Our running adventure guides and founders
Cristina and I share our passion for our trail running adventures.
Running is now my job.
January 1, 2018 by Pablo Rodriguez
By Pablo Rodríguez
My doctor told me never to run again. So what did I do? I turned running into my job.
Running guide Pablo Rodriguez
didn’t let a broken back stop him from creating a running vacation company in Costa Brava, Spain.
The Dangers of a Sedentary Lifestyle
I was leading a sedentary life, working 10 hours a day in front of a computer. No physical activity. It was a recipe for disaster, and sure enough, it led to a herniated disc in my back. In 2007, after fighting against sciatica pain which left me with limited mobility, I underwent surgery so I could at least walk without pain.
And the doctor said … “You’ll never run again”
My doctor’s words hit me like a ton of bricks. He warned me that after surgery I would never run again. Running, he said, would re-injure my back. I hadn’t been running for years, but the thought of never being able to again, of losing that freedom, was tough. Still, I needed to walk without pain, so I went through with the procedure. My recovery went well and, following his instructions, I didn’t run for three long years. Not a single step.
A Blessing in Disguise
During that time, life threw another curveball. I was laid off from my job. For years, I had this dream, this nagging thought about creating a running-vacation business. But you know how it is, a steady job, a regular monthly salary, four children at home – it’s hard to take that leap. Losing my job due to the 2008-2010 crisis was, unexpectedly, a blessing. It finally freed me to pursue my dream: to lead running vacations right here in my home area of Costa Brava.
_
A Pending Disaster? Or Maybe Not…_
But there was a huge problem: I needed to be able to run again. I walked into the biggest sports store in Girona, determined, and purchased the best pair of running shoes I could find. Tentatively, I tried a few minutes a day. Amazingly, no back pain. I slowly, carefully increased my mileage, regaining fitness, preparing for the day I’d lead my first Trail Running Adventures clients. Day by day, I explored every corner of Costa Brava along our sun-kissed Mediterranean coast, from Girona all the way to the French border. My doctor was wrong! I was running pain-free, sometimes for 20 kilometers a day. Once the route was set, and with a still-under-construction website, we opened the doors. Soon, our first runners arrived.
The Unexpected Return of Pain and a Glimmer of Hope
The pain is back!
My joy didn’t last long, though. One morning, I awoke with that all-too-familiar leg pain, a deep ache that shot from my lower back all the way to my toes. I panicked. I knew exactly what it was. My doctor’s words echoed in my head: “Pablo, you will never run again. There is nothing between your discs. It is basically bone scratching bone.” I felt like I was paying the price for foolishly following my dream. The pain made it physically impossible to be a running guide. I tried everything – medicines, creams, hot and cold therapies. Nothing worked. The pain persisted, yet I had obligations to my running vacation clients.
A unexpected gift
About a week later, an email landed in my inbox. It was from a client, Ulrich Jansen, an American businessman from California. He was traveling from France to Valencia and was looking for an artist to design new coffee cups for Starbucks. We were set to meet the next day in Palamós to begin his running tour. I stood up from my chair, a jolt of severe pain shooting through my lower back and down my right leg. My dream, my business, it felt like it was over before it even began!
Still, I prepared to meet Ulrich for his running vacation of Costa Brava. As we drove in his expensive rental car to the tour’s starting point, we talked about our shared love of running, though I had no idea if I could run a single step. As we exited the car, I noticed that Ulrich was wearing Luna sandals. I was concerned about the rugged trail ahead, so I asked, genuinely curious, “Excuse me, are you going to run in those?”
Ulrich then explained how running in sandals was the only relief for his chronic back pain. And he proved it! He glided effortlessly over the rugged trail, loving every minute. I had to know more! I was willing to do anything to get rid of my pain! Ulrich preached the benefits of running without expensive, big-brand sneakers. It was a revelation. At the run’s end, he gave me his Luna sandals. I started using them that very afternoon when I went for a walk with my sons and Cristina. It felt great! The pain was gone.
I’m free
Today, 14 years after surgery and my doctor’s dire warning, I am able to run 30 kilometers per day without pain. My dream of using running as a means to show visitors my beautiful home region is now a thriving business. And whenever I meet my clients for the first time, I often get the same skeptical question that I once asked of Ulrich: “Excuse me, are you going to run with sandals?”
I welcome runners using any kind of foot gear, though you know what I’ll be wearing! This experience taught me that running isn’t just about speed or gear; it’s about freedom, connection, and the incredible places our legs can take us.
Beyond Costa Brava: Our Trail Running Adventures Across the World
Our philosophy at NomaTrails is built on these deep, authentic experiences. We don’t just run; we explore, we connect. We only go to places where we have a profound relationship, where we can say, “This is my grandma’s village,” or “This is the school my kids went to.” Otherwise, it would feel fake, wouldn’t it?
Morocco: Running Through Time in the Atlas Mountains
One of our most extraordinary Trail Running Adventures was in Morocco, especially in the Atlas Mountains. Our guide, Abdu, and I often talk about these trips with tears in our eyes. We run 15-16 miles a day, sure, but it’s about the people, about the shared experience. Imagine waking up at 3 AM in the desert, running behind Abdu for two hours in the sand. We stop, and he points out every single star. You feel like you’re seeing the entire galaxy. After two hours of running and walking, you’re ready to watch the most beautiful sunrise. That’s the magic we create in our small groups.
I remember one day, we were running in the middle of nowhere, heading towards a place I didn’t even know existed. This was five and a half hours in the opposite direction from where any tourist bus would go from Marrakech. After a while, we stumbled upon this incredible, beautiful valley, a fabled place. People live there the way they lived 500 years ago. We met the most beautiful human beings, speaking Berber, a language I’ve been trying to learn for nine years. We found a family by a deep canyon, a young girl working by an irrigation channel. Our kids, you know, they can be little monsters, but this girl, she just ran off, gathered wood, and made a fire for us. Immediately, they invited us for tea. We went into their house, shared a meal. It was like time traveling. These moments, they transform you.
Sicily: From Sea to Mountain Villages
Another incredible journey we offer are our Trail Running Adventures in Sicily. Our guide, Pasquale Mangione, has crafted an amazing route. We start near the sea, then pass through the island’s internal, rural areas, through the olive groves and rolling fields. From these small mountain villages, we ascend into the higher parts of the mountains, not by climbing peaks, but by following its valleys and natural passages. From there, we descend back towards the sea, often spending a night in a beautiful village like Isnello, where you can literally see the sea from your window. From Isnello, we do another stretch of running that takes us above Cefalù. Due to the unique geomorphology where the coast becomes a mountain dropping into the sea, we sometimes need to take a quick transfer, but it’s just a short hop to Cefalù, where a well-deserved swim in the Mediterranean awaits us. It’s a journey through history, geology, and pure running joy.
Costa Rica: Where Trail Running Adventures Can Change Your Life
And then there’s Costa Rica. Our adventures there, they truly change people. I’ve seen it firsthand. We had a couple once, married, but not to each other. They came on a trip, and by the next group, they were married to each other! Seriously, we’ve had many couples tell us our trips saved their marriage, or that their children wouldn’t exist without us because they were “going to get divorced anyway.” These aren’t just running trips; they are profound, life-altering experiences.
If you’re the kind of person who thinks running point-to-point, discovering a new place every day, and exploring a whole itinerary by foot sounds like a good idea, then you’re one of us. You’re welcome to come. These are the stories, the feelings, the connections that make NomaTrails what it is. It’s my family, Cristina, our kids, our friends, our guides – we all create these experiences.
