Group travel and strangers as roommates: What's it really like?

The crew from Run Morocco: Gorges & Sahara 2014

"Group travel" is sometimes used as a dirty word, conjuring visions of crowded tour buses, faceless tour guides and rigidly scheduled itineraries. The idea can also sound intimidating to a solo traveler who assumes that everyone else will show up with a partner. Plus, what are the chances that you'll even like any of those people? 

In our experience, it turns out that chances are pretty darn high. When you find the right niche (like, you know, running), group travel is an amazing way to connect and quickly bond with like-minded people. It also allows you to access incredible places and experiences without having to waste time and energy on the logistics which, for those with a job and perhaps a family too, is a big deal. And as far as those solo traveler fears go, forget them: the vast majority of our runners show up knowing absolutely no one (though within the first few hours that all changes!).

But, we know you'd rather hear from the people who go on the trips, not the people who create the trips. So we've interviewed two RE alum who joined us - solo! - in Morocco a few years ago. Cepee and Annette each brought along varying levels of travel experience and running ability, and both had reservations about traveling with a group. Read to find out about their pre-trip worries, on-trip experiences and their enduring post-trip friendship (and business!).

Describe your general travel experience prior to your RE trip. Had you done any group travel before?

CEPEE: In 2014 I joined Rogue Expeditions on their trip to Morocco; I was 34 years old and had been to Morocco twice already. I started traveling abroad when I was 17 and had mostly traveled on my own before joining their trip. I have always enjoyed the freedom and benefits that solo travel provide. It’s perfect for slow travel, you can create your own itineraries and immerse yourself into local culture very quickly. For me, group travel always appeared to cover too much ground too quickly, was overpriced, and focused more on sightseeing than cultural immersion.

Some of the places I had visited were the Netherlands, Germany, Switzerland, Spain, England, Italy, Mexico, Argentina, Czech Republic, Iran, U.A.E, Turkey, Portugal, Israel, Palestine, Jordan, Egypt, Canada, Colombia, Austria, Belgium, and Iceland.

ANNETTE: My travel resume at that time was filled with vacations through North America, Europe and Caribbean. Not too shabby…  I mainly traveled by myself  or with 1-2 others, meeting up in different locations. On occasion, I experienced traveling with small groups of 5 for those birthday/wedding trips. 

When you registered for Run Morocco, did you know anyone else in the group?

ANNETTE: When I signed up, I thought surely I'll know someone in the group since I had been running with the Rogue community for a couple of years. At the first meeting, I quickly recognized no one! I knew Allison as a running coach for Rogue yet I had little interaction with her. But I felt confident having her there, a familiar face.

CEPEE: I didn’t know a single soul before signing up!

Did you have any hesitations about a group tour?

CEPEE: Not really. Although I had never been on a group tour and was very anti-group, I was still drawn to the opportunity because it seemed different from the standard group tour experience. I had never heard of the combination of running + travel and figured the type of people this trip would attract would be unique, not the standard motorcoach group tour crowd.  

ANNETTE: I did have some reservations about traveling with a big group: would we be a target? Would we get along? Can I stand to be in a group for 10 days straight and not go off on my own? Should I be at anyone's running pace? Once I met everyone, I felt an ease knowing that we all had the same worries.

What ultimately convinced you to take the plunge?

CEPEE: It was a combination of recently falling in love with running and the opportunity to combine that with travel, the trip falling on my birthday, the affordable price, and some personal reasons that pushed me to Morocco.

ANNETTE: At that point in my life, I was looking to flip it upside down and get out of my comfort zone. I was looking for a different type of adventure and country than just visiting the typical cities or beaches. I wanted to be active through my travels and experience a new culture at the same time. I had never been that far from home or run so many miles in a week.

Were there any surprises (good or bad) about traveling and running with a group of different backgrounds and ability levels?

ANNETTE: I was elated to find out that we were not expected to run at the athlete/co-founders level! We had all abilities ranging from walking, trekking to speedy athletes.  Everyone was so encouraging with each other; I ran or walked at least once with everyone in the group. I do recall thinking at the end of the trip that I didn't once worry or think about our security or safety. When you travel, that is clearly something constantly on your mind!

Ahhh! One bad surprise was when majority of the group got sick with a 12 hr stomach bug; thankfully I did not nor did my roommates! One of the most special moments was bringing the school kids clothing and supplies; seeing their faces light up with glee made me happier than them! I did meet 3 women on the trip who happened to work for the same company I did. We had a special and unique group that made for the most fun adventure! 

