Austin MovNat Clinics with Erwan LeCorre- Nov 7th & 8th

WWW.MOVNAT.COM for more information

2 clinics - Saturday Nov 7th & Sunday Nov 8th!!
Both days have same schedule: from 9am to 12am, a break, and then continue from 1pm to 4pm

This is a great opportunity to train first-hand with Erwan Le Corre, founder of MovNat* and take your training to new heights.

This initiation course will introduce you to the philosophy and practice of natural movement.
You will discover all the basics** that will allow you to get started with your own MovNat natural movement training!

Space is limited to 12 participants per clinic. Book now to secure your spot!

Sign up here: http://www.eventbrite.com/event/463028932

Location: St. Edwards Park, Austin TX

Meeting point: by the parking lot on Spicewood Springs Rd

When: from 9am to 12am, a break, and then continue from 1pm to 4pm

What to bring: comfortable and warm clothes, minimal shoes (FiveFingers, FeelMax) or old sneakers. Water and snacks (bring your own lunch).

Pricing:

$240 (register now)
$280 (walk ins, if space available)

*The MovNat Natural Movement Coaching System® enables people to make faster, safer and broader progress in the practice of natural movement. The practice of MovNat is fully scalable and suits any individual regardless of experience, condition, or gender.

**The course doesn’t not cover swimming.

Here's a testimony from Steve Maxwell, famous strength and conditioing coach:


" I enjoyed the MovNat course very much. In the week of training with Erwan, I feel my movement skills were greatly enhanced. I was faced with my own limitations and fears as some of the things we did were quite challenging. I rediscovered the skills and abilities to do a lot of stuff that I hadn't done since I was a kid. The playful, joyous nature set during the course made learning fun. Erwan is a great coach and teacher. I thought that his ability to break down, teach and guide people through complex skills was second to none. I see aspects of fitness in a whole new light as a result of this course."

Steve Maxwell
http://www.maxwellsc.com/biography.cfm

From a Crossfit level 1 certified:

As a certified CrossFit trainer and Kettlebell instructor, I am gratified that MovNat has given me much more than just a series of functional exercises and techniques. In fact, the teachings have provided me with a complete training methodology. As a consequence, I have been able to apply this approach to fitness anywhere I go, whether the setting be urban or rural, indoors or outdoors. I came to this discovery during a 5-day seminar conducted by Erwan Le Corre, in which my traditional approach to strength and conditioning measures were additionally challenged through the application of natural physical movement. Natural movement is our evolutionary birthright and Le Corre knows how to make it accessible to anyone.

M. Le Corre is a true professional whose knowledge, passion and dedication to his vision and his clients are apparent through his charismatic personality. He takes the time to engage each and every trainee, ensuring that the basics are known before more difficult endeavors are attempted. In a word, one might say that his teaching methodology follows a “natural” movement of its own. The man has a gift for instruction. If you have an interest in fitness, health and personal well-being, I would highly recommend that you seek out MovNat and Erwan Le Corre.

Greg Carver, CrossFit Level One, AKC Kettlebell Coach

Here are testimonials of people that have attended one of my clinics:

CLINIC TESTIMONIALS

"Thanks again Erwan; you are a 'natural' educator.
Sunday was a fantastic day; this morning I find that my mind is buzzing as I consider opportunities in my immediate environment.
I was impressed by the codified nature of your presentation; you speak with the confidence and clarity of one who is completely comfortable with your material - not only is the material captivating - but you are very skilled at sharing your knowledge...

I work out regularly - and yet - I find that I am sore EVERYWHERE today - your clinic managed to hit every major muscle group - and then some...
I am looking forward to future runs (and climbs, and throws, and jumps, and crawls...)

Simon Gale" Occupational Therapist

"Erwan

I just wanted to say thank you for such a great experience on Sat. Erwan the information you provided us is enlightening in the sense that as a Personal Trainer, Monday morning I am thinking about the purpose and practicality of how I train my clients and myself."

