The Perfect Active Women’s Weekend Getaway

Today is a special day for us, as it is officially Trail Sisters 2 year anniversary! The online journal has made leaps and bounds in bringing you various types of content and from over 100 different contributors. Last summer we did a 7 month road tour that included 30 retail visits to hear your thoughts and wants for women in sport of trail running. This year we’ve launched our first Team Trail Sisters squad, created for women looking to represent the community at races or events, and most recently, the Trail Run Adventure Grant – providing 6 women with $500.00 for their summer/fall outdoor trail adventure.

In staying true to our mission of growing women’s participation and opportunity in trail running, we also decided to host our first ever Run With Her Trail Running Retreat in Boulder, CO. There are other running camps out there, but the Run With Her Trail Running Retreat stands alone in what it has to offer. We pride ourselves on knowing more about women in trail running as compared to any other entity, and are the leading resource for inspiration, education and empowerment for women in trail running. We’ve listened to what you want and need, and have packed it into a 4 day 3 night fun and unique retreat experience. 

So what makes the Run With Her Trail Running Retreat so special? Well, multiple things. 

Women Only

First, we are a women’s only trail running retreat. There are lots of mixed gender trail running camps, but we find that it’s important to create an all-ladies atmosphere when breaking down entry barriers to the sport. Intimidation can play a role in co-ed runs, so that is one element we focused on eliminating. Plus, any woman who has attended a ladies night understands how precious and fun that time can be! 

Trail Run Adventures

We like to think of these runs as adventures, as there are sure to be new and exciting (and safe) obstacles you will encounter, and learn from. Special guests and trail running super stars Darcy Piceu and Courtney Dauwalter will joining us for the Friday and Saturday runs. Both of these ladies hold a wealth of knowledge, stories, and a great sense of humor. We will have two separate groups which will allow better interaction and instruction. Both of these groups will use the no-drop method, which means all runners will stop at select points along the run and will wait for the last runner of that group before moving forward. Additionally, we will be providing tips and tricks on trail running techniques as we make our way up and down the trail. 

Workshops

Next, we want to focus on the educational piece to this retreat, the workshops. Running trails is obviously a blast, but there is much more that goes along with it if your looking to have success and longevity in the sport. We’ve decided to cover the four most important and relevant topics that you need to know to be a better, wiser, and more confident trail runner. These four workshops include:

1. Wilderness Awareness – Reading your surroundings, basic survival skills, trouble shooting on the run.
2. Nutrition – Understanding your body’s needs, why fueling is important, and fuel sources/types.
3. Injury Prevention and Strengthening – Common injuries, how to prevent, strengthen and treat. 
4. Building Self-Confidence – Learning to trust and believe in yourself, empowerment, strengthening other’s confidence.

The Grub

Something else that is near and dear to our hearts, is food. Not just because we enjoy filling our tummies with excellent chow, but because our bodies need and deserve premium nutrition after all the hard work we put ourselves through. We’ve hired Kelly Bailey Newlon of RAD – Real Athlete Diets to cater our retreat. Kelly is like the Ryan Seacrest to Hollywood’s who’s who…thus, Kelly has prepared meals for numerous professional athletes, and also caters events for many outdoor sports brands. Needless to say, your tummies will thank you for deciding to participate at the retreat. Oh, and for you beer lovers, Upslope Brewing Co. will be supplying delicious brews to quench your thirst. 

Night Out on the Town

Outside of RAD’s catering, we will spend one evening on Boulder’s famous Pearl Street Mall. This will be the only evening where you might want to wear something other than spandex (although, anything goes in Boulder). We will enjoy a tasty meal at one of Pearl’s famous restaurants, and then top it off with a pit stop for some gelato. Seeing how there is lots to explore and enjoy on Pearl Street, you will have the option to stay downtown after dinner, but will need to Uber (or find your own transportation) back to the Adventure Lodge.

Yoga

Other exciting things to highlight include a Yoga session that focuses on mobility for runners. After all the trail work we will be putting in, it will be a nice treat to stretch and relax our bodies. We will also have informal and impromptu q&a sessions. We foster a family like tribe, and want participants to feel they can ask about any topic or question.

Adventure Lodge

Lastly, we want to share more about why we picked the Adventure Lodge as our HQ for the weekend. This small but modern mountain lodge is nestled right in Boulder’s foothills and next to the Indian Peaks. It provides trail access right from the front door, along with an icy cold mountain stream where we can chill our legs after the runs. If ice baths aren’t your thing, the Adventure Lodge also has a pool and hot tub to soak in. For the dare devils, there is even a slackline park where you can master your balancing skills. Since the A-Lodge isn’t a huge resort, it provides the perfect amount of piece and quiet, along with a sense of coziness not overrun with visiting tourists.

SWAG BAG!

Ok, one more important note we need to point out 🙂 Swag! Our gracious supporters will be providing each participant with a new pair of Vasque Footwear trail running kicks, CamelBak is supplying you with a new hydration vest, Pro-Tec Athletics will provide their famous Spiky Ball, and Trail Sisters will of course have something special for each of you. We may have a few more special gifts for you come retreat time… 🙂

Our aim is to give you an experience you will never forget, mixed with valuable education, and combined with everything you are looking for in an active girls weekend getaway.  Trail Sisters: Run With Her Trail Running Retreat provides exactly that.

For more details or to sign up, visit the retreat page here.  Early bird pricing ends April 30th.  Attend with a friend and you both receive $50 off.

For any questions, feel free to reach out here.