CEPEE: When you put a bunch of strangers together and place them outside their comfort zone you never quite know how the group dynamics will work. I was surprised by how well everyone got along, by the different ages, varied backgrounds, and running abilities. Given that each run is supported, all runners can enjoy each day, you can do a few miles, a full marathon, or take the day off if you need to. However, the excitement of running through Morocco pushed us all to run more than we expected; I think we really surprised ourselves!

I was also surprised by the amount of fun we had. There were so many inside jokes made on that trip that still crack me up to this day when I think about them. I imagined that I would be exhausted by the daily mileage and that there wouldn’t be much energy left for socializing, but that couldn’t be further from the truth. I enjoyed the random opportunities to connect with everyone, especially the long group dinners.

You two were placed as roommates, but were strangers going into it. How was that?

ANNETTE: I was asked by the RE crew if I would be okay rooming with two other ladies around my age throughout the trip. I thought sure, why not, what could possibly go wrong? I briefly spoke to both ladies at the meet ups but barely remembered their names. Fast forward to the trip… Literally on the first night, Emily, Cepee and I created an incredible bond; we shared our personal stories, found how similar we were and why we were on this trip. Any pre-trip nerves or notions were eased; I met new, long-life friends and we are now known as the "3 Marias." Placing three people in a room may sound like a nightmare, but for us it was an adventure. Hats off to the camp counselor for taking the risk! 

CEPEE: I was placed with two other solo female travelers in a triple room. We bonded quickly on the first night of the trip. One of my roommates was Annette and has become one of my closest friends, travel buddy (we’ve traveled abroad together every years since Morocco), and now co-founder of our online community She Hit Refresh (see below)!

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Since meeting in Morocco, Cepee and Annette have become the co-founders of an online community that was born out of their combined life and travel experience. She Hit Refresh is a community for women 30 years and older who want to break free from a life of routine and start a life of travel. If you've got even the slightest case of wanderlust, check it out for a serious dose of practical, real-world tips and inspiration.

Then, once inspired, take a look at Run Morocco, our longest-running and most popular running adventure.

Meet a Rogue Expeditions Runner: Deirdre McAuliffe

What type of people go on Rogue Expeditions running trips? It seems that everyone worries that they'll either be too slow, or too fast. That the mileage will be too difficult, or not challenging enough. That they'll be too old, or too young. That the other people will be super serious running geeks who talk about nothing but training, or that the other people will all be there to take it reeeeeeally easy. That they'll be the only person who doesn't know anyone else.

In truth, there is no "type." The trips attract all sorts of backgrounds, all sorts of ability levels and all sorts of motivations for being there, and the beautiful thing is that it works for just about everyone! To prove it, we are highlighting a number of our runners using their own words. Read on to find out about the running background, pre-trip hesitations, favorite trip memories and most surprising realization of a Rogue Expeditions runner.

Deirdre McAuliffe is up next! Deirdre, who is Irish but currently living in Hampshire, UK, is one of the younger participants that we've had. Despite the fact that she is very new to running and to international travel, it turns out that she's a natural at both activities.

Which trip did you do and when?
Run Morocco: Mountains & Coast, March 2017

Describe your running background.
I ran a little in school at sports days and such. However, I fell out of the routine in teenage years and decided on a whim to enter a half marathon in 2014 - having done little to no training! On that very, very, very long and slow run, I decided that I quite liked the idea of running! I have since done a few half marathons in Ireland and UK and completed my first marathon in Dublin in 2016. 

How did you end up on that trip? What led you to the decision?
After that first half marathon in Dingle, I saw an advertisement for Rogue Expeditions on the race's Facebook page. I promised myself that if I kept this running madness up, I would treat myself once I'd finished university!

Any hesitations or uncertainties going into it?
Lots! Until this trip, I had never traveled outside of Europe. I had also never traveled on my own. Like many others, I was worried about the mileage and also the terrain as I had never run on trails. I knew this was going to be a whole new experience but Allison was very informative from the initial stages so I felt as comfortable as possible about the trip.

Did you know anyone else in the group beforehand? How was it traveling with a group of strangers?
I didn't know anyone in the group beforehand but I was blown away by the kindness of everyone I met. From the airport welcome with a bottle of water to the parting hugs, I couldn't have met a nicer bunch of people. The cooks and drivers were fantastic! Always prepared with water and snacks, and the most elaborate picnics you could imagine.