Thanks again,

Ted Schatz

BSc. Community Health

BSc. Physical Activity and Exercise

NSCA Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist

NSCA Certified Personal Trainer

"Greetings Erwan,

Thanks for a great time on Saturday. I had fun and learned a bunch. You are an adept at guiding people to find their true nature. You very neatly gave me the conceptual framework I needed to propel my movement practice forward. I feel like in a one day clinic you sped me past years of plodding along on my own. Thank you! "

Derrick deLay

Erwan

Thank you again for a fantastic, life changing day!

All the best,

Tom Norwood


Thanks for this great clinic last Saturday. I picked up some infos related to my specialty and thought that your exercises were a challenge for me.
As you rehearse: specific adaptation to specific demand. I will stay in touch with you man and wish you my best for Boulder transition.

Seby ALARY
ACSM Personal Trainer
Master Swim Coach
Massage Therapist


"Regarding your workshop in Discovery Park, Seattle, I want to thank you, Erwan, for a day that far exceeded my expectations. Our one-hour lunch turned into a short 20-minute break for food then back to work, and we kept going until an hour and a half beyond our stop time. Talk about getting our money's worth! You are a gifted teacher who passionately lives his vision and is patiently, yet enthusiastically sharing that vision with the rest of us. Being a student of Tom Brown Jr's Tracking, Nature, and Survival School, I find your MovNat an exceptional enhancement to the study of survival and closeness to the earth. Your philosophy of adaptability of movement across and within the natural landscape, with its focus on effortless conservation of energy, opens the senses and awareness to our natural place within nature. That is life changing. Oh yeah, and I was bodily sore for a week after that Saturday session. Absolutely loved it!

Chris Hampton"

The Dallas Morning News | Barefoot Running Article

I was interviewed about barefoot running a while ago by a Dallas reporter, looks like her article just came out in the Dallas Morning News.

Story online:
http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/fea/lifetravel/stories/DN-nh_barefoot_1020gd.ART0.State.Edition1.2f04605.html

Accompanying blog post:
http://runnerish.blogspot.com/

This is how the story looked in the paper:
http://www.scribd.com/doc/21354295/The-Dallas-Morning-News-Fitness

Vivo Barefoot Shoes Review

Last week I was sent a pair of Vivo Barefoot by Terra Plana shoes to test out and review. The pair I received was the Vivo Barefoot Oak's, a stylish casual/dress model.

I have worn Birkenstock shoes in the past as my casual/dress shoe because they were super comfortable and long lasting, however, I really think I am switching completely over to Vivo's for my all-around shoe.

Let me start by saying that when I get home I usually take my shoes off, but I have found that the Vivo's are so comfortable I have completely forgotten to take them off when in the house. Although they are not for running, I feel I could go from a business meeting right into a 50 mile run, then straight into a nap all without removing my shoes.

On fit and feel, if you have worn Five Fingers, the Vivo's give almost the same amount of feedback on the ground. The sole is very flexible yet protective. I honestly feel I am receiving the exact same benefits as walking barefoot when wearing these shoes. The positive thing is that they do not have toes like the Five Fingers and are much more stylish.

As far as workmanship, they are extremely well constructed and definitely worth the price, with Vivo's you are getting a high quality shoe.

If you are interested in a pair of Vivo Barefoot shoes, use the following Coupon Code: RunAustin to receive free shipping through October 31st!

They have several models for Men & Women with several models ranging from casual to dress.

I have some photos I will add to this review soon. Email me or comment if you have any questions.

Austin Barefoot Running Group

on the running front, I am getting ready for Cactus Rose 100. I plan on running this event in my Vibram Five Fingers Treks. It is a very rocky course and very tough on the feet, we will see how it goes.

If anyone in the Austin area is interested in barefooting/minimalist running, check out the Austin Barefoot/Minimalist Runners Group on Facebook or join the mailing list Google Group

We also have a public calendar where you can view with all of our events posted and updated weekly.

