Connecting Running, Environmentalism and Ecotourism
Photo: Holly Benner running Quilotoa loop on Day 5 of the EcoEndurance Ecuador running tour.
By Aimee KohlerThere is a way to protect the ground we run on while connecting with nature on the deepest of levels.
I have not always been a climate activist or a runner, both of which became heavily integrated in my life in my mid twenties when I found myself on an event management team with little to no care about ecological destruction. Taking my displeasure with my employment situation, I channeled my energy into developing a climate positive business plan for hosting trail running events and thus The Running Kind was born. Since our start in 2022, we have been Climate Neutral certified and focus on developing sustainable strategies for event management and runner education. With each event we host, it is our goal to empower runners to learn more about their environmental impact. We hope runners will make a connection between themselves and nature that is one worth protecting.
As my network expanded, I was connected with another environmental steward in my local running community, Mere Beaton. Before knowing Mere, the realm of which I understood sustainability in cohesion with running was quite two dimensional and lived within the world of carbon neutral racing both as an athlete and a race director. We hopped on a call and Mere told me of her vision for ecotourism and what she had created in EcoEndurance.
Photo: The Running Kind leader Aimee Kohler and participant Holly Brenner hanging out at 14,000 feet in Ecuador
As Mere described, “EcoEndurance is one brand taking environmentalism in partnership with trail running and providing an experience of a lifetime for runners.”
One aspect I found unique about EcoEndurance is the connection of running and ecotourism. In Mere’s words, “EcoEndurance leverages tourism as a powerful tool not only for the environment but for all three pillars of sustainable international development: environmental, economic, and social.”
EcoEndurance is a curated run tour with a focus on sustainability. As runners, when we think of sustainability some of the first thoughts are going cupless, recycling, and terracycling. EcoEndurance is not only embracing the tangible practices we know as sustainable, but taking runners on an immersive experience, up close and personal in ecotourism, farming and land management. After one call with Mere, I was in. I knew our visions aligned and I wanted to experience a small scale expedition with environmentalism at its core. My community, one based in passion for nature and climate action, was one I knew would join me in support of an experience like EcoEndurance. We gathered our crew and joined Mere on her fourth run tour in Ecuador in January 2025 and experienced firsthand what sustainable travel looks like.
I have always found that we as trail runners have an innate connection with nature and in my time spent in Ecuador this was only strengthened. Not only did the physical runs of this tour feel straight out of movie with views of the largest volcanoes in the world and lagoons around every corner, but the details of the tour were so well curated. Each place that we stayed along the journey was locally rooted and in support of a variety of sustainable projects. From a reforestation effort on a local cacao farm to a permaculture farm focused on water filtration systems to a guided experience in the high Andes Paramo, we were able to experience firsthand what people in the Amazon rainforest and Andes mountains are focused on and support their efforts in bettering their community and economy. In addition to the variety of local sustainable projects this tour supported, we were also given the opportunity to strengthen our spiritual connection with nature through ritual with the Sápara community.
Photo: EcoEndurance founder, Mere Beaton, during our ceremonial cleanse with the Sápara community.
As one of 14 Indigenous nationalities in Ecuador, the Sápara community supports local actions and take part in many larger networks leading the nation, region, and globe in returning to balance with nature.
Sumak Kawsay or ‘the good life’ for example remains a transforming value of Indigenous Peoples in the Amazon and calls for humans to treat all life, including living animals and plants, as vital to authentic community and good living. The confederation of Indigenous Peoples of Ecuador, united by Sumak Kawsay, led the country to be the first in the world to adopt legal, constitutional rights for nature.
Kyle Morales during a ceremonial cleanse with the Sápara community.
As Mere reminds us… “The powerful connection between local communities and conservation means that visiting appropriate tourism projects within such communities can make a difference to communities and ecosystems. This support has become even more important in the face of growing economic, environmental, and social challenges. Supporting these groups matters.”
Our time spent with the Sápara community and exploring the depths of Ecuadorian culture was transformative. Following the tour, I developed an expansive understanding of what it means to be an environmentalist in the running space. What Mere has created with EcoEndurance is unlike any travel or running excursion I have done before. It’s more than a run tour. EcoEndurance provides a spiritual awakening for those looking to reignite their connection to nature.
Photo: The Running Kind group at the end of the EcoEndurance tour.
As runners we are faced with choices with environmental consequences every day. We choose where we train, what brands we support, where we race and how we travel. I challenge you to support those that align with your values and if you have the opportunity, explore that with EcoEndurance.
The running community is making strides to move sport to zero carbon and I am overjoyed to share that EcoEndurance in collaboration with The Running Kind was able to make our tour Climate Neutral through the Change Climate Project. There is a way to protect the ground we run on while connecting with nature on the deepest of levels. As Mere says…“The possibilities for growth, support, and advocacy are endless. In this way, our travel experiences no doubt have the power to transform our own perspectives and hearts but also the communities, lands, and waters of this mother earth.”
