Run the Alps Kicks off Switzerland Guide Book Project
(And here’s how you can take part)
That’s right!
This summer, Run the Alps will be diving into a five-month long trail running project, running the most fun trail runs around Switzerland we can find. It’s Run the Alps’ second guide book in collaboration with the award-winner Swiss publisher Helvetiq.
About the book
Our work with Helvetiq started eight years ago, when the crew at ALPSinsight teamed up with Run the Alps founder Doug Mayer for Run the Alps Switzerland: Thirty Must Do Trail Runs.
Then, two years ago, the Run the Alps team came together to create Trail Running Chamonix Mont Blanc. That guide featured writing from a variety of Run the Alps staff, including Black Diamond runner Hillary Gerardi, Guide Manager Emily Geldard, Chamonix trail runner and writer Charlie Edwards and others. A range of photographers participated in the project, including internationally noted talents like Sam Hill, Nick Danielson, Milo Zancchia and others.
This new guidebook will be a complement to that original title, focus on shorter runs, and cover all of Switzerland– from the big mountains and wild corners of the country, to great runs not far from cities like Zurich, Bern, Geneva and Basel. The runs will range from– roughly speaking– 10 km to 20 km. The new guide has a target date to be released in April, 2027.
This time around, the photos will be handled entirely by Sam Hill. Sam is Run the Alps’ Photo Manager, and from his base in Thun, Switzerland, he handles a staff of twenty photographers who join us each season on our guided trips, for special editorial projects, and for brands with whom we partner. If you haven’t seen Sam’s work, take a moment to enjoy the thoughtful perspective he brings to the visual world. It’s wonderful. (Learn more about Sam through his portfolio, on Instagram, and his Substack.) The project will be edited by Run the Alps founder Doug Mayer, whose most recent books are The Race that Changed Running: The Inside Story of UTMB and The Last of the Giants.
You can take part
Like all things Run the Alps, this is a community effort!
Familiar with trails in Switzerland? We’ll take your suggestions, please! You can share them right here, right now. (And we’ll credit you in the book if we use your run.)
Want to be in the photos? The saying, “If you see it, you can be it” has heartfelt meaning for us. We’re proactively reaching out to include trail runners of all shapes, sizes, colors, abilities and adaptations. Let us know if you’re interested, and we’ll share the shoot schedule and location with you when we know it. Drop Sam a note now and he can share the details when ready. (We’ll toss in a few perks, too!)
If you’re coming on a Run the Alps trip and want to take part before or after your trip, that’s no problem either. We can assist with travel support information.
Follow Along
All summer long, we’ll be sharing stories from the trail, on our Instagram, on Facebook, and in our newsletter. Follow along as we create the second great trail running guidebook to Switzerland!
Precision is joining the team
We’re pleased to announce that along for the ride will be our partner Precision Fuel & Hydration. They’ll be powering all our running around Switzerland for Sam, Doug, and all of our trail running models and writers. Thanks to the entire team, and especially, Jack David and Andy Blow.
Ready, set, go! Allez-allez, and we’ll see you on the trail!
