What if I've never actually run before?

You should be able to walk-jog for 20 minutes without it feeling awful. If that's not you yet, tell us before you sign up and we'll be honest about whether the timing works.

How much time will Basecamp take per week?

Plan on 3 to 5 hours of running most weeks, plus one hour every other week on the group call. Your actual training plan is built around what your week looks like, and that's covered on your onboarding call.

Am I going to be too slow for the group?

No such thing. Group calls are talking, not running, and your training plan meets you where you are, not where anyone else is.

What if I miss a group call?

All calls are recorded, so you can catch up whenever works for you.

Do I need trail shoes and gear to start?

No. Regular running shoes are fine to start. You'll learn what gear actually matters as you need it, not before.

What if I live somewhere without real trails?

That's more common than you'd think. City park loops or any unpaved terrain you can find will work, and your coach will plan your first real trail runs together when the moment's right.

What if life explodes mid-cohort?

Basecamp is a cohort, not a subscription. If something serious comes up, tell your coach and you'll figure it out together.

What happens after the 90 days?

You'll have a 1:1 graduation call with your coach. Most graduates continue with VertCoaching ($45/mo) or VertPro ($19/mo), and Basecamp graduates get discounted access to the Vert Running Club at $80/year instead of $120.

I've already done a few trail races. Is Basecamp too basic for me?

Probably. Basecamp is built for people who haven't found their footing on trail yet. If you're already racing trail regularly, you'll get more out of VertCoaching or the Vert Running Club.

Where does Basecamp actually happen?

Group calls run on Zoom, community happens in a private space just for your cohort, and everything else lives in the Vert app. It's all asynchronous between calls, so it works wherever you are.

Vert Basecamp — 12-Week Cohort

Vert Basecamp · 12-Week Cohort

You've been telling yourself you'll get into trail running someday.

This is the 90 days where someday becomes now.

Basecamp is a 12-week guided cohort with a Vert coach, biweekly live sessions, and a small group of runners starting the same day you do. Whether you've never touched a trail or you've dabbled for years without ever really committing, this is where you find your footing.

Join the September cohort · $199

Starts September 15 · Doors close September 10

Who This Is For

Basecamp is for you if

You've been telling yourself you'll get into trail running when things calm down.
You've run some trails, but never with a real plan or someone showing you how it actually works.
You're coming back after a long break, an injury, or just life getting in the way.
You've got a road running background and you're ready to translate it to dirt and elevation.
You bought a training app (maybe ours) and stalled, because you didn't know where to actually start.

You don't need to be "ready." That's what Basecamp is for.

Not Quite Basecamp?

If you're already racing trail regularly, this isn't your fit. You'll get more out of Vert Running Club or VertCoaching.

What You Get

You're not doing this alone

Here's what you get.

1:1 with your coach before Week 1

Short call, but the important kind. So we know what you're bringing in, and you don't start blind.

Full access to the Vert app

Your personalized training plan, built for where you are now and where you want to get to, that moves with you as your body responds. Smart adjustments, strength & injury-prevention sessions, Mountain Index and training stats.

Coach Vert Run, your AI coach

Available 24/7 to swap workouts, adjust for a bad week, or help you figure out what to do next. Full sync with Garmin, Coros, Suunto, and Strava — everything our paying subscribers get, yours for the full 90 days.

Six live group sessions

Every two weeks, one hour with your coach and your cohort. You'll hear other people ask the questions you were too shy to ask — that's where a lot of the actual learning happens.

A private space for your cohort

Ask questions throughout the week. The Vert coaches check in regularly. Your cohort is asking many of the same things you are, so a lot of what you need shows up before you even have to ask.

One thing to focus on each week

No fifty-tabs-open information dump. What you're doing, why, and what to look out for. That's it.

A graduation session

The whole cohort gets together for a final call. Celebrate what you did, hear where other people are heading next, and get a clear read on your own next chapter.

Twelve Weeks

Broken into three blocks

Each one building on the previous block.

Weeks 1–4

Getting on trail

The first few weeks feel harder than you expect. Not because you're unfit, but because your body is meeting new terrain. You'll trip. Everybody trips. By the end of week 3 you stop looking at your feet.

Weeks 5–8

Learning the craft

This is where trail running stops being a longer walk in the woods and starts being a sport. Uphills. Downhills. Effort. Fueling. What gear actually matters (and what you were told you needed but don't). By the end of this block you're not guessing anymore.

Weeks 9–12

Doing the thing

A real trail block, longer and more structured than anything you'd have attempted alone. You'll finish it and realize you're not the person who was "thinking about getting into trail" twelve weeks ago.

By The End Of Basecamp

You'll…

Confidently head out on trails by yourself.

Know how to pace climbs.

Handle downhills without terrifying yourself.

Understand nutrition on runs longer than an hour.

Stop wondering whether you're "doing it right."

Leave with a real plan for what's next.

None of it is magic. All of it earned.

Who's Coaching

Steve is running Basecamp

Steve

A UESCA-certified ultrarunning coach, Steve started running over twenty years ago as a way to get in shape, and found a lifelong passion instead. He's completed races from 5Ks to ultramarathons, and now helps other runners push past what they thought was possible.

Nico and Zeljko drop in on a couple of your group calls. They're the two full-time Vert coaches most Basecamp graduates end up working with if they continue. Better you know their faces before you're deciding whether to work with one of them, not after.

Nico

Zeljko

What It Costs

One price. No subscription.

$ 199

That's for the full 90 days. Paid once. No subscription, nothing recurring.

We priced Basecamp so cost isn't your reason not to start. If you're in, you're in.

Join the September cohort · $199

Starts September 15 · Doors close September 10

FAQ

Questions

Starts September 15. Doors close September 10.

One small cohort. When doors close, that's it. The next Basecamp isn't until January.

Join the September cohort · $199

You've been telling yourself you'll get into trail running someday.

Basecamp is for you if

You're not doing this alone

1:1 with your coach before Week 1

Full access to the Vert app

Coach Vert Run, your AI coach

Six live group sessions

A private space for your cohort

One thing to focus on each week

A graduation session

Broken into three blocks

Getting on trail

Learning the craft

Doing the thing

You'll…

Steve is running Basecamp

Steve

One price. No subscription.

Questions

Starts September 15. Doors close September 10.

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