Trails & Inspiration

Inspirational Trails 1: The Amalfi Coast

As lockdown restrictions slowly begin to ease, we can finally allow ourselves to start dreaming about future travel and adventure.

Here, in part one of a series featuring inspirational trails, our Sportsshoes.com Running Ambassador, Ben Mounsey, shares one of his favourite memories of trail running in Italy.

ㅤ

My holidays always revolve around trail running. I like to travel to different destinations for new and exciting running adventures. For me, discovering fresh trails and experiencing new races is the best possible way to explore the world. I get to see so much more than the average tourist, things that don't always feature in a typical guidebook. It's safe to say that my trail shoes are the first thing I pack in my suitcase.

My favourite destination is Italy, particularly the Amalfi Coast. It has all the ingredients I need for the perfect holiday; beautiful scenery, huge mountains, epic coastline and plenty of hot weather. It also happens to be a trail runner's paradise.

My best memory of the Amalfi Coast has to be when I raced there for the first time in 2016. I 'accidentally' entered a race called Night Trail Praia San Domenico, the day before my relaxing summer holiday was due to begin. Needless to say, it was an adventure from start to finish and one I'll never forget. The bus crashed on the way to the race and I had to climb 300 metres just to get to the start. I even had to borrow a couple of batteries from the TV remote in my hotel room so that I could use my head torch.

ㅤ

Pictured: Photo by Sebastian Leonhardt on Unsplash

ㅤ

But it was worth all the effort because the route was spectacular! I traversed across the Sentiero Degli Dei (Path of the Gods - pictured), a mountain trail which climbs high above the charming coastline and boasts some of the world's most striking panoramic views. It was undoubtedly one of the greatest running experiences of my life and one I'd seriously recommend to any avid trail runner.

Next year I'm hoping to return to Italy once again, in search of new and exciting trails and races. I also want to compete in the Trail Del Vesuvio with the aim of improving on my second-place finish in 2017. After all, what could be more thrilling than a trail race on one of the world's most famous volcanoes!

You can find out more about trail racing on the Amalfi Coast here

You can follow more of Ben’s running adventures here

Check out our Trails and Inspirational category to discover the most amazing trails and hikes in the world, as recommended by our athletes, ambassadors and loyal customers.