What was your favorite run and why?
My favourite run has to be the run and hike up to the base camp of Mount Toubkal. It was my first experience of many things - trails, running in the snow and higher altitudes. It was also the most challenging but I always felt that I could plod along at my own pace and enjoy it.

Food is a huge part of any travel experience. What was your favorite thing that you ate?
It's got to be the Beef Kefta tagine served up hot by our wonderful team of cooks after that very long hike up Mount Toubkal. The food across the entire trip was outstanding - always fresh, always varied and catered for a very diverse group of very hungry runners without an issue.

Both travel and running have their ups and downs. What was your most challenging moment or issue during the trip? How did you overcome it?
Apart from my highest mileage week to date, there wasn't one!

What surprised you the most about the experience?
The hospitality for sure. From the drivers and cooks who knew us by name by the second day. To the staff in the places we stayed who met us with warm handshakes. To the remote villages where people's livelihoods are their goats, crops and the occasional cow. Everyone I met on this trip had a warm smile. They call out "Bonjour!" as you pass and the children wave and giggle. I even had a group of children follow me for 1.5 miles through a tiny village and onto our picnic.

"Runcation" vs a race: what do you think are some of the key similarities and differences? Or are they even comparable?
The races I've been to have the same sense of excitement beforehand. However, there's so much pressure to perform "on the day", worrying about baggage, food and organising where to meet family and friends afterwards. Those pressures are removed during this trip. You just need to get yourself to the airport and you're looked after by a fantastic crew from the moment you land, to the farewell at the airport. They are so good at what they do - Allison, James and Hamid really do a wonderful job and make it look effortless. 

Sum up your Rogue Expeditions experience in one sentence:
Several times during the trip, I found myself standing somewhere utterly beautiful with my mouth half open in amazement, coming to terms with how lucky I am to have had a place on this trip.

Meet a Rogue Expeditions Runner: Albert (Moose) Marino

What type of people go on Rogue Expeditions running trips? It seems that everyone worries that they'll either be too slow, or too fast. That the mileage will be too difficult, or not challenging enough. That they'll be too old, or too young. That the other people will be super serious running geeks who talk about nothing but training, or that the other people will all be there to take it reeeeeeally easy. That they'll be the only person who doesn't know anyone else.

In truth, there is no "type." The trips attract all sorts of backgrounds, all sorts of ability levels and all sorts of motivations for being there, and the beautiful thing is that it works for just about everyone! To prove it, we are highlighting a number of our runners using their own words. Read on to find out about the running background, pre-trip hesitations, favorite trip memories and most surprising realization of a Rogue Expeditions runner.

Our trips draw a mix of the less-traveled and the very-traveled, and our style is flexible enough to work for all of them. Today we're talking with Albert Marino (better known as Moose in some circles) who had been just about everywhere prior to joining us last spring - in fact, he landed in Marrakech right off the back of several months spent cycling through India, wandering through Vietnam and visiting family in his native Romania. Despite admittedly little running during that time, he knocked out his first-ever 100 mile week in Morocco!

Morning run in the Todra Gorge.

Which trip did you do and when?
Morocco: Gorges & Sahara, April 2016

Describe your running background.
Marathon group training for last two years, running about 60 miles a week. Before that I was running 30-40 miles per week of easy running.

How did you end up on that trip? What led you to the decision?
I've wanted to go from the moment I heard about it. I was already in the neighborhood (Romania, a $100 flight away) and was on an extended trip so it didn't interfere with work. 

Any hesitations or uncertainties going into it?
Zero, zilch, nada, rien, niet.

Did you know anyone else in the group beforehand? How was it traveling with a group of strangers?
I knew a few people somewhat but no one really closely. It was exciting to get to know them better and meet some awesome strangers. 

What was your favorite run and why?
The Todra gorge. It was actually a poopy run in the sense of I was low energy trying to get through 20 miles, but aside from that, it was so beautiful, hard to believe really.

Food is a huge part of any travel experience. What was your favorite thing that you ate?
The tajine was fun although it did get old by the end. It was nice to know we were eating authentic, not western tailored fluff.

Both travel and running have their ups and downs. What was your most challenging moment or issue during the trip? How did you overcome it?
This is true usually, but I really didn't have any downs. I thought about it, searched for it, but it didn't happen. This trip was perfect from beginning to end.

