
Guided tours have new appeal as travel lovers begin to imagine a return to adventure
by Chloe Berg for the Globe and Mail newspaper, Canada, May 22, 2021
“We’ve never, in 10 years of offering women-only group running and wellness retreats, been able to launch and sell out new trips this fast,” says Elinor Fish, founder of Colorado-based Run Wild Retreats, which operates across North America and Europe. “We’re now almost sold out for 2021, and that was after we increased our trip capacity by 88 per cent over pre-pandemic levels.”
Read the ful article here.

Run Wild Retreats with Elinor Fish (podcast interview)
podcast interview with Martha for Martha Runs the World Podcast
Listen to the episode here.

Running Through Fire: Interview with Elinor Fish
podcast interview with Dr. Carmen Mohan for Hello Health Today
Listen to the episode here.

Run Mindfully: Alleviate your Covid-19 related stress and anxiety
by Elinor Fish, June 2020 issue of Trail Runner Magazine
“Honor what you’re feeling right now rather than insisting that you shouldn’t be so tired, you should be more productive and other put-downs. Because it’s human nature to focus on what isn’t working, self compassion is a vital aspect of any mindfulness practice.” Read the full article here.

We Run Far Profile: Elinor Fish
by Morgan Tilton, March 5, 2020 for iRunFar.com
“Working as an editor for a lead running publication was her dream job. Through that role, she traveled the world to learn about and meet the community’s athletes and media at large. But by 2010, she knew something was missing. “I was like, where are all the women? Most of the readership and race participants were men. Also, I wasn’t directly interacting with runners. As an editor, I felt cut off from the trail running community, as opposed to being immersed in it,” recalls Fish.” Read the full article here.

Run Tech-Less for a More Mindful Experience
by Elinor Fish, Winter 2020 for Wander Magazine
“A trail-running and wellness retreat is not only a journey to a beautiful new destination, one that offers scenery and cultureal experiences you can savour and enjoy. It also offers space to be more mindful and present, if you make space for it.” Read the full article here.

Is Mindful Running the New Yoga?
by Carly Stern, January 17, 2020 for Ozy.com
“But Fish is training them to recognize that they can do more through an approach some call “mindful running,” which marries mindfulness practices and aerobic exercise to maximize the complementary health benefits of both. “Mindful running is about taking that average runner and saying.” Read the full article here.

The Best Running Travel Companies 2020
by Jenny McCoy, January 6, 2019 for RunnersWorld.com
“So we looked at dozens of companies that offer guided running trips to essentially every corner of the globe. We poured through hundreds of traveler reviews, including those from RW readers, to identify the most raved-about tour outfitters. From there, we scrutinized itineraries for destination, group size, value, logistical expertise, and staff training. And after weeks of careful evaluation, we finally settled on 13 once-in-a-lifetime trips that deliver the crème de la crème of runcationing.” Read the full article here.

Get Faster and More Mindful at These Bucket List Running Retreats
by Hailey Middlebrook, January 3, 2019 for RunnersWorld.com
“If you love getting dirty on the trail but want a luxury hotel room to come home to, this all-women retreat is for you. Runners first decide what level they want to participate in (there are three levels, with level three being the most advanced), then they choose their location, picking between scenic locales such as the Italian Dolomites, Canadian Rockies, Moab Desert, Mediterranean coast, and the Iceland Highlands.” Read the full article here.

by Leslie Barrie, September 13, 2019 for Skift.com
“Startups, too, are carving out niches within the women-only retreat space. Most of these new companies focus primarily on adventure, whether it’s hiking Machu Picchu or trail running in Spain, and for good reason. These trips tend to be more transformational than, say, a few days lounging by the beach.” Read the full article here.

by Heather , August 22, 2019 for The Washington Post
“Elinor Fish is the founder of Run Wild Retreats, a company dedicated to all-female running experiences with itineraries in Iceland, Spain, Ireland, Italy and the United States. She, too, has noticed an increase in business but notes that the intersection of adventure and wellness travel seems to be the sweet spot.” Read the full article here.

by Rebecca Myers, June 16, 2019 for U.K.’s The Sunday Times newspaper
“The experience is so physical, the days rooted in running, eating and sleeping, that I haven’t had time to worry. And, at night, during my long sleeps, I dream I’m still running, leaping over tree roots, dazzled by the searing blue of the sea..” Read the full article here.
by Mirel Zaman, June 2019 for SHAPE magazine
“Wellness retreats no offer energizing activities, healthy workshops and ultrarelaxing spa treatments–all geared to rejuvenate, educate and inspire you. For instance, the Moab Mindful Running Retreat is a four-day program that gives you the know-how to run smarter and recover better.” Read the full article here.

by Cassie Shortsleeve, May 2019 for Women’s Running Magazine
“Mindful running retreats are niche escapes that have their perks in terms of performance and overall wellbeing. Learning to identify tight spots (your jaw, your neck) or becoming more aware of your posture and breathing on run, for example, can boost efficiency, endurance, and lower your chances of injury, Fish explains. After you slip your sneakers off? Mindful running provides you the tools necessary to dial down your day-to-day stress response, she says.”
Read the full article here.

Vacation Idea Magazine
“Run Wild Retreats + Wellness offers small-group exercise, mindfulness, and wilderness excursions for women at top locations throughout North America and Europe, focusing on stress management through instruction of healthy running techniques. The company offers four- to seven-day trail running adventures in beautiful American locations such as Moab and Telluride, along with gorgeous European destinations such as Ireland’s Wicklow and Wild Atlantic Ways, Italy’s Dolomites mountain range, and Spain’s Mediterranean coastline.”
Read the full article here.

by Sharon Sullivan, March 2019 for Moab Area Real Estate Magazine
“[Elinor] Fish credits Moab’s mountain bike community and other non-runners for building many of the great systems in the area. ‘There are so many place in Moab with beautiful vistas, whether you’re overlooking the Colorado River valley or running below a cliff, or viewing the La Sal mountains.”
Read the full article here.

by Megan Michelson on January 14, 2019 for Outside Magazine
“You’ll cover up to nine miles a day, winding through the region’s famed rust red towers and sweeping stone arches on guided outings. Plus, you’ll restore your body with daily yoga sessions and learn about injury prevention, breathing practices, and stress-reduction techniques during group clinics and one-on-one instruction so you can train smarter and harder for your next race after you head home.”
Read the full article here.

by Charlotte Hilton Anderson on January 3, 2019 for Reader’s Digest
“Two of the biggest current trends in fitness—meditation and marathon training—combine in this new multitasking workout. “There’s running simply for building fitness and there’s running for stress reduction. Our program uses mindfulness techniques to help people get both types of benefits,” says Elinor Fish, running expert and founder of Run Wild Retreats + Wellness.”
Read the full article here.

by Caroline Morse Teel on January 3, 2019 for SmarterTravel
“If your daily jogs have become a slog, it’s time for a fitness makeover with Run Wild Retreats and Wellness. These retreats are designed to help women create a sustainable running practice that supports not only physical health but also mental wellbeing. The trips take place all over the world, in beautiful spots like the Italian Dolomites and Utah’s Moab, and are focused on using mindful running to improve lives.” Read the full article here.

by Emma Stessman, October 24, 2018 for Nutritious Life
“During a run, all kinds of thoughts pop up. Maybe you rehash a stressful day or replay a conversation you had with your boss, drawing your attention away from what your legs are doing. “When we’re running mindfully, we’re being very deliberate with where we place our attention,” Fish says. “It’s really an amazing time to practice refocusing our attention on what it is that is going to be the most beneficial for us in that moment.” Read the full article here.

podcast interview with Lisa Gerber, September 10, 2018 for The Gear Show
“Elinor Fish, the former editor of Trail Runner Magazine, took the leap in 2010 and left her career to launch Run Wild Retreats with the mission to help people reduce stress and live a healthier life through mindful running. To do this, her business model was tweaked over time, and we’ll talk about that. She eventually found the sweet spot and is now offering retreats to fantastic destinations such as Iceland, the Dolomites and coast of Spain, where she coaches the practice of mindful running.” Read the full article here.

by Kayti Christian, September 8, 2018, The Good Trade
“While some people practice mindfulness on their mats, others practice it on the trails. If you’re a runner and looking for a fall retreat to deepen your running practice and reconnect with your soul, this retreat is for you.” Read the full article here.

by Erin Gifford, September 7, 2018, Travel Channel
“Being on auto-pilot is not the same as being mindful, so consider a trail running retreat, like those offered by Run Wild Retreats + Wellness, which has designed getaways for runners set in idyllic locations.” Read the full article here.
by Alison Kotch, August 24, 2018 for Eagle Creek
“But sometimes, it’s nice to make time to reconnect with women, and discover the reasons why running offers such balance in our lives. The team at Run Wild Retreats gets that: Their four- or seven-day workshops are capped at 16 participants, and focus on how to practice mindfulness, self-compassion, and self-care, even when you’re not on the run.” Read the full article here.
by Laura Begley Bloom, July 25, 2018 for Forbes.com
“In the places where there is cell reception, the company sets a group agreement at the start of the retreat to limit tech use during all group activities.” Read the full article here.
by Olivia Dwyer, May 15, 2018 for REI.com
“Mindfulness is having a moment—retreats, programs, apps and books will tell you it’s the answer to your problems. But can being more mindful actually improve athletic performance?” Read the full article here.

Podcast interview with Kelsey Varzeas, February 19 2018, Strong Runner Chicks
“In this episode, we chat with Elinor about self-compassion, stress and the effects it has on our body, practicing mindful running, bringing together women through running retreats and more.” Listen on iTunes here.

by Elinor Fish, January 25, 2018, Trail Runner Magazine
“Ireland offers unexpected gems that should put it high on any trail runner’s bucket list: historic paths, beautiful national parks, warm and friendly people, a lack of predatory animals and, most importantly, great pubs.” Read the full article here.

by Gabe Millar, January 17, 2018, Travel Dew
“After witnessing the positive impact those early retreats had on the participants, Elinor reached out to her extensive network of contacts in the global running and travel industries to start offering more running tours in some of the world’s best trail-running destinations.'” Read the full article here.

by Erin Gifford, January 24, 2018, Travel Channel
“Many people look to running to clear their heads and relieve the stresses of daily life, but not everyone can find the time to run on a regular basis. Run Wild Retreats + Wellness offers trail running retreats for women designed to nurture mindful running that fits into a busy lifestyle.'” Read the full article here.

by Ashley Arnold, December 4, 2017
“A light bulb went off. Fish realized that even though she was taking time off, she wasn’t spending any time relaxing and therefore wasn’t ever able to recover. ‘Realizing that my body responds to physical stress the same way it responds to emotional stress was eye-opening,’ she says. ‘So, I embarked on a path of mindfulness to manage my stress better and rebuild my health.'” Read the full article here.

by Summer Banks, December 1, 2017
“‘Mindful running isn’t hard to learn or require you giving up running’s social and competitive aspects. But it does involve conditioning your “muscle” of attention, just as you condition the muscles of your legs.” states Elinor Fish, CEO and Founder of Run Wild Retreats + Wellness.” Read the full article here.
by Jen Murphy, Men’s Journal, November 2017
“The intention can be just about anything—something physical, like paying attention to your breath, or a broader goal, say, making sure a recovery run is slow and steady. “The point of refocusing is to connect with your body while running, rather than letting other thoughts get in the way of the experience,” Fish says.” Read the full article here.
by Christine Yu, REI Co-op Journal June 29, 2017
“Fish strove to recreate the feeling of freedom and presence she felt on her long trail runs in the Canadian Rockies. It’s become the glue that’s kept together her other healthy habits. It helps her shut off her mind and quiet the voice that constantly whispers that she needs to do more. It’s helped her heal.” Read the full article here.
by Amanda Loudin, The Washington Post, May 27, 2017
“The retreats are designed to help busy women change their narrative. Rather than allowing running to become one more “to do” on already long lists, Fish aims to help women ensure the runs serve as self-care, as something to enhance a busy life rather than drain energy reserves already shrinking from so many demands. It sounded like just what my tired, burned-out self needed.” Read the full article here.
by Alan Green, Mindful magazine, June 2017
“Mindful running educator Elinor Fish, whose Colorado-based company, Run Wild Retreats + Wellness, leads women’s trail-running expeditions around the globe, puts it this way: ‘Mindful running is the practice of fully immersing yourself in the present-moment experience of running and its immediate effects on your mind and body, free from judgement, self-consciousness or self-doubt.'” Read the full article here.
by Amanda Loudin, Women’s Running, April 11, 2017
“Fish explained that rest, nutrition, and setting intentions for our runs make up the basis for healthy running. She armed us with tools for accomplishing these facets within our running practices, setting us up for improved daily living and health.” Read the full article here.

by Hannah Nichols for Medical News Today, March 29, 2017
“Run Wild Retreats + Wellness have numerous articles that combat stress through running, from run prescriptions for unwanted stress-related feelings, to showing how running can strengthen our voices as well as our muscles, and allow us to speak up and stand up for issues that matter most to us.” Read the full article here.

by Elinor Fish, IMPACT Magazine (Canada) March 2017
“This mindful running approach to your next half-marathon is designed to maximize the enjoyment of every run, ensure sustained energy, swift recovery and high motivation.” Read the full article here.

by Jenn Murphy for Departures.com, January 4, 2017
“Geared toward high-achieving women seeking better work-life balance as well as recreational and avid runners, the retreat combines daily guided trail runs through stunning fjords with spa treatments and wellness workshops that focus on mindfulness techniques.” Read the full article here.

Stylecaster, September 2016
“Run Wild Retreats and Wellness is known for mindful running and wellness retreats in some of the world’s most spectacular running destinations.” Read the full article here.

Athlinks.com, November 16, 2016
“Four years ago, Elinor Fish left her job as a PR maven for Newton Running and other performance sport and destination brands at Backbone Media in Carbondale, Colorado, and went full-on into a business that would not only be her greatest labor of love, but also her life’s work.” Read the full article here.

{Un}Covered, October 30, 2016
“Wind your way, on foot, through the picturesque fishing villages of Costa Brava’s stunning Mediterranean coastline during this guided running and wellness retreat for women. Learn how to better manage your energy and prevent injury through mindful running form clinics and wellness workshops led by Run Wild Retreats CEO Elinor Fish.” Read the full article here.
by Rachel Sturtz, Women’s Health magazine, March October 2016
“All-women sports and skills camps are sprouting up across the country and they’re designed around how we like to learn. Expert Elinor Fish turns road rats into mountain goats in her guided trail runs with Run Wild Retreats + Wellness.” Read the full article here.

Kelly DiNardo, Fodor’s Travel, August 26, 2016
“Each October running coach Elinor Fish leads Moab Mindful Running Retreat, which draws on yogic principles of breath and movement to make running a mindful practice. The four-day, three-night retreat includes two restorative yoga practices at a local studio, practical clinics, and wellness workshops meant to build strong, healthy, injury-free runners who recover better and find more flow in running and life.” Read the full article here.

by Yitka Winn, Outdoors NW Magazine, July 22, 2016
“Movements like running synchronize your breath with the limbs in a rhythmic pattern, which is very calming and focusing to the mind,” says Elinor Fish, a British Columbia native who offers mindfulness-based retreats, workshops and coaching programs to runners all over the world.” Read the full article here.

by Susan Lacke, Triathlete magazine, March 17, 2016
“Endurance activities like running are very conducive to achieving a meditative state of mind,” says Elinor Fish, mindfulness expert and creator of the Mindful Running Training System. “Movements like running synchronize your breath with the limbs in a rhythmic pattern, which is very calming and focusing to the mind.” Read the full article here.

by Dr. Mercola, Peak Fitness, March 18, 2016
“Chronic overexertion can take a tremendous toll on your health. As described by Elinor Fish in a previous Huffington Post article, as an avid runner she was surprised when she suddenly developed persistent fatigue and mood swings. After struggling for four years, she was eventually diagnosed with adrenal fatigue.” Read the full article here.

podcast interview with Lisah Hamilton, February 2016
“Using a mindful approach to training and recovery, Elinor helps runners break free from cycles of chronic injury, burnout and the constant struggle to reach fitness and racing goals.” Listen to the conversation now.

by Allison Pattillo, Competitor, February 2016
“The process incorporates a whole-health approach, setting mindful goals, creating a consistent practice around running listening to your body and being aware of how running is working for you.” Read the full article here.

by Christine Yu, Well + Good, January 25, 2016
“Ready to take your fitness-and-wellness game on the road? Here are 11 amazing retreats that will rejuvenate your body and mind—and vitamin D levels. Apologies in advance for the bad case of wanderlust we’re about to inflict on you….” Read the full article here.

by Jennifer Graham, Deseret News National newspaper, January 12, 2016
Fish, a running coach who offers a mindful-running retreat in Moab, Utah, said mindful running is a needed antidote to the stronger-faster-harder approach to running that leaves so many runners injured, fatigued and burned out.” Read the full article here.

by Jahala Seppanen, Sports Goods Business Weekly, December 2015
“Run Wild Retreats introduces a system of Mindful Running to a society in desperate need of a solution for stress and sustained performance. (…) Past [retreat] attendees have flocked to the Elinorfish.com website with testimonials of their transformation and thanking Fish for changing their lives for the better. ” Read the full article here.

by Cristina Goyanes, Women’s Health magazine, October 2015
‘”Depending on the trail difficulty, elevation change, and many other factors like weather, it’s much harder to assess just how long it may take,” says Elinor Fish, a trail-running expert in Carbondale, Colorado.” Read more trail running tips in the full article here.

by Einor Fish, Huffington Post Healthy Living, Aug. 2015
“My head was foggy from a bad nights’ sleep, my body felt like lead and I couldn’t bear the thought of facing the world, let alone running. Less than a year earlier, I’d been racing ultramarathons while juggling a career as magazine editor and a family.” Read more here.

by Allison Pattillo, Women’s Running Magazine July 2015
“Running and wellness coach Elinor Fish, of Carbondale, Colo., wondered the very same thing. She set off on a path of learning and self-discovery and found answers. Applying lessons she’s learned during her journey, Fish fell in love with running again.” Read more here.

interview with Connie Bowman, July 3, 2015
Podcaster Connie Bowman interviews Elinor Fish about how to transform your runs from mundane to magical with mindfulness and trying some awesome new trails. Click here to listen now.

Training Overload Examined
by Elinor Fish, Trail Runner July 2015
“Overtraining, often blamed for training slumps, is easily confused with the more serious adrenal fatigue.” Read the article here.

by Christine Yu, CNN.com
“Unlike most running camps, the emphasis of the Moab Mindful Running Retreat is not improving performance or training techniques. Instead, Elinor Fish, director and former managing editor of Trail Runner Magazine wants to make running less stressful on you and your body.”

by Julia Hanlon, host of Running On Om podcast
“As soon as I started to use running as a means to support healing, by making it a mindful practice, then I was able to restore my health. And once I had my health back, then I was able to start to build my fitness back up again.”

by Cindy Hirschfeld, Aspen Magazine, March 2015
“Savvy experts and avid athletes give inspiring advice on staying fit and strong for the long term.”

by Erinn Morgan, Women’s Movement, November 6, 2014
“‘Maybe you need rest, improved nutrition, or even to step up your training—whatever it is, mindful running gives you the tools to improve your self care,” she says. Here, Elinor shares the signs of stress overload—plus 4 ways in which we can all become more mindful runners and athletes.”

by Rachel Sturtz, 5280, The Denver Magazine, August 16, 2012
“Good posture will engage the glues (your most powerful running muscle) and core muscles, particularly the lower abdominals.”

by Lucy Maher, Shape.com, September 2014
“Rather than trying to navigate around roots and rocks, the easiest foot placement may be on top of it,” says Elinor Fish, running coach and owner of Run Wild Retreats. “Scan the trail for the flattest food landings, which sometimes may also be elevated off the ground. Even if your whole foot can’t fit there, placing your forefoot or midfoot on the obstacles … may be the most efficient way forward.”

By Marc Parent, Runner’s World, July 2014
“Trail-running and wellness coach Elinor Fish offers trail runs, cooking demos, meditation sessions, yoga and more.”

By Amanda MacMillan, OutsideOnline.com, April 2014
“First, consider the race course: “Will it be rocky, rooty, or sandy? If so, prepare your lower legs with strengthening and stability exercises, such as one-footed squats while balancing on a wobble board,” says Fish, whose Run Wild Retreats teach road runners how to best transition off the beaten path.”

by Jeannine Stein, Los Angeles Times, January 2011
“This is the most time-efficient and effective way of eliminating stress and refreshing your mind,” says Elinor Fish, managing editor of Trail Runner magazine. “That is definitely a big draw of the sport, especially for people who don’t have a lot of time.”

by Lauren Ladoceour, Yoga Journal, May 2011
“Daily yoga helps you tune in to your body rhythms and breath and savor the meditative quality of running in nature.”

Shape magazine, July 2012
“Hit the dirt with these pointers from Elinor Fish, owner of Run Wild Trail Running and Wellness Retreats in Carbondale, CO.”

by Teresa Tobat, Bite Size Wellness, May 2014
“Trail running expert Elinor Fish breaks down the fundamentals of the sport for us. And Fish has more than enough credentials to her name.”

by Elinor Fish, Marathon and Beyond, September 2014
“After successfully completing Colorado’s infamous Leadville Trail 100 several years ago, I was on cloud nine, dreaming about my next big endurance challenge. While my imagination soared, my body plummeted into depths of exhaustion I’d never before experienced.”

by Elinor Fish, Elevation Outdoors Magazine, June 2014
“Running is usually a productive stress, meaning that it causes physiological adaptations that make you stronger, faster and able to run longer. But too much stress of any sort—either from overtraining, job pressures, difficult relationships or financial worries—accumulate over time and can overload your system.”

by Katie Arnold, Outside Online, June 23, 2014
“If you shy away from Strava, hate wearing a heart-rate-monitor, and just want to run well and feel great doing it, then this four-day holistic trail running retreat in the wilderness outside of Aspen is for you. Blending mindfulness practice, yoga for runners, and plant-based nutrition, the camp—led by running and health coach Elinor Fish—is a stellar primer on how to run mindfully for maximum health, for life.”

by Michelle Hamilton and Lisa Jhung, Runner’s World, October 2010
“‘All trail runners, even professional racers, walk steep grades. “If you can walk faster than you can run, always walk,” Fish says. It conserves energy without costing time.” Read the article here.

by Diana Price, Women magazine, Summer 2012
“Trail Running is a fast-growing sport that offers women fitness, stress relief and community. Among those turning to the trails are growing numbers of female runners who are discovering the joy and the fitness opportunities to be found in trail running.”

by Elinor Fish, Trail Runner magazine
“Ironically, what you consume right after a run largely influences the quality of your recovery. As soon as you stop running, your body shifts into repair mode to heal muscle microtears, replace glycogen stores and build lean-muscle protein. These cellular reparations are what make you stronger and faster.”

Women’s Adventure magazine, March 2012
“Trail running, yoga classes, gourmet food, and natural hot springs—it sounds like a recipe for the perfect day! What if you could have several days in a row that were each magnificent? You can—while also having time and opportunity to enjoy many other activities—at the third annual Run Wild Trail Running and Wellness Retreat”

By Laura Williams, Girls Gone Sporty, May 2014
“Elinor Fish’s love of running led her to host her first Run Wild Retreat a few years back. The retreat’s success, and Elinor’s desire to support more runners, led to the launch of her online courses and workshops. While new ventures can be challenging, learn how she’s taking it all in stride.”