This article was written by competitive runner and environmental activist, Aimee Kohler, who is the founder of a carbon neutral running company, The Running Kind. It was originally published by ATRA and its original form can be found here.
One of the Best Travel Decisions I’ve Ever Made
“EcoEndurance was one of the best travel decisions I’ve made…and here’s why…”
What if we took a step back and looked at running beyond the goal setting, competition, and grind?
What if we saw running for what it can be beyond the challenge – exploration, freedom, community, touching the earth, coexisting with nature, personal growth – and spent time chasing those feelings and experiences?
I never thought I’d find a community I’d share these run values with. But then I did.
I got an email from the race directors of the Midstate Massive Ultra Trail in autumn of 2022, not long after I’d finished their 30-miler in New England. They asked if I was interested in joining them for a pilot trip of their new run tour in Ecuador and described it a little.
Yes.
They spoke of exploration through running and experiencing local culture; from the photos, the nature looked stunning and unlike anywhere I’d been. I didn’t really know what traveling with a group would be like but I trusted them to transform my 10 days of time off into something incredible that I couldn’t have put together on my own.
“I’ve always felt like exploring the world on foot gives you a deeper look at things and lets you feel more closely connected to where you are. Letting the EcoEndurance and La Trocha teams take the lead on this and build a harmonious tour, top to bottom, was one of the best travel decisions I’ve made in 20 years of globetrotting.”
Reaching the scree of a volcano at 14,000 feet makes you want to leap for joy.
EcoEndurance was one of the best travel decisions I’ve made…and here’s why…
They showed us distinctive places I most definitely wouldn’t have found through my own research and, if I had, navigating to most of them on my own likely would have deterred me.
We saw views from local eyes, hitting small trails off the beaten path that traversed the jungles. We ate real foods grown where we were (fresh fruit, coffee, jugos, and plantain dishes that I’ve dreamed of and attempted to recreate at home since). We connected with humans who make heartfelt contributions to the world through their craft (I brought home award-winning artisanal chocolate from a farm in the Chocó bioregion).
And we did it together – our small group quickly became a family. We ran through streams laughing, floated along a rim trail over a crater lake collectively in awe of the beauty, hiked towards the heavens with eyes wide from views of the Andes and volcanos, and ambled through *the* Amazon (a dream of mine that I only realized I was fulfilling once we started that day).
There were layers and layers of meaning to this trip, beyond just what we saw and where we ran, and the memories and photos keep me company on days when I’m feeling a little down.
Faced with the same invite again I’d say yes even faster.
Ask Kate about signing up (and for her discount code)!
Travel for Good.
EcoEndurance is as much about adventure as it is about transforming the world.
As a writer for the United Nations Equator Initiative, I have been studying and reporting on sustainable development for years. At times, it can feel overwhelming– how could anything we do ever tip the scales of the crises facing our planet and global communities? Amid this chaos, I’ve seen small-scale actors taking charge of real change in their communities and making lasting progress. This brings me hope.
EcoEndurance is rooted in this hope. As a movement, it exists because small-scale action adds up. Through EcoEndurance Ecuador, trail runners and hikers can support the very people in Ecuador reclaiming nature as the cornerstone to a sustainable future and taking part in building lasting systems of change.
When traveling with a small-scale project like EcoEndurance, you can trust and see our priorities: visiting local community initiatives, supporting local vendors, and exploring important ecosystems and ways to protect them. From the high mountains to the lowlands, we find happiness moving through nature, appreciating its beauty and offering gratitude to those who have found ways to live in harmony with it rather than destroy it.
This experience has been especially true in EcoEndurance’s interactions with the Sapara community of Ecuador. As one of 14 Indigenous nationalities in Ecuador, they support local actions and take part in many larger networks leading the nation, region, and globe in returning to balance with nature. Sumak Kawsay or ‘the good life’ for example remains a transforming value of Indigenous Peoples in the Amazon and calls for humans to treat all life, including living animals and plants, as vital to authentic community and good living.
The confederation of Indigenous Peoples of Ecuador, united by Sumak Kawsay, led the country to be the first in the world to adopt legal, constitutional rights for nature. In another initiative, Pueblo Originario Kichwa de Sarayaku developed the Living Forest Declaration, with the the mission of making legal claim to the territorial rights and the rights of nature for all the Native Peoples of the world.
Across the globe, Indigenous and local communities manage more than 50% of our global landmass, protecting 80% of our remaining biodiversity despite making up just 5% of our population.
The powerful connection between local communities and conservation means that visiting appropriate tourism projects within such communities can make a difference to communities and ecosystems. This support has become even more important in the face of growing economic, environmental, and social challenges. Supporting these groups matters.
EcoEndurance leverages tourism as a powerful tool not only for the environment but for all three pillars of sustainable international development: environmental, economic, and social.
We do this through prioritizing ecotourism, community-based tourism, and community-conservation, supporting local vendors and guides, and operating in a small-scale capacity that allows for human connection. Here’s how we define some of these concepts:
Ecotourism is a mode of responsible travel to natural areas to learn about and appreciate nature. It often contributes to conservation efforts and supports the well-being of local organizations or local individuals managing natural resources.