We have some exciting events coming up including:

Caballo Blanco of "Born to Run" visits Austin 11/2-5 (Runs, Dinners and Seminars

MovNat traning courses 11/7-8

Christopher McDougall, author of "Born to Run" at BookPeople 11/11

www.fuegoagua.org - Ultramarathon Nicaragua Early Registration Discount Expires October 24th!!

A Tarahumara Run through Texas

 

To my running friends
(barefoot runners and not-so-barefoot runners alike):

 

I know that most of you have
read Born to Run (currently 14^th on the New York Times
bestseller list) about the Tarahumara runners and the running shoe debate. A
while back I’d heard that some Tarhumara had once run in the Texas Relays, a
national track and field meet held on the UT campus each spring. I did a little
research and found an interesting story. From what I can tell, the first
officiated ultramarathon in the United States was a 90-mile run by Tarahumara
from San Antonio to Austin as part of the 1927 Texas Relays.

 

Think of this as a humble
sidebar to Born to Run. I’ll try to post it on the forums as well. Hope
you enjoy it.

 

Jim

 

 

 

 

 

A Tarahumara Run
through Texas

by Jim Nicar

 

 

Azure blue skies, mild temperatures, and a
steady north breeze greeted more than 10,000 spectators to the third annual
Texas Relays on March 25, 1927. Held at Memorial Stadium on the University of
Texas campus, the fledgling track and field meet had swelled from a few hundred
participants in 1925 to more than 1,000 athletes from two countries. An
intercollegiate division boasted squads from a dozen states and the University
of Mexico, former and future Olympians competed, 13 records were broken, and
the celebrated University of Michigan football coach, Fielding “Hurry Up” Yost,
served as the Head Referee.

 

Newspapers across the country lauded the
Relays as a tremendous success. But most of the attention was focused not on
the events in the stadium, but on the prowess of six Tarahumara runners from
the isolated Copper Canyon region in northern Mexico. Their debut in Texas was
the result of a series of events that involved the Olympic movement, Mexican
nationalism, and some savvy promotion for track and field. 

