August 28–29, 2026 | Vienna, Austria
For 48 hours in Vienna, the global 261 Fearless community came together to learn, connect, laugh, run and, most importantly, cross borders together.
Nearly 100 261 Fearless Coaches from seven countries — the United States, United Kingdom, Austria, Germany, Chile, New Zealand and Albania — gathered for the second International Coach Summit. With the theme “Crossing Borders,” the Summit was a celebration of the connections that make our global community so special.
Crossing borders — together
The Summit began with a treasure hunt through Vienna, bringing Coaches together in teams to explore the city and discover stories connected to inspiring women in Austrian history.
It was an opportunity to see Vienna from a different perspective, get to know fellow Coaches and, of course, share plenty of laughter along the way.
Throughout the Summit, Coaches exchanged experiences from their local Clubs and explored how we can continue to support and empower women in communities around the world.
Learning from our partners
At Sportpark Donaucity, Coaches had the opportunity to connect with partners including adidas, Peloton and Verbund.
The sessions highlighted the importance of collaboration and the many ways partnerships can help create opportunities for women through movement, community and education.
The Summit was also a reminder that meaningful partnerships are ultimately about people coming together around shared values and a shared belief in what women can achieve.
An evening with Kathrine Switzer
The Coaches then gathered for a special screening of Tough Old Broads, followed by a virtual Q&A with 261 Fearless co-founder Kathrine Switzer and director Stacey Tennenbaum.
The documentary provided another opportunity to reflect on women who have challenged expectations and pushed beyond the boundaries placed in front of them.
Hearing directly from Kathrine and Stacey brought those themes to life — and connected the stories of women who have crossed borders in the past with the work being carried forward by the 261 Fearless community today.
Running without borders
One of the most powerful moments of the Summit came at the Wiener Prater, where the Coaches joined a local 261 Club Meet Run led by Coach Fereshteh.
The group brings together women from Afghanistan and Syria, creating a welcoming space where women can connect through running and community.
For that moment, there were no borders.
There was simply running together, conversation, encouragement, smiles and laughter.
It was a beautiful reminder of what 261 Fearless means when we say that running is just the beginning.
Crossing the borders of mindset
The Summit concluded at the Haus des Sports with a multicultural workshop led by Brunilda Kondi, a 261 Coach with 261 Club Albania.
Her session, “Crossing the Borders of Mindset,” invited Coaches to explore the invisible boundaries that can influence how we think, interact with others and see what is possible.
It was a fitting way to close a Summit that had explored borders in so many different ways — between countries and cultures, between communities and, sometimes, within ourselves.
The connections that continue beyond Vienna
Of course, not everything that happened in Vienna could be put on a schedule.
The most meaningful moments often happened between sessions: over breakfast, during a conversation, while exploring the city or simply sharing a laugh with someone from another part of the world.
A Coach from 261 Club New England captured the spirit of the Summit perfectly:
“I especially enjoyed developing bonds with so many coaches from around the world – sharing ideas, learning from one another, and finding so many similarities despite the miles between us.”
And as Marlene from 261 Club Austria shared:
“I met so many impressive and great women – I’m really grateful for every single minute! My heart is full!”
That feeling of connection is at the heart of 261 Fearless.
Because we are more than a running community. We are women supporting women, learning from one another and building connections across cultures and continents.
Thank you, Coaches!
A global gathering like this is only possible because of the people who make it happen.
We are deeply grateful to all the Coaches who travelled to Vienna, shared their experiences, asked questions, encouraged one another and brought their own piece of the 261 Fearless community to the Summit.
We also thank our partners adidas, Peloton, Beyond Finance, Avon, Omni Power, The Social Hub Vienna, Verbund, Marathon Tours, Pona and Oberlaa for helping make the 2026 International Coach Summit possible.
From seven countries to one city, the Coaches of 261 Fearless showed once again what happens when women come together with an open heart and a fearless spirit.
The Summit may be over, but the connections, ideas and inspiration are travelling home with every Coach.
Fearless Together.
