Running on the wild and scenic trails through the rugged Grand Balcon Sud region high above Chamonix, France, is an absolutely dreamy experience in the summertime.
The moment you set foot on the Balcon Sud, the valley below falls away and the world opens up in a way that stops even seasoned trail runners in their tracks. This high traverse, clinging to the southern flank of the Aiguilles Rouges at roughly 6,500 feet in elevation, is less a trail and more a theatre, and the stage it overlooks is nothing short of breathtaking. With a view of Mont Blanc and dozens of other glaciated peaks across the valley, the scenery appears too stunning to be real.
There are a lot of ways to experience a trail run across the Grand Balcon Sud or any other of the many trails through the valley or the region, but doing it with Run the Alps tour guides leading the way is a luxe experience.
Run the Alps has been operating trail running tour groups for more than a decade, creating an immersive running experience with a community-building vibe that is about so much more than just running on spectacular trails for days on end.
While anyone can sign up to participate in those experiences, let’s face it, not everyone can afford the price required for that kind of opulent endeavor, and as a result, they can feel very exclusive.
A year ago, the Run the Alps leadership team took time to reaffirm the values it wanted to adhere to, and came away intent on making sure inclusivity, challenge, camaraderie, net positive, and fun were embedded into everything it does.
“We believe everyone should feel welcome in the trail running community,” said Run the Alps founder Doug Mayer. “We have always celebrated diversity, built partnerships aimed to foster community spirit through shared experiences, and welcomed everyone. But we wanted to find a way to really try to seek out people who wouldn’t be able to come otherwise; and for whom there have been barriers in their lives to prevent them from having this kind of experience.”
It had been a member of 1% Percent for the Planet from the beginning and long ago incorporated Leave No Trace principles into all of its tours, but it knew it had to find ways to be more inclusive and engage with people who come from communities that historically experience barriers to something as grand as trail running in the Alps.
Ultimately it came up with the Run the Alps Tour Grant Program, an initiative in line with its Net Positive Strategy aimed at making its trail running trips more accessible through reduced-priced and free tour packages, travel cost assistance, shared trail running gear, and other amenities.
To develop the program, Run the Alps team members Charlotte LeFlufy and Hillary Gerardi consulted with trail runners Mirna Valerio, Sabrina Pace-Humphreys, and Brent James—each of whom have interest and experience in growing the sport among BIPOC individuals—to develop guidelines, attract candidates, and avoid blind spots in its messaging.
With some seed money support from On Running, Run the Alps shared information about the program with the world, including with the Running Industry Diversity Coalition, and interested candidates began to apply.
Last year, six participants were chosen and three took part in a late-summer trip, while three others deferred the opportunity to 2026. The seven-day, six-night trip included guided group runs on the Grand Balcon Sud above Chamonix, in the Swiss wine-growing region of the Rhône Valley, and near Champéry, a Swiss small village nestled under the seven craggy peaks of the Dents-du-Midi range. Participants also had the option to run in the historic DDM Trail event, which dates back to 1963 and has races ranging from 13K to 57K.
“Overall I think the experience was really cool for all of us,” Gerardi said. “Getting to share Run the Alps trips with more people is super valuable. For me it was really heartwarming because I had talked to each of the candidates and got to know the ones who came on the trips. Each had a really wonderful time, and it was very special to share that with them.”
Nhi Vu, a second generation Vietnamese-American and a daughter of refugees, said her Run the Alps experience was life-changing, especially because she wants to help increase the visibility of Asian American and Pacific Islander representation in trail running.
Her favorite part of the trip was running the race and witnessing people doing really hard things and building confidence in her own abilities with encouragement from guide Mike Murray.
“Witnessing the tenacity of the human spirit was so cool,” she said. “I was overwhelmed with happiness and I was cheering people on, and I thought that “if they can do it, I can do it!”
This year the Run the Alps Tour Grant Program has been expanded, thanks to a generous contribution from On and being aligned with its Right to Run Program. Ten participants will be selected through the application process, which closes on March 8.
In addition to reduced or free fees and travel costs, the runners chosen this year will be eligible for an additional $500 grant aimed at helping share their experiences with their communities.
“We’re excited to build on the Tour Grant Program’s successful first year by expanding access to more trail runners from historically excluded or underrepresented communities eager to explore Europe’s most beautiful mountains,” said Laura Moro, the Run the Alps Net Positive Program lead. “Our goal this year is to support even more applicants with guided or self-guided trips and also with additional impact grants to amplify their stories back home and build deeper connections to alpine trails and communities. We’re already seeing increased interest and can’t wait to drive real change by making alpine adventures more accessible.”
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