 

~~~~~~~~~~

 

For the last two weeks in October, 1926, the
inaugural Central American Games were held in Mexico City. An initiative by the
International Olympic Committee, it was hoped that regional Olympic-styled
gatherings would promote greater interest and participation in the main Olympic
Games. Mexico was an agreeable host. After a 10-year, sometimes violent,
revolution from 1910 – 1920, both the government and citizens of Mexico were
eager to restore the country’s tarnished image. Though 14 nations were invited
to the Games, only three – Mexico, Cuba, and Guatemala – sent teams to compete
in baseball, basketball, swimming, fencing, track and field, and other sports.

 

The final event was a well-publicized 100km
(62 mile) distance race, and while it was officially a part of the Games, it
had to be postponed until Sunday, November 7, five days after the closing
ceremony. The race featured a pair of runners from the little-known and
reclusive Tarahumara villages from the Mexican state of Chihuahua. Starting at
3:05am in front of the city hall in the town of Pachuca, Tomas Zafiro and
Leonicio San Miguel made their way southwest to Mexico City, the pre-dawn road
lit by the headlights of police motorcycles, cars carrying reporters, and an
ambulance. Because the Tarahumara had their own native dialect and spoke little
Spanish, an interpreter ran alongside the other two for the first 75km and
relayed comments to the reporters. As the runners neared Mexico City, an
ever-growing throng of supporters crammed the route and impeded their progress.
Nine hours and 37 minutes after the start, the pair arrived in a packed
National Stadium, where they were swarmed by an ecstatic, cheering crowd, and
hailed as national heroes.

 

Each runner was awarded a crimson scarf, a
modern plow, and 30 yards of white cotton cloth. When asked to participate in
the race, Zafiro and San Miguel initially declined, as it would mean missing
harvest time for their corn crops, which they planned to exchange for 30 yards
of cloth. The issue caused the postponement of the race, until the governor of
Chihuahua volunteered to provide the cloth as a guarantee against any loss of
the harvest.

 

The distance race easily received more press
than any other event at the Games, and had the intended effect of both
promoting the regional Olympic movement and showcasing Mexican endurance
athletes. Soon after the race, the Mexican government petitioned the IOC to include
a 100km race in the upcoming 1928 Olympic Games in Amsterdam.

 

In the United States, the event was described
as “a race which has no parallel in sporting history,” and accounts were awash
with speculation. Some claimed Mexico was an up-and-coming athletic power, and
Zafiro a contender for marathon gold at the next Olympics. A Time
magazine reporter who covered the 100km race asked the runners how they were
able to traverse such extraordinary distances. Zafiro responded:

 

“We are strong because we live in the open
air…We eat, four times a day, frijoles and chili with tortillas. Also we like
deer meat, chickens, turtles, lizards, and rabbits. We chew peyote (grilled
corn meal with spices), and on feasts we drink pinole (corn-fermented beer). No
one of our tribe would eat the meat of any creature that fed upon another
creature. Reverence lends wings to the legs. Only thus can a man be happy.”

 

 

 

 

The New York Times ran a series of articles
on the Tarahumara, including one in January, 1927, which described them as cave
dwellers from the wilds of Hidalgo. “Civilization has barely touched them; they
are the unsentient children of the earth.” The article provided extensive – and
likely exaggerated – details of Tarahumaran beliefs and traditions. As for
their endurance, “Mexicans employ these Indians to run wild horses into a
corral. It may take two or three days, but the horses are driven in, entirely
exhausted, while the Indians finish almost as fresh as at the start.”

 

~~~~~~~~~~

 

Theo Bellmont, the athletic director for the
University of Texas in Austin, read the New York Times articles with
great interest, and mulled the possibility of bringing Tarahumara runners to
the Texas Relays. Bellmont and UT track coach Clyde Littlefield founded the
Relays in 1925, and hoped to create an event that would have national stature,
on par with the already established Penn and Drake Relays. If a 100km race
generated a media spectacle in Mexico, what might a longer run do in Austin?

 

Bellmont contacted longtime acquaintance
Enrique Aguirre, the Minister of Physical Education for Mexico and the head of
Mexico’s YMCA. (Bellmont had directed the YMCA in Houston before he was hired
by the University.) Aguirre was an easy sell. Having the Tarahumara race in the
United States would bring added exposure to the runners and strengthen Mexico’s
petition with the IOC. Though the Relays were scheduled for the end of March,
only a couple of months away, Aguirre agreed to send six Tarahumara, three men
and three women. To preserve their amateur status for a possible Olympic berth,
the runners would not be paid. Instead, a monetary donation was given to the
Mexican government to build new schools in some of the Tarahumara villages.

 

Plans were made for two races. The women
would run a traditional marathon distance of 26.2 miles that began in central
Austin, proceeded north to the small town of Round Rock, and then returned to
finish at Memorial Stadium, where the Relays would already be underway.

 

By itself, an all-female marathon would be a
sensation. The United States was enjoying the raucous “Roaring Twenties” and
women had not only won the right to vote at the start of the decade, but were
actively stretching the limits of longstanding social mores. Skirts with
hemlines above the knees, smoking in public, driving automobiles, and even
cheering at athletic events were considered new and daring, and would have been
branded “unladylike” and unthinkable behavior just ten years earlier.

 

Locally, while the University of Texas had
admitted women since it opened in 1883, co-eds still had to follow the strict
regulations found on most American college campuses. University administrators
were anxious to protect a lady’s “delicate constitution,” limited a co-ed’s
social outings to three times per week (that’s all they could stand), and
enforced a 10pm curfew most evenings. Sports, in small doses, were considered
healthy, but physicians generally advised against “undue physical exertion.”
Too much running and jumping might “break something” and deny a woman the
opportunity for motherhood after college. Some doctors were convinced that a
co-ed ought not to study during a particular time of the month, as it would
drain the body’s energies away from more important tasks. For the residents of
Austin, along with much of the country, the idea that three women could safely
attempt to run a marathon was counter to the prevailing social and medical
tenets of the time.

 

The men’s race would be even more astounding.
The trio of men would traverse an 82 mile (137 km) route from the Alamo in San
Antonio north to Austin, also ending at the UT stadium. Both races would begin,
as best as could be estimated, so that all of the runners would arrive at the
finish line at about the same time.

 

~~~~~~~~~~

 

On the last day of February, qualifying races
were held in Mexico to determine which Tarahumara would participate in the
Relays the following month. The women completed a 45km (27.9 mile) route, won
by Juanita Paciencia, in four hours and 56 minutes, followed by two sisters,
Juanita and Lola Cuzarare. The men ran 100km, and 38-year old Tomas Zafiro
bettered his time from the previous November by an extraordinary two hours,
finishing in seven hours and 35 minutes (about 7:15 per mile pace). Jose Torres
and Augustin Salido claimed the remaining slots.

 

Zafiro’s accomplishment only heightened the
anticipation of the Relays, and sparked a debate as to whether the runners’
athleticism was genuine. John Kieren, a columnist for the New York Times,
claimed doubters thought the Tarahumara “ran short miles and timed themselves
by phases of the moon. This time they will run a distance measured in English
miles and they will be timed by a split second watch, though…an alarm clock
would do just as well.”

 

As for the women, Kieren was even more
pessimistic, and compared their efforts to the Olympic marathon record, then
held by Hannes Kolehmalnen of Finland at two hours and 32 minutes. “That’s the
record that the three Tarahumara squaws will try to beat,” stated Kieren,
incorrectly. “There are plenty of conservative athletic observers who are
willing to bet a grand piano to a flat note that the Tarahumara squaws will be
as far from the record as Portland, Me. is from Portland, Ore.”

 

~~~~~~~~~~

 

As the week of the Texas Relays arrived, the
city of Austin found itself in the glare of an international limelight, and did
its best to welcome all of the athletes, especially their guests from across the
southern border. The Tarahumara were to stay at the Driskill Hotel, considered
the best accommodations in town. Lamp posts along Congress Avenue, the main
boulevard that extended south from the state capitol, were draped in colorful
bunting that alternated between the red, white, and blue of the United States
(or Texas), and the green, white, and red national hues of Mexico. University
president Robert Vinson announced that classes would be suspended on the Friday
afternoon of the race, and encouraged UT students to attend the Relays or line
the streets to support the Tarahumara runners.

 

Just before sunset on Tuesday, March 22,
three days before the race, six Tarahumara runners, two interpreters, and a
manager disembarked a train at the Austin station and were promptly overwhelmed
by curious Austin citizens, a bevy of reporters, and the inventions and
conveniences of the modern world. Steam-heated Pullman cars on the train, hotel
elevators, and phonograph recordings were all novel experiences.

 

Wednesday morning, the runners completed a
brief 5-mile warm-up at the stadium, and then spent the rest of the day either
relaxing at the hotel or seeing the sites of Austin. Contemporary appliances
were a constant interest; the group closely inspected the gas stove in the
hotel kitchen, and asked to see it lit to make sure “there was no trick about
it.” Dressed in their traditional attire of shorts, blouses, and sandals (and
shawls for the ladies), the entire group set off for an early evening stroll
down Congress Avenue. They stared at the dome of the state capitol, gazed in
amazement through the shop windows, and asked to hear another phonograph
recording. Followed everywhere by a crowd of reporters and onlookers, the scene
brought downtown traffic to a halt.

 

On Thursday, the men left for San Antonio and
studied the route they would follow back to Austin. According to local
newspapers, the runners “shook their heads dubiously” as they examined the
occasional gravel-strewn sections of the road. “Sandals will be worn on the
cruelest stretches, but the Indians prefer to run barefooted.”

 

Once in San Antonio, most of the day was
devoted to rest and final preparations. The three drank an herbal tea, likely
brewed from chia seeds. “According to Tarahumara tradition, the drinking of
this beverage gives the drinker speed,” reported the Austin American.
The men rubbed their skin with another herbal concoction, to ensure endurance,
and then “uttered certain lucky phrases,” to give their efforts the best chance
for success.

 

~~~~~~~~~~

 

In a scene very similar to the 100km race the
previous November, the Tarahumara men gathered in the middle of the night on
the steps of the San Antonio City Hall. The start line was changed from the
Alamo at the last minute, though it increased the route to Austin to 89.4 miles
(149km). Instead of their customary native garb, the three were outfitted in
white track uniforms with the tri-colored shield of Mexico embroidered on their
shirts. Around their waists they wore belts of small bells. The belts served a
dual purpose: the jingle of the bells helped to maintain a consistent pace
while running, and, as each belt had a unique tone, they allowed the runners to
know the whereabouts of their companions. The men carried four-foot long canes,
and as an added promotion for the race, one bore a written message of greeting
from the mayor of San Antonio to the governor of Texas in Austin.

 

The starting gun sounded at 3:19am Friday
morning. Headlights of support vehicles and the flash bulbs of numerous cameras
illuminated the way. The men completed six miles in the first 60 minutes, and
then gradually increased their pace to a little more than seven miles an hour.
A steady headwind, warm temperatures, and graveled roads were all challenges,
and as the sun rose over the central Texas landscape, the trio donned “wide
sombreros” to ward off the glare. Along the way, they  peyote, oranges,
and frequently drank water from a ladle without breaking their stride.

 

Augustin Salido, the youngest of the group at
22 years old, began to suffer stomach cramps at mile 32. The others stopped and
walked for a while to see if he would recover. Still in pain, Salido attempted
to continue the run. According to the Los Angeles Times, “He stuck
gamely to the pace, running 27 more miles before collapsing. He was taken into
one of the official cars and had recovered by the time the race was over.”

 

The remaining runners, Tomas Zafiro, 38, and
Jose Torres, 24, continued on to Austin, attracting large crowds as they passed
through towns along the way. An increasing number of cars tried to follow
along, congested the highway, and created so much carbon monoxide exhaust that
race officials became concerned for the health of the Tarahumara. Motorists
were directed to keep their distance, but the growing logjam slowed the
runners’ progress to just four miles an hour as they reached the outskirts of
Austin.

 

In the meantime, the women began their race
at 11:30am in front of the downtown headquarters of the Austin American
newspaper. Clad in more traditional garments of loose, bright red shorts, white
blouses, red bandanas, and sandals, the ladies also sported bells and carried
canes. Thousands of Austin citizens turned out at the start and along the
course.

 

Early in the race, Juanita Paciencia, 15, had
trouble with her sandals and fell behind. After stopping twice to readjust
them, she discarded her shoes altogether and continued barefoot. But as the
temperatures climbed, the pavement became an issue, and at mile 24, Paciencia
dropped out of the race because the road was too hot. The warm weather also
affected Juanita Cuzarare, 16, who had led most of the way, but stopped within
sight of the stadium.

 

 

 

 

Fourteen year old Lola Cuzarare, the lone
finisher, entered Memorial Stadium, removed her sandals, and completed the race
in four hours and 42 minutes. As she approached the finish line, Cuzarare tried
to duck under the tape, unaware that she was supposed to run through it. She
