Certain trails are bucket list destinations all on their own. Think: navigating the open “balds” of the Appalachian Trail in North Carolina and Tennessee; picking your way over rocky outcroppings and through Aspen meadows on the Rim Trail high above Lake Tahoe; cruising past natural arches down smooth single-track lined with redrock walls from Zion National Park to Bryce Canyon National Park. Planning-wise, though, they can be a nightmare for solo trail runners.
“The idea behind our trips is trying to solve runners’ problem of having to carry all their own gear from one campsite or cabin to the next on a point-to-point trail,” says Holak, who leads tours with his wife; both are experienced trail ultramarathon runners and former backcountry and wilderness rangers. “Our supported tours allow you to really cover ground and explore the entire length of an amazing trail.”
Suddenly, pulling an international trail adventure seems easy: With professionals doing the logistical legwork, you can run The East Coast Trail along the edge of the Newfoundland in Canada, descending from fjord-like cliffs into quaint fishing villages. You can make your way through all five villages of The Cinque Terre, running high above the Mediterranean Sea on a trail once meant for mules. You can even circle the entirety of Mont Blanc on foot, passing through three different countries as you make your way from Chamonix, France through Switzerland to Courmayer, Italy.
Tours are limited to 10 runners, but cater to all levels. Not only do they frequently draw repeat customers, but they’re attracting more and more female runners, says Holak. “Generally, we average about 15 miles a day,” he says. Holak estimates timing each day based on a three-mile-per-hour pace, which leaves plenty of time for photos, meals, and even cooling tired feet off in mountain streams. “We always have a lead runner who navigates and a sweeper who makes sure we don’t lose anybody along the trail,” he says.
This kind of itinerary keeps the focus of the trip squarely on the trail as runners make their way from inn to inn, or between vacation homes and campsites (meals are provided by hosts at certain accommodations, or by guides each day). “It is mostly about running,” says Holak. “But relaxing around our campsite or in a home at the end of the day and having a few beers and talking about the day’s run—that’s a huge part of it, too.”
Adventure Running Co. Blog 