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Camp Chaski Flagstaff
High Desert Retreat

Flagstaff has the highest density of elite athletes in the US for a reason. Train in the heart of the US running world, learn from the best endurance athletes in the world, relax under the desert sun with a Mother Road beer or steaming coffee. If you've got a bit more time, you can even tack on an adventure to the Grand Canyon!

June 10 - 13, 2021

Sept. 23 - 26, 2021

(4 days)

Choose your challenge 

$940

Trail and road runners of all abilities are welcome for this 4-day retreat!  

Details

  • Dates

    • Thursday, June 10 - Sunday, June 13, 2021

    • Thursday, September 23 - Sunday, 26, 2021 
       

  • Trip Length: 4 days, 3 nights
     

  • Price:

    • ​$940 (early-bird price, signups through April 20)

    • $1,200 (signups after April 20)

    • $165 single supplement (if you want your own room)
       

  • Difficulty: Choose your challenge!
     

  • Group Size: 8-24
     

  • Leaders: 2-4 athlete-coach trip-leaders (available 24/7) and various professional runners as guest speakers and run-leaders.
     

  • Who should come? Any trail or road runner aged 13-70* or fan of the sport who enjoys being active outdoors**


     

  • * Contact us if you’re over 70 and interested in coming or want to bring someone under 13.

  • ** Is this trip only for runners? Nope! We’re going to talk a LOT about running, meet some amazing runners, and (obviously) have the opportunity to do a lot of running; but, if you’re just a fan of endurance sport or just getting into running from another sport, you’ll still get a ton out of this weekend!

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Highlights
Overview

Trip Overview

Get ready for a long weekend jam-packed with running adventures, inspiring and educational workshops, and evenings of fun and relaxation in the heart of US distance running, Flagstaff, Arizona.

 

Flag, as it’s colloquially known, is home to more elite endurance athletes per capita than anywhere else in the US for a reason. The small city -- which feels more like a friendly town -- boasts the widest and most diverse array of running routes in the States. From steep, technical single-track in the north of town, to perfectly imperfect dirt fire-roads, with trails branching out in all directions, to the world famous Lake Mary Road, with its wide paved shoulder (marked every 400m for 20 miles), there's no doubt why so many athletes want to call Flagstaff home.

 

Did we mention we’re at 7,000 ft? Or that Flag enjoys nearly year-round sunshine?

 

Our four-day retreat will include guided daily running options for both trail and road runners, strength and mobility classes, masterclasses on mental performance, nutrition, and more, as well as meet and greets with professional athletes. You’ll get to test yourself on some of the same world-famous routes run by the professionals and head home with the knowledge and experience to take your training to a new level.

 

Training runs will be guided and built around your goals and ability in terms of speed, duration, and terrain. We’ll finish the trip out with a long-run on one of the iconic Flagstaff roads/trails: the A1 loop for our road runners and the Mt. Elden Loop for our trail folks.

 

Finally, bid farewell to your trip mates and leaders and head home with all the knowledge and fitness you’ve gained from your retreat.

 

 

Note - if you’re planning an extension for the Grand Canyon Adventure or any other add-on, you’ll stay in Flagstaff an extra night and begin on Day 5.
 

Did you know?

You may think of Arizona as all sand and cactus, but Flagstaff is remarkably green thanks to its high altitude and massive Ponderosa Pine forests.

Included

Okay, so, what do I get?

With your payment, you get:

  • 24 hour support and access from your trip leaders on-the-ground and USA-based support crew
  • Private transportation from the moment you arrive in Flagstaff until the end of your trip
  • Local, high-end and high-quality food, three meals per day on full days (plus dinner on Day 1 and breakfast/lunch on Day 4)
  • 3 nights lodging (shared rooms, with optional private rooms available)
  • Guided runs and hikes during the entire trip, regardless of your level
  • Daily workout classes, Q&As, and seminars from strength trainers, physical therapists, nutritionists, and others
  • Meet and greet with local professional athletes and/or coaches
  • All entry fees associated with group activities (National Parks, museums, etc.)
  • Help from your leaders to organize any free time activities/excursions
  • Support from Chaski staff ahead of your trip including training advice, packing lists, and more
  • Chaski merch item of your choice - up to $50 value
  • 50% discount on Full Year of Chaski Community Membership - $100 value
  • Discounts on future Chaski Programs and partner brands

What else do I have to pay for?

  • Flights and travel to Flagstaff, Arizona 

  • Visa charges (for international travelers), overweight baggage fees

  • Personal travel insurance (recommended) 

  • Personal souvenirs

  • Activities outside the groups’ itinerary

  • Tips for your drivers, leaders, or anyone else outside of restaurants

  • Alcoholic drinks and food/drinks outside of meals

  • Single occupancy (i.e. if you’d like a room to yourself or for you and your partner), $165 extra

  • Optional 4th night of lodging if you’d like to depart on the morning of day 5.

  • Optional add-ons to the trip, like the Grand Canyon Adventure (see below)

Extend Your Adventure

Optional Add-ons

Got a little more time? I mean, you’ve come this far already. You may never be back in Ecuador.

 

Check this out.

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With 2 more days - Grand Canyon Adventure. “The Canyon”, as it’s called by locals, is without a doubt one of the most spectacular places on Earth and -- for trail runners -- an unparalleled playground and training space. Choose from one of our three guided adventure options. For each option, we’ll spend the night before near the start of the route to get an early start before heading back to Flag in the evening.

 

The Cowboy Loop - The classic loop made famous by Jim Walmsley and the Coconino Cowboys begins/ends on the south side of the Canyon and covers 16-21 miles with 5000 ft of climbing. You’ll start at 7000 ft on the south rim, head down the Bright Angel Trail, be able to dip your feet in the Colorado River, and then head up the famous South Kaibab Trail, finishing there or with an option 5 miles back to the start along the Rim Trail. An unbelievably beautiful and classic route. This adventure includes 1 extra night lodging.

 

  • 1 person: $650 per person

  • 2-3 people: $400 per person

  • 4-6 people: $300 per person

  • 7+ people: Contact us

 

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Rim to Rim (R2R) - As the name suggests, we’ll start on the quiet and less frequented North Rim at 8,200 ft and run down into the Canyon, through the spectacular “Box Canyons” section, crossing the Colorado River, before climbing up South Kaibab to the South Rim. Rim to rim is ~20 miles with 5000 ft of climbing and 6000 ft of descent. This adventure includes 2 extra nights lodging.
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  • 1 person: $750 per person

  • 2-3 people: $450 per person

  • 4-6 people: $350 per person

  • 7+ people: Contact us

 

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Rim to Rim to Rim (R2R2R) - The Big Mama of the canyon routes, Rim to Rim to Rim (or R2R2R) covers 40 miles with 10,000 ft of climbing, but runs more like a 50 miler given the vert, heat in the bottom of the Canyon, and sometimes rocky and steppy trail. This route is only for experienced ultra-trail runners and runners should be prepared to spend all day moving in the Canyon, likely starting before dawn and finishing after dark. This adventure includes 2 extra nights lodging.

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  • 1 person: $900 per person

  • 2-3 people: $650 per person

  • 4-6 people: $400 per person

  • 7+ people: Contact us

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Sound great? Contact us for availability and pricing!

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Extend
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Itinerary

Did you know?

Flagstaff has been called the "Iten of America" (Iten being Iten, Kenya, home and training base of countless Kenyan distance running stars. Thanks to the incredible running routes and community of high level and amateur athletes, it seems Flag has earned this nick-name.

Note: We’ll try to stick as closely as possible to this schedule but exact running routes and masterclasses/seminars may have to move things slightly due to weather and scheduling.

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Day 1 - Welcome to Flag!

 

Today is the day you’ll arrive in Flagstaff! Meet your leaders at your group’s homebase before heading out on your first run through the spectacular ponderosa pines, followed by a short mobility session. We’ll have a welcome dinner for the group and our first evening seminar Masterclass on mental performance from Chaski’s own Tyler Andrews. 

 

Sleep: Chaski Flagstaff Retreat Center

Meals: Dinner

Max Altitude: 7,000 ft

Run: 30-60 min easy run, trail or dirt roads

Workout: Short mobility session

Learn: Mental performance with Tyler Andrews

 

Day 2 - Immerse yourself.

 

We’ll get up and, after breakfast, head out for our daily training session, with options for a “fartlek” speed workout or a hills workout at the spectacular Buffalo Park -- both sessions are great  for our trail and road athletes alike! After the run, we’ll enjoy a group strength session, focusing on functional training specific to runners and targeting areas where runners often experience weakness and injury. Back home, we’ll have a group lunch before an afternoon masterclass on biomechanics and strength training for injury prevention, building off our morning session. We’ll have time for an optional afternoon shakeout run before a group dinner and evening second masterclass on nutrition and fueling with Chaski’s R.D. Carolyn Stocker.

 

Sleep: Chaski Flagstaff Retreat Center

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Max Altitude: 7,000 ft

Run: Fartlek or hill session, 4-10+ miles, Buffalo Park.

Workout: Functional strength training for injury prevention

Learn: (1) Biomechanics and injury prevention with Sue McNatt, M.S.P.T. and (2) Nutrition and fueling with Carolyn Stocker, R.D.

 

Day 3 - Long run day!

 

It’s everyone’s favorite day! Our road runners will head out to the famous A1 loop (various distances on rolling dirt-roads from 14-21+ miles) while our trail runners will head to the spectacular Mt Elden Loop (various distances on mostly single-track from 8-20+ miles with 2300 ft+ of vert). We’ll meet back at our “Casa Chaski” home base for a great recovery meal. In the afternoon, Chaski Yogi Sarah Burns will lead us through her Yoga for Runners routine, with a focus on recovery and balance -- don’t worry if you’ve never done yoga before! Finally, we’ll wrap up our last full day with a masterclass on goal-setting and motivation, led by several Chaski coaches, just the inspiration you need on your last night in Flag.

 

Sleep: Chaski Flagstaff Retreat Center

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Max Altitude: 7,000 - 9300 ft

Run: 8-20+ miles dirt roads (A1 Loop) or trail (Elden Loop)

Workout: Yoga for runners

Learn: Goal setting and motivation, varied Chaski Coaches

 

Day 4 - One last run and see you next time!

 

In the morning, we’ll have a last early run on soft surfaces to shake-out the legs before your travel home. Before leaving, we’ll have a wrap-up session, including a review of everything we’ve gone over and how to stay in touch after you get home. Finally, say goodbye to your trip-mates and leaders and hit the road, feeling fitter and more knowledgeable than ever before.

 

Sleep: At home!

Meals: Breakfast

Max Altitude: 7,000 ft

Run: 30-40 min easy run, trail or dirt roads

Learn: Wrap-up and review

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You’ve got Questions.

FAQ

Did you know?

Northern Arizona is not only home to the Grand Canyon, but also to Arizona's highest mountain, Mt. Humphreys.

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