Community-based tourism involves visiting projects led and managed by Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities (IPLCs). Communities control the management of these tourism experiences and reap the benefits of it to strengthen their self-governance, economic alternatives, environmental initiatives, and livelihoods.
Community-based (or community-managed) conservation is the management and protection of natural resources and biodiversity by, for, and with local communities. CCA as a movement is a response to exclusionary conservation projects, which have historically forced communities off of heritage or ancestral lands.
Community forestry involves communities or community members who actively engaging in the stewardship and management of forests for their livelihoods. Community forestry often involves alternative livelihood activities such as permaculture, agroforestry and the sustainable harvesting of timber and non-timber forest products.
What about carbon footprint?
When we want to embark on a larger journey within the confines of typical time limits, we must fly. EcoEndurance is exploring ways to reduce this footprint, because we believe in the transformational experience of cross-cultural travel and understand the positive impact we discussed above. We love the carbon credit work of Grupo Ecológico Sierra Gorda, for example.
When we travel for good, we have the opportunity to become co-stewards of our planet.
The possibilities for growth, support, and advocacy are endless. In this way, our travel experiences no doubt have the power to transform our own perspectives and hearts but also the communities, lands, and waters of this mother earth. Even more as we realize the places we visit matter and the people who manage those places matter, we become more conscious travelers, and we are led to some seriously unique places!
Let’s travel together!
Usher in the new year with EcoEndurance, Jan 2nd to the 10th!
If you’re reading this blog post (and you’ve made it this far!), I’m taking that as a cue that EcoEndurance is speaking your language. Our trip on Jan 2nd is a grassroots 9-day experience of trail running and community-based travel in the diverse ecosystems and communities of Ecuador from the Andes to the Amazon.
Will you join us as we explore Ecuador by trail this January? Claim one of 3 spots remaining!
Our initial application takes less than 2 minutes. Why not apply?
Are you curious about the community-based initiatives we visit in Ecuador? Subscribe to our newsletter for features coming soon!
Suggested reading and sources:
COICA: Coordinator of the Indigenous Organizations of the Amazon Basin
Mongabay: Empowering Indigenous peoples crucial to climate, biodiversity crises: Study
United Nations Development Programme (UNDP): Make memories, take photos and leave only footprints
United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO): Ecotourism and protected areas
World Resources Institute: By the Numbers- Indigenous and Community Land Rights
World Wildlife Fund: What is the sixth mass extinction and what can we do about it?
EcoEndurance is Happening.
It's here! EcoEndurance is your new ticket for small-scale, responsible travel that satisfies your trail running and hiking dreams!
It's here! EcoEndurance is your new ticket for small-scale, responsible travel that satisfies your trail running and hiking dreams!
Friends, it's me, Mere. I want to introduce you to an idea that has recently come to life. In the last two years, jobs have been quit, and risks have been taken in order to share this project with you today.
To be honest, I don't usually go for things that require significant risk. You may say, “Not true, Mere! You climb mountains and run super long crazytown races!” But, truly, making this new idea vulnerable to the masses, facing fears of failure, and confronting anxieties nearly held me back. Yet, the energy and possibilities wrapped up in this idea were too extraordinary to pass up.
I invite you to discover EcoEndurance with us–its values for nature, local communities, and adventure. We are more than a run tour company. Join us as we grow this tiny idea to special places worldwide.
We're just a few folks chasing our passions. Learn more about how it all started.
The Ecuador run tour that will change your life (and won’t break the bank)
Would you explore a mountain higher than any in Colorado with us? Run around a surreal volcanic lagoon? Would it excite you to tap into the mystery and wisdom of the Amazon? Do you like going off the beaten path? Do you prefer small-scale, community-based travel? This January 2024, our Ecuador run tour officially turns 2! Join us for the original handcrafted run tour experience. It is the jewel of EcoEndurance, and we are stoked beyond stoked about it.
Don’t take my word for it. How about Kate’s?
"I don't have the words for how special this trip was. Between the runs, experiences, and people I connected with, I just know I am a different person than I was when I arrived."
Read more shockingly good testimonials here.
Just a few more things…
If you've read this far, I'm taking that as a sign that you should click one of the action steps below. You won't regret it. And I’m not biased at all.
Kick off the new year in a take the bull by the horns, tear-off-the-bandaid, embrace life kind of way. Join us in Ecuador this January 2-10, 2024! Sign me up!
Help us scale up: We are looking for investors and supporters. You might know someone who can help. We’d be so grateful for ideas and introductions [email mere[at]ecoendurance.run]
That's it, folks. Are you excited? After writing this, I am flying high. Wishing you many adventures full of the freedom one finds in nature with friends.
Hasta la próxima,
Mere, with partners Juanjo, Cristian, and Andy - [meet the crew]
P.S. In the next email, I'm gearing up to dive deeper into responsible travel- what is it, and can it be done? Find out soon!