I went to my first running camp. Here's how it went.

Food fitness flora

Jul 28

A few years ago, the idea of a trail running camp would have been one of the (very few) things to actually send me running. The idea of going on holiday to voluntarily wake with the sun and spend hours exercising was one that filled me with dread, not excitement.

But as I write, I'm currently sat on a sofa in Chamonix, France. I'm tucking into a well-earned cinnamon bun, on my afternoon 'chill time'. This morning I ran 11km with 700m climbing, which was our 'easy day' to ease us into five days of mountain running. Yes, I'm on a trail running training camp.

The idea to sign up came about after running a couple of multi-day ultramarathons. The sense of escape, adventure and camaraderie is second to none, but understandably, it's difficult to run that many multi-day ultras in one year. They're scientifically proven to be pretty bad for your body in the short term, and if rest isn't respected, the short term problems can become long term. One per year is more than enough for most people.

But if running in beautiful places day in, day out is your thing (and you're not lucky enough to live somewhere so Instagram-worthy), how do you get that fix without a) moving country or b) destroying your body?

The answer, my friends, is a trail running camp.

My views on running camps were moulded by a vague knowledge of the running camps in Iten, Kenya. At 2400m, running in Iten is not for the fainthearted – the altitude affects you even as you try to sleep. Known as the "Home of Champions" because of the number of world-class athletes to come out of it, Iten is a popular destination for competitive marathoners. For a 'normal person' like me, the camps also look disgustingly difficult.

Chamonix has similar pedigree to Iten for trail & ultra runners, but at 1000m it's a lot more friendly to the average person. There is everything from groomed river paths to snowy Mont Blanc itself – all 4809m of it – and everything in between.

The camp I joined does not limit itself to Chamonix, though. Trails & Roots has camps in Thailand, Madeira (now top of my wish list), Slovenia (a close second) and soon, South Africa. The clientele come from all over, united by a love of being outdoors on the trails.

Although everyone was a competent runner, some had started within the last couple of years. Others had only run on roads before and wanted to experience trails. Others (like me) were tuning up before big races, and other still simply wanted a unique way to explore a new country. The mix was what made the week interesting. Although the mileage was relatively high, the pace of the runs was such that no one was left behind. If needed, the group was split in two to keep everyone comfortable. And as a training week, rather than race, the easy pace suited everyone, and left enough battery in the tank to go back to training when back in the real world.

Alongside the camp participants, the camp had an in-house coach, Zandy, a mindset coach and mountain guide, Paul, and a professional ultra-runner, Emily, all ready to impart wisdom both on the trails and off. Each day comprised of a mix of activities, and while they were all centred around running, the runs themselves were limited to the mornings, leaving the afternoons for relaxation, recuperation and education. Alongside many a nap, in the afternoons we had talks about injury prevention, nutrition strategies and mindset, which were valuable even to the well-seasoned runners. Most of us don't have a coach to hand day to day.

Aside from the mind-blowingly beautiful trails, my favourite part of each day was the 'takeaways' we wrote, anonymously, at the end of the day. On a little scrap of paper, we each wrote something we'd learned that day. Some were funny, some poignant, all useful.

It wouldn't be right to write a camp report without mentioning the food! Judging by my Instagram DMs, the Trails & Roots ethos of 'come for the trails, stay for the food' couldn't be more accurate. As a plant-based athlete, I sometimes struggle when abroad. Although I'm not fussy with what I eat, after a few days of salad & bread, or pizza without the cheese, my body craves something different (usually protein!). From a performance perspective, too, sub-standard nutrition is not ideal, and this is something I always have to take into consideration when travelling, especially if I'm running.

Head-chef Lily could not have been more impressive. Although the majority of the camp participants were not vegan, everyone enjoyed three vegan meals a day (plus freshly baked snacks), and literally everyone commented on how good the food was. I had half a mind to pack Lily away in my huge hiking rucksack and kidnap her, just to continue the food. I have genuinely never eaten so well in my life, and the food was nutritious, high in protein, varied and significantly better than most restaurant food I've eaten. The meals were the glue that cemented the camp together.

There is something special about running with a group of people. Evolutionarily speaking, it makes sense that we find comfort in moving as a group. Much though I love my solitary runs, group running is something entirely different. Primal, even. The longer, the better, and multi-day excursions on beautiful trails top the list. Previously, I believed that the only way I could feel this feeling was during multi-day ultramarathons, but my I (and my body!) am grateful to have found another, more relaxed way of getting my fix.

I hope to be back on another camp soon – maybe see you in Madeira?

If you'd like to enquire about any of the Trails & Roots camps, email heather@trailsandroots.com and mention my name. If you decide to sign up, I get a little kickback, and it helps me measure the impact of my posts.