What surprised you the most about the experience?
How close we got with our local guides. Unlike some trips were the relationship can be awkward and almost 'servant' like, Hamid and his family became our friends and companions, and that made for a very comfortable experience as a visitor in a country where the culture is very different, 

"Runcation" vs a race: what do you think are some of the key similarities and differences? Or are they even comparable?
Racing is serious. It's fun but there are nerves, there are things you can and cannot do. I enjoy racing, but it's a process. A runcation is strictly fun. It is what you want it to be. Some people drank a lot of wine, some people spent a lot of time taking photos or playing cards, some people caught up on their reading. It's beautiful to be able to do what you want, spend your time how you prefer. That's what a vacation should be. You just happen to be surrounded by awesome people who also enjoy running, and you happen to be in one of the more majestic places on earth. 

Sum up your Rogue Expeditions experience in one sentence:
If running is a part of your life, no matter how large or small, an RE trip will be one of the best weeks of your life (for goddamn sure).

Meet a Rogue Expeditions Runner: Liz Sponagle

What type of people go on Rogue Expeditions running trips? It seems that everyone worries that they'll either be too slow, or too fast. That the mileage will be too difficult, or not challenging enough. That they'll be too old, or too young. That the other people will be super serious running geeks who talk about nothing but training, or that the other people will all be there to take it reeeeeeally easy. That they'll be the only person who doesn't know anyone else.

In truth, there is no "type." The trips attract all sorts of backgrounds, all sorts of ability levels and all sorts of motivations for being there, and the beautiful thing is that it works for just about everyone! To prove it, we are highlighting a number of our runners using their own words. Read on to find out about the running background, pre-trip hesitations, favorite trip memories and most surprising realization of a Rogue Expeditions runner.

Next up is Liz Sponagle, manager of A Snail's Pace Running Shop in southern California and one half of our first mother-daughter duo!

Liz closes out the last few (sandy!) miles to our camp in the Sahara.

Which trip did you do and when?
Run Morocco: Gorges and Sahara (Spring 2016)

Describe your running background:
30+ years running and racing 5k-ultra, 10+ years triathlon/duathlon
(editor's note: she's a legitimate badass)

How did you end up on that trip? What led you to the decision?
A friend in Austin told me about Rogue Expeditions. One look at the website and I knew I wanted to go! The dates matched up nicely with my daughter's college graduation. We're both passionate about travel and running, so it was a perfect fit.

Any hesitations or uncertainties going into it?
None about the trip itself. Sadly, I was coming back from an illness and my daughter from an injury, so we were not in the run shape we're usually in. It was not a huge factor, but I was hoping to be able to run more than I did.

Did you know anyone else in the group beforehand? How was it traveling with a group of strangers?
I did not know anyone going in, but came out with a treasured group of friends.

What was your favorite run and why?
I truly enjoyed all of them for different reasons. Funny enough, I really liked the challenge of the the short steep switchbacks of Dades Gorge. The run through the sand into the camp in the Sahara was tough but so satisfying when I finished and the Todra Gorge was stunning.

Food is a huge part of any travel experience. What was your favorite thing that you ate?
Tagine, of course! Lemon Chicken and Beef with Prunes were outstanding.

Both travel and running have their ups and downs. What was your most challenging moment or issue during the trip? How did you overcome it?
As I said, I wasn't in the shape I'm normally in and wanted to be able to run more than I did, so it was hard at first to let that go and just enjoy where I was. There were some stellar runners on our trip, but I never felt judged by anyone. I normally run first thing in the morning, so the late morning or afternoon runs were hard for me to adapt to, especially getting nutrition in without upsetting my stomach. The upside is, that I have since taught my body to run with food in my stomach. I'll have to go on another Rogue trip to see how I do!

What surprised you the most about the experience?
The entire trip exceeded my expectations, from the lovely places we stayed, to the mind blowing scenery, topped off by the friendly and generous people we met along the way.

"Runcation" vs a race: what do you think are some of the key similarities and differences? Or are they even comparable?
It was like a destination race without the pressure. You want to be in the best shape possible to make the most of the experience, though even if you're not in top condition, the journey is an absolute pleasure. When people ask about my trip, they sometimes can't quite get the concept of traveling somewhere to just run...without a finish line.

Sum up your Rogue Expeditions experience in one sentence:
My trip with Rogue Expeditions was the difficult to attain, perfect combination of adventure, physical challenge, cultural immersion and indulgence with a warm group of fun people in one of the most beautiful places on the planet.