DESTINATION RUNNING: WHERE WILL IT TAKE YOU? 

Is running more about the journey or the destination? We asked Altra athletes to tell us a little bit about some of their favorite running locations—where they are, why they love them, and why you should check them out yourself. Are you ready to go? Read below to discover your new favorite running destination.

12 - 26 - 2020

The Reason:

Montana’s reputation as a wild destination is well-established. The very name evokes visions of elk bugling, bison roaming, and the fierce, flourishing grizzly bear. Bozeman is best-known as a world-class ski destination with its proximity to Big Sky Resort, light “coldsmoke” powder dumps, and plenty of backcountry ski options. However, less known is Bozeman’s easy access to big mountain running. The virtually endless options are truly wild and scenic. 

Seated on the eastern side of the Continental Divide, Bozeman is a first-class trail running destination. The easily accessible airport has direct flights to most major hubs in the west. There are endless trail options with access to the Bridger Mountains, Crazies, Gallatins, Spanish Peaks, and Absarokas — all within driving distance of town. If road-tripping is your style, Bozeman is seated on Interstate 90, easily accessible on an incredibly scenic drive with major mountain ranges in nearly every direction. 

Once you arrive, check out the Bridger Ridge Trail as a classic point-to-point, high-alpine 20-miler. This local favorite runs from Fairly Lake across the precipice of the Bridger Mountains’ steep and narrow ridgeline and finishes at Bozeman’s famous M Trailhead just a mile from town. The Gallatin Range is Bozeman’s southern skyline. Be sure to drive up to Hyalite Reservoir and run the breathtaking 15-mile Hyalite Creek Trail out and back from Hyalite Creek Trailhead to Hyalite Peak. This wild run is complete with cascading creeks, log bridges, a high-alpine lake, and views in every direction. Just below Hyalite Peak summit, you can tack on an additional out and back on the epic Gallatin Crest Trail. Be sure to pack your bear spray and make plenty of noise as the Bridgers are home to black bears and the Gallatin Range is grizzly territory. 

After a long day on the trail, Bozeman boasts plenty of hip coffee shops, breweries, eateries, and lodging for post-run grub and social time. If camping is your gig, National Forest options abound. Winter is long and cold here, so plan accordingly. The best running months to visit are mid-July through early September and even then, sometimes the high-country can still have pockets of snow. Don’t forget to pack your puffy jacket. With warm, sometimes humid days, the nights can be contrastingly chilly — especially if a weather system is blowing through. Afternoon thunderstorms are common in the northern Rockies, so plan to run early. With a little forethought and online reconnaissance, you’ll set yourself up for a legendary running experience. 

After a long day on the trail, Bozeman boasts plenty of hip coffee shops, breweries, eateries, and lodging for post-run grub and social time. If camping is your gig, National Forest options abound. Winter is long and cold here, so plan accordingly. The best running months to visit are mid-July through early September and even then, sometimes the high-country can still have pockets of snow. Don’t forget to pack your puffy jacket. With warm, sometimes humid days, the nights can be contrastingly chilly — especially if a weather system is blowing through. Afternoon thunderstorms are common in the northern Rockies, so plan to run early. With a little forethought and online reconnaissance, you’ll set yourself up for a legendary running experience.

The Shoe:

The Reason:

My favorite place to run the Grand Canyon Arizona USA 

For most the Grand Canyon is a once in a lifetime trip and for many ultrarunners it’s a place to test your fitness among some of the best in the world. Many runners are only familiar with the classic Rim to Rim to Rim, which drops you into the canyons and back up four times with 42 miles and around 11,000 feet of vertical gain, but there is so much more to the Grand Canyon than Bright Angle and South Kaibab. 

Here are 2 of my favorite runs in the Canyon: 

1. Hermits Rest to Boucher Trail to Hermits Loop. This is around 22 miles on the south rim but can only be accessed from the bus system. Take a shuttle to Hermits Rest and jump into the canyon. This is far less traveled and not as many runners because of the lack of water but carrying enough for this scenic loop is worth it (around three liters to be safe). Once you drop down into the canyon, about three miles down there is a junction for Boucher Trail in which you will go left. From there, the trail will take you up back up to a Red Rim and loops around this part of the canyon. The trail has big vistas that drop you down to the Tonto Trail eight miles in. From here you go right onto Tonto Trail that will then intersect with Hermits and loop you back to where you started. Great views, not too many people, and a spectacular part of the canyon to explore. This is a great long run with about 5,000 feet of vertical gain and terrain that will test you. 

2. Grandview to Tonto Trail. Another beautiful run on the south rim. If you're looking for a great trail to challenge you on all terrain, this is it. The Grandview Trail starts out very technical and exposed before transitioning into big rocks and rugged terrain that eventually leads to a winding buff of smooth running. The Tonto Trail is about 92 miles, runs east to west, and splits the canyon in half giving you a big perspective of both up and down. From here you can make it as short or as long of a run as you’d like. You can connect Grandview to South Kaibab via Tonto for an epic long run or simply do an out and back with a kick butt ascent. The last time I ran an out and back here I got 11 miles with a 4,000-foot vert and a whole lot of amazing views. Not many water options here either, so being prepared is a must. At times you can filter water from a spring, but not something to count on. 

The Shoe: 

The Reason:

When the heat picks up in Phoenix during the summer months, I love to take a break from the roads and tracks for a bit and head up to Colorado to spend some time in the cool mountain air. The mountain trails offer a pretty big variance from my typical running routine and offer up some of the best views I have seen. It takes no convincing to persuade my wife Nicole to load up the car and head North for a week. Our last trip included trails from Avon all the way down to Durango. 

The Shoe: 

The Reason:

There's something special about targeting a goal race for a PR or a major race with big crowds like the NYC, Boston, or Chicago Marathons. However, there's also something special about going to a "race-cation" — a race run in a location that's a destination or great for vacationing. My favorite destination race, and really one of my all-time favorite races, is the Kauai Marathon in Poipu, Kauai Hawaii. The amount of aloha spirit you feel from the local community from the moment you land is very special. I've been fortunate to become connected to the local community, speaking at the expo, presenting on health and wellness at elementary schools, running with high school cross country teams, and awarding college scholarships to graduating seniors. The day before the half and full marathon is the keiki (kid's) race. I dress up in a chicken suit and race kids ages 4-12 on the grass lawn of the Grand Hyatt one — of the most incredible experiences is being around kids who love to run, and occasionally getting scared of the chicken! The half and full marathon races start with tiki torches just before sunrise, weaves through beautiful areas at sunrises, and finishes right by the ocean. Kauai is great for running because it is truly impossible not to feel happy afterwards with all of the aloha spirit from the race staff, locals, and fellow runners! 

The Shoe: