Right in the middle of organizing and packing and getting ready to move house this spring, my friend Sarah from Run Far Girl reached out to me for help. Rise Run Retreat, the fabulous women’s running retreat that was the brainchild of Sarah and Jesica, was going to be in Woodstock, VT in May, and her helper was unable to make it at the last minute. I hadn’t signed up for the Woodstock retreat, despite it being in my hometown, because I knew life would be crazy with work, the boys, and the planned move. But this is how much I love Rise Run Retreat, the experience of being with other women runners and being inspired by them, and how much you come away from with these retreats – I looked around at the still-to-be-packed boxes, the stuff everywhere, and said, ‘Yes, of course I can help! I’d love to be there!”
It was such a lovely experience being part of a retreat in my own town – it was familiar, but I was seeing through fresh eyes what a running paradise I live in here. The house Sarah had rented for the retreat was beautiful, and in the middle of a valley with gorgeous views of the surrounding mountains. We lucked out with gorgeous weather for the long weekend, and the only rain we had was a light sprinkle that was actually welcome on one early morning run.
I split my time between helping Sarah out, taking advantage of whatever planned runs and events that I could make it to, and working regular hours at my job. It was a busy weekend, but worth every moment. Standing on top of Mt Peg in the early morning, watching the mist rise from the valleys, with a group of kickass amazing women? Priceless. (Especially since that particular run to the summit wasn’t one I had done yet, so I got to discover a new and beautiful trail running route in my town.)
My main job was picking up the food from the Woodstock Farmer’s Market, so every time I showed up at the house I was welcomed with open arms. Coming in loaded down with delicious food will make you extremely popular! 😉
While I wasn’t able to make every event of the weekend, Sarah planned an amazing itinerary for the retreat. As well as a shake-out run, trail runs, and an out-and-back run into the village of Woodstock, through its picturesque covered bridge, and into the national park, there were also several guest speakers and fun events. Stephanie Bruce, an elite runner, was sponsored by Runner’s Alley to come out from Arizona to spend time at the retreat, and she spoke at length to the group about her experience as a professional runner as well as a mother of two. Crystal Seaver took all the attendees through a 60 minute strength workout aimed specifically at runners (and everyone felt the effects for the entirety of the weekend!). Rebecca McCown, an Oiselle Volee team member (and a local to Woodstock as well) led a trail run from Prosper Road trailhead to the Pogue, up to the top of Mt. Tom and back.
Nutritionist Erin Holt gave an informative presentation on intuitive eating and breaking free of the dieting mentality. Erin also offered one-on-one sessions to those who had signed up for personalized sessions with her. Yoga instructor Kristel Fillmore took us through a rejuvenating yoga class after our last run and before we left on Sunday, and her energy was perfect for the end of our retreat – calming and restorative. The group also enjoyed a sponsored lunch at Long Trail Brewery, which I was bummed to miss because I am a Long Trail fan! 🙂
With all that activity, it may seem like the weekend was a packed blur, but there was also plenty of time to enjoy the outdoor hot tub, throw out a blanket and enjoy a glass of wine outside, explore the town, and just have some much-needed downtime.
All the attendees received amazing gift bags with fabulous goodies from Cabot Cheese, Under Armour, L.L. Bean, PrAna, Badger Balm, Darn Tough Vermont, Coolcore, GrandyOats, Nuttzo, Run Far Gear, Pete & Gerry’s Eggs, TriggerPin, Epic Wipes, Redd Bar, and Stonyfield.
Check out the Rise Run Retreat website for upcoming women’s running retreats and other events (they are currently accepting registrations for a training camp in New Hampshire in September).
