Mirna
When was the last time you listened to a live opera performance, mid-trail run, with the Matterhorn as your backdrop? If the answer is “never,” then you’ve probably not been on a run with Mirna Valerio!
If you haven’t come across this life force yet, I’m not sure my writing can fully do justice to the incredible person she is—but I’ll try. Better yet, go follow her, read her book, and watch some of the films made about her. Then you’ll understand what I’m talking about. You’ll appreciate the huge, positive impact she’s had on thousands of people throughout her life. Oh, and yes, she’s also a fully trained opera singer.
I first met Mirna through a trail running company I work with a lot, called Run the Alps. I love working with Run the Alps—it’s a wholesome community of people passionate about trail running. They organise trail running vacations, create amazing resources and events, and act as a hub for all things trail running in the Alps. But, if I’m being honest, it’s fair to say that most of the people involved—employees and guests alike—tend to look pretty similar or come from very similar backgrounds.
If you’re not familiar with the trail running world, here’s what I mean: it’s largely thin, white, and mostly middle-class people.
Luckily, Run the Alps is full of thin, white, middle-class people who are aware of this reality and want to change it. And that’s where Mirna comes in. Her involvement sends a powerful message: the outdoors should be, and can be, a safe and welcoming environment for people from any background. True community can only happen if everyone is represented and included.
I’m so grateful to Mirna for helping me see the outdoors from a different perspective. For me, the mountains have always been a place where I feel at home—spaces I’ve had the privilege to take for granted. But spending time with Mirna and hearing her insights made me realise how different these spaces can feel for others. Her presence has encouraged me to think more deeply about how the outdoors can be more inclusive and welcoming for everyone, and how I can play a part in making that happen.
In 2023, I was asked to photograph the first collaboration between Mirna and Run the Alps—a trail running tour through France, Italy, and Switzerland. This year, Mirna joined Run the Alps for two more tours, and they’ve quickly become the highlight of my year.
At one point this summer, Mirna stopped the group on the side of the trail and asked us all to share a moment from the past week that brought us pure joy. She explained that this was a practice she called “joy banking.” Think of it as “depositing” happy memories and experiences into a mental or emotional ‘bank’ that you can withdraw from during tougher times.
Through this simple exercise, it became very clear just how deeply these experiences were impacting the group. There were tears, laughter, smiles, and sighs—the full spectrum of human emotion. Mirna’s ability to bring people together and facilitate life-changing moments was on full display.
I often find myself grasping for answers to questions like that. I struggle to recall emotions and have an even harder time verbally expressing them. But when it was my turn to share, I reflected on the time I spent each evening sitting in my hotel room editing the photos I’d taken that day. I’d catch myself beaming as I flicked through images of people having the time of their lives on some of my favourite alpine trails.
It’s such a privilege to be part of those moments and to capture them. That’s what I think I love most about photography: trying to capture honest emotion. And these tours are full of it.
So, to finish off, here are some of my favourite pictures from the last couple of years of joining Mirna and Run the Alps on the trails.
So great, Sam. Well done!
Great post Sam. I love the idea of joy banking!