From City Streets to Desert Trails: Custom Runs for Every Pace and Fitness Level

One of the greatest advantages of running with us here in Morocco is the ability to tailor each of our runs to fit your personal fitness level. Whether you're a seasoned marathoner craving a vigorous workout or long run or a casual runner who wants to get an easy run in at a relaxed pace before breakfast, there’s a perfect path for you in the Red City. Every run can be personalized to match your goals, interests, and abilities.

Looking for an early morning workout or an easy run? You can run with us on the iconic streets of Marrakech. These routes get you up and close with the city in a way few ever experience while you stay active on vacation. Running through the winding streets of this amazing city make the kilometers fly by and before you know it, we will be finishing up our run and you will be wishing for more.

If a scenic nature run is more your style, the Palmeraie of Marrakech is the run for you. Found in the quieter outskirts of Marrakech with the Atlas Mountains as a backdrop, these runs offer a more peaceful route and stunning landscapes. These routes allow you to escape the bustling city streets and enjoy the serenity of wide-open spaces, making your run not just about fitness, but a chance to refresh your mind.

For those who crave more adventure, our trail runs offer a thrilling way to explore Marrakech, the Atlas and the nearby Agafay Desert’s diverse terrain. The rugged trails around the Atlas Mountains provide challenging paths for both beginners and experienced runners, with elevation changes, rocky surfaces, and awe-inspiring views of the surrounding valleys. Whether you’re tackling a steep incline or navigating uneven ground, these runs offer both a physical challenge and an exhilarating connection to nature. Trail running also allows you to break away from the more traveled routes, making for an exciting and rewarding experience for anyone seeking something beyond the city’s usual roads.

Ultimately, each run is designed to meet your pace, preferences, and abilities. Whether you're pushing yourself to the next level or simply taking in the natural beauty and nature of Marrakech, these personalized runs offer a unique way to stay active while exploring all Morocco has to offer.

Ready to explore Marrakech in a way that matches your fitness level and goals? Book your personalized run with us today and stay active during your next holiday or work trip to Marrakech while discovering the beauty of Morocco .

Embark on a Marrakech Trail Running Adventure: Run Morocco's Trails with Us

Exploring a new city by running while traveling is an incredible way to stay fit and see more of your destination than most people do. However, I've discovered that going for a trail run offers even more opportunities for adventure and exploration than any city run can provide. Trail running in Morocco allows you to experience life from a different perspective, at a different pace.

During our trail runs, our coaches lead you along paths that showcase the natural beauty of Morocco, offering spectacular views of life seemingly frozen in time. Picture villages perched on mountain cliffs and shepherd's huts in the heart of the desert. What's great is that most of these runs start from towns less than an hour from Marrakech, so you have plenty of options to choose from.

• Atlas Mountains Run: This is by far our most popular trail run. While the shortest distance we offer here is 10km, we have routes that can be linked together to cover whatever distance you're capable of running. The 21km route features challenging hills but rewards you with breathtaking views of the Asni Valley nestled at the very edge of the towering mountains. For much of the year, these mountains are snow-capped, offering views unlike anything else you'd expect in Morocco.

• Agafay Desert Trail: Starting just an hour away at the Barage Lalla Takerkoust, these runs loop out through the rocky, hard-packed desert. While they can be run at any distance starting from 10km, my favorite is the 13km distance as it offers the most opportunities for adventure. Dry riverbeds, ravines, desert hill climbs, and even abandoned shepherd's huts are all part of what makes this run so incredible.

• Palmeraie of Marrakech Run: This option is a little closer to the city. A run on these trails offers a different experience from our other two trail runs. In the Palmeraie, there's very little elevation gain; these trails are mostly flat. However, what it lacks in climbing, it makes up for in accessibility. Starting just a 15-minute drive from the old city, you still have plenty of time to explore the rest of Marrakech after your run. Here, you'll run through palm-filled trails and past villages that make an effort to farm around the outskirts of Marrakech.

If you're looking to run multiple days on trails with us, we have routes in more than one location for each of these areas, so you'll never have to run the same trails twice during your visit. All of our runs can be customized to your skill level, whether you're new to trail running or feel at home off-road.

Trail running offers an incredible way to explore another side of Morocco and all it has to offer. If you're seeking an adventurous way to stay fit during your next visit to the Marrakech area, be sure to schedule one of our runs.

Chasing Morocco’s Sunrise: The Joy of Running Early

Chasing Morocco’s Sunrise

The Joy of Running Early

Morning runs are the best and seeing the sunrise while running in Morocco is a not to miss experience. Now had you asked me about early morning runs fourteen or fifteen years ago, I would not have had the same answer. But after moving to Morocco and getting to experience the joy of morning running, I find that when I do run later in the day, I don’t get the same kind of enjoyment as in those morning runs.

I used to love running in the afternoons and evenings. I enjoyed sweating while running in the heat and sun. Maybe it made me feel like I was accomplishing something more or maybe I thought it was making me a tougher person. Whatever the reason, after moving to Marrakech, I began to realize that the heat here during certain parts of the year can be dangerous and I would be only hindering my training rather than helping me.

So, I started getting up earlier and earlier during those first few years here as I trained for several marathons and ultra distance trail races. I realized that a 2-3 hour run around sunrise was much more achievable than in the heat of Marrakech’s late morning sunshine.

Then something happened. These early runs for convenience and comfort slowly began to become my new obsession. Not just for the cooler weather but for the experience it offered. Marrakech is a different place pre and post sunrise. The traffic is different, the weather is very different, the colors are different, and in some ways even the people are different.

