventure Running Co. embraces the vision of As Green As It Gets to provide more than just a tour, but a cultural experience that will enrich you while supporting the work of As Green As It Gets and the producers they sponsor.  As Green As It Gets helps entrepreneurial men and women from disadvantaged communities to establish independent, sustainable businesses so that they can improve their living conditions and stimulate their local economies.  Adventure Running Co. hopes, that by partnering with As Green As It Gets, we can provide an amazing running experience while producing additional business opportunities for local entrepreneurs.

For more information, please visit our Adventure Running Co. website to find out how you can sign up.

We hope the holiday season finds you well and full of good cheer! As 2009 winds to a close, we’re happy to announce our tours planned for 2010. We’ll be offering a couple of tours that were very successful and well received by participants last year as well as a couple of new tours in 2010.  We’re also planning our first stage race scheduled for August 2010.

At the end of May (May 31 to June 4) we will be running our popular Maah Daah Hey Trail tour which follows the 100 mile long Maah Daah Hey Trail and explores the badlands of this enchanted landscape.

In June (June 14 to June 18) we’ll be running the Superior Trail tour which follows one of the most scenic segments of the spectacular Superior Hiking Trail high above mighty Lake Superior.

In July (date to be one week prior to or week after the Hardrock 100 race) we’ll be running our first Grand 100’s tour on the Hardrock 100 route.  Over the course of 5 days, you’ll be able to explore the spectacular scenery along the Hardrock 100 course while enjoying a mix of lodging opportunities which include two nights in lodges in Ouray and Telluride and two nights camping along the majestic Continental Divide.

In August (August 9 to August 13) we’ll once again be exploring the high country in Colorado on our fabulous Colorado Trail tour.

Finally in September (date to be determined) we’ll be setting out to explore the dramatic Northeast segment of the Tahoe Rim Trail overlooking the turquoise waters of Lake Tahoe on our Tahoe Rim Trail tour.

In addition to our tours, we’re also planning our first stage race in 2010, the VoyageurQuest Stage Race to be held in Northern Minnesota on the Superior Hiking Trail.  This will be a four day stage race beginning on Thursday August 26 and ending on Sunday August 29.  More information will be coming soon on a new website dedicated to the VoyageurQuest Stage Race.

The dates listed above are tentative at this time.  Please check our website and blog for updates.  We’ll be updating our website with confirmed dates and tour prices, as well as an updated registration form soon.

We’re hoping that you’ll find one of our adventure running tours to your liking in 2010 and that you’ll join us for a great time on a beautiful trail.  Hoping to see you soon on the trails!

Video depicting one mile running with Uli Stiedl and Geoff Roes at the 2009 North Face Challenge Championship race in Marin County, CA.

We’re now offering the same great Honey Stinger products we use on our tours on our new Gear page at Adventure Running Co.com.

Go to our Gear page to find great deals on Honey Stinger products.

http://www.adventurerunningco.com/gear.html

Honey Stinger was developed to take advantage of the superior source of carbohydrates and energy that natural honey provides.  Plus, they taste great!

We’re hoping to offer more great deals on products from our partners that we use on all of our tours on our Gear page soon!

Video of Colorado Trail running trip.  Beautiful trails and great friends!

I thought this blog post nicely captured the feeling of running up a big mountain.  Of course this is from the perspective of an ultra-elite runner.  For those of you running the Colorado Trail tour, we’ll be experiencing many of these same feelings as we run to the top of Mt. Massive’s big sister Mt. Elbert (maybe it’s a big brother) – the highest point in Colorado!  Although, I know I’ll be doing a lot of walking as we near the summit!  Check it out (click on the link below):

Riding the Wind – Mt. Massive

Video of our 2009 Maah Daah Hey Trail tour in North Dakota with Western movie themed music fitting for this “Wild West” tour.  The tour was wonderful – great views, great weather, great food and great people!  Everyone had a good time and we’re already looking forward to Maah Daah Hey Trail tour 2010!  Check out the video.

Next up – the Colorado Trail including a run to the top of Colorado – Mt. Elbert!

Click on the photo to view this great trail running video put together by Matt Hart

Adventure Running Co. is happy to announce their partnership with Vasque.  Vasque will be outfitting our guides with their award winning trail running shoes.

Vasque makes the most comfortable trail running shoes we’ve run in.  They have a great selection of trail running shoes that offer light weight, stability and super traction.  They’re so comfortable, you can take them right out of the box and run 100 miles in them (though we don’t necessarily recommend it, we’ve done it!).

Finding a great pair of shoes that fit and a great pair of socks is the key to happy feet and preventing blisters.  On multi-day tours, this is critically important.  We’ve had great luck avoiding blisters with a combination of Vasque shoes and Darn Tough socks.