Before the sun rises there is a sense of calm and peace about the city. The hustle and bustle that is part of the vibe of every large city is replaced with silence (an almost silence because you never really get away from the sound of motocycles in Marrakech) and emptiness. I’ve come to appreciate the sense of hope and anticipation that the sunrise will bring.

Then as the sun begins to rise everything changes. The previously illuminated walls of the old city take on their true brilliance of the earthy orange that only the Marrakech sun can truly bring out in them. The peace and calm is broken by the slowly growing surge of people and movement that each new day brings.

The sunrise itself is rather unique, especially during the summer months, as the days are mostly cloudless which means the sun’s brightness is unhindered from the moment it comes over the horizon.

Running in the city or on the trails (which is my preferred location to experience sunrises in Morocco) every sunrise I have experienced brings with it a chance to see something new and exciting. Training for goals and races is good but I find that the experiences are what keep me running year after year.

I hope that on your next visit to Marrakech, you too will be able to experience the joy of running early. There is so much to see and experience that it will definitely be worth the effort. And don’t forget to check out the runs we offer to help you keep training and healthy while here in Marrakech. Most of our runs start in the early mornings and are perfect for enjoying all that Morocco has to offer runners.

Don't Let the Heat Stop You: 6 Tips to Working out in Marrakech's Summer Heat

Don’t Let the Heat Stop You

6 Tips to Working out in Marrakech's Summer Heat

  "There are really only two seasons in Marrakech, winter and summer.” This is a comment I have heard often by people who have lived in Marrakech for a while. It sometimes feels like it is either cold or hot. I guess if we are being honest there’s actually winter, pre-summer (when the mornings are still cool), and summer (when it never really cools off). 

This might make many visitors to Marrakech weary about training while on holiday. However, if you take precautions and are wise about when and where you go, you can still enjoy a wonderful chance to run, bike, and stay fit even when the temps are rising. 

  Before I give you a few tips about surviving the heat let me give a word of warning:

Be realistic and careful - training in the heat is not the same as training during other times of the year. It will slow you down and if not taken seriously can be dangerous. There are many ways of mitigating the affects of the heat but if you have never run in any kind of heat before make sure to get cleared by your doctor and then work into it slowly. 

With that being said here are a few tips for training in the Moroccan heat: 

1. Cover up - This might seem counter intuitive but the sun here in Marrakech just feels a lot stronger. Wear a hat. Maybe wear a long sleeved running shirt. When I hit the trails on my gravel bike for most of the year in Morocco, I wear arm sleeves to help both protect me from the burning sun and to help keep me cool. Whatever you do, just realize that the less skin that is showing the more comfortable you will be. 

2. Wear sunscreen cream - you will get burnt if you don’t wear something to protect your skin. You may be thinking “but I’m coming to Morocco on holiday to get some sun”, trust me being by the pool is one thing but I’ve had some of my worst burns while training in the heat here in Morocco.

3. Go early - Run early in the mornings. Even if this isn’t before sunrise, getting an early run in can make all the difference in how your training will feel. Once the sun gets higher in the sky there is very little you can do to hide from it while running. 

4. Hydrate - This is one point I can not stress enough. Because the climate in this part of Morocco is super dry, you may not feel like you are sweating, but trust me you are. So make sure you drink before you head out for your run or ride, while you are working out, and after you get back. It doesn’t take much to become sick from dehydration. 

5. Hydrate - I know I put this twice but that’s because of how important this point is to understand. I make sure on all my runs, rides, and hikes during the summer to drink not only water but I also add lots of electrolytes to that water to make sure I don’t get dehydrated.

6. Look for somewhere cooler to train - While it can still be warm in the Atlas mountains, it is cooler than it is in Marrakech for sure and especially if you get out for an early run or ride. You can check out the trail running options we offer starting at 10km to much more. Many of these runs head out onto trails that are partly forested (think shade) which is something there isn’t much of in the city.  

  I hope these tips will help you out on your next run. Make sure you check out all the runs we offer to help you stay fit and enjoy your training while on holiday in Morocco. We make registration super easy and once we hear from you one of our experienced coaches will be in touch. Now go for a run.

FAQ - Is There a Running Store in Marrakech?

One question I am often asked by people visiting or planning to visit is, “Are there running stores in Marrakech?” or “I forgot my shoes back home, can I buy running shoes in Morocco?”

The direct answer is, no.

To be technical the answer is, not really. There are no running specific stores here in town that, I know of. I say that I know of, because in my more than six years here in Marrakech I've never found one. 

The good news is that you can still find running gear in Marrakech. The city is growing very rapidly and new kinds of stores are opening all the time. When I moved here a few years ago there were only a few small sporting goods stores (think general purpose sports gear), now Marrakech has several modern sports stores but still no "running specific" stores. Many of these stores now carry running clothing and shoes most of which is Nike and Adidas. Also, there is now a small Decathlon (European sports store chain) opening next to the Marjane on the way into town from Casablanca.  

If your currently in Marrakech and looking for some running shoes or clothing your best off going to Decathlon. There you will find a decent selection of road running shoes and a few trail shoes (though if you have bigger feet you may struggle to find your size). They also carry a decent selection of running clothes and accessories for both men and women at decent prices. Decathlon also has gear for cycling, hiking, and many other sports and activities. 

My recommendation is that if you’re planning a visit to Marrakech bring what you need. This I what I'd recommend for you to if you plan to travel anywhere. A lot of us runners are very particular about the kinds of shoes we run in or clothes we wear so it's best to be prepared but in the case you do accidentally forget something you need there is still a chance you'll be able to find it for your run in Marrakech. 

If you've visited in the past and happen to know of a running specific store in Marrakech let us know in the comments below.