continued running several laps, smiling to a noisy and appreciative crowd,
until Texas Relays officials stopped her and escorted her off the track.

 

Almost two hours later, at 6:12pm, Zafiro and
Torres reached their goal in 14 hours and 53 minutes. It was “a feat that would
kill an ordinary horse,” declared the Washington Post, but the pair
“finished apparently as fresh as when they started.”

 

 

 

Details of the races were printed in
newspapers as far away as South America and Europe, the government of Mexico
added to their IOC petition the request for a women’s marathon, and Theo
Bellmont was heralded locally as “putting Austin on the map.” But despite the
popularity of the Tarahumara, the IOC did not include a 100km race or a women’s
marathon in its 1928 Amsterdam games. Two Tarahumara runners, including Jose Torres,
represented Mexico in the men’s marathon, but as their training emphasized
distance over speed, they finished in 32nd and 35^th
place.

 

 

 

Jim
Nicar

The
Texas Exes

512.471.8095
(phone)

512.471.8096
(fax)

www.TexasExes.org  

 

Runners Wanted: New England Area Runners Wanted for a study

Attention New England FiveFingers Runners.
Vibram FiveFingers has teamed up with Dr. Daniel Leiberman of Harvard University for scientific research of barefoot and/or minimally shod running.

We are looking for study participants in the New England area.

You may be eligible if you:

- Are between the ages of 18-55
- Run between 10-50 miles a week
- Have trained for the last 6 months barefoot or in Vibram FiveFingers®
- Are of an average weight (have a BMI of 18.5-25)
- Shoe size of 6-13(men and women
- Have no recent history of major lower limb injury (ACL/MCL tears, congenital deformities) and no lower limb injuries in the past 12 months
- Are otherwise healthy (no cardiac/pulmonary abnormalities or high blood pressure)

You will be asked to visit Professor Liberman's lab at Harvard a couple of times over the next six months.
Total time commitment is less than 1.5 hours per visit.

For your participation you will receive free Vibram FiveFingers footwear, T-shirts and injinji socks. Free parking will be made available. We will also be happy to provide information on the results of the study as well as an evaluation of your gait.

If you, or anyone you know is interested or if you have any questions, please contactgeorgia.shaw@vibramusa.com (use subject heading RUNNING STUDY) or call 978-318-0000 x208.

Links to Fuego y Agua 2008 Photos

Link #1
Link #2

2009 brings...

I have not posted on my blog for awhile, just sort of a habit I got out of.
Ultramaraton Fuego y Agua 2008 kept me very busy and when it was over I was brain dead for several weeks. I think I am finally recovering from it and realizing there is now a 2009 event to plan for.
We are completely overhauling the Fuego y Agua site for 2009.

• Brand new website
• New logo
• New color designs
• Online signup
• Volunteer page with signup
• More Nicaragua content and information

We are also changing the race format for 2009 and adding some new features

• New race start/finish (Hacienda Merida on Maderas side of island)
• 25k/50k/100k distances
• 2/3-person Team Relay option (4 25k sections totaling the 100k course)
  
• $300 entry fee for 100k, $250 for 50k, $150 for 25k, $200 per person for Team Relay

On a personal side, my running has suffered since the motorcycle accident on Ometepe Dec 13th.
I did not notice how bad it was until I attempted the Bandera 100k on Jan 10th. I felt my ankle at around 10 miles and backed way off thinking it would allow me to finish the race. By the time I got into the 50k split my ankle was throbbing. I did not notice a whole lot of swelling, but I definitely felt it. John Reynolds gave me an Aleve around 40k, but it only took the edge off of the pain. I sat down and iced the ankle for a while then got back up to continue on the course. Paula had just finished the 25k, her longest run to date, and I asked her to pace me to Nachos aid station (about 5.6 miles). We ran/walked to Nachos, she was very patient with me, but when I made it there my ankle was in extreme pain. It was there Michael Sawyer, a fellow runner, reminded me it was not worth the race to mess up my ankle. This was a turning point for me, I decided to DNF once again to save the ankle.

I paced Brad Quinn for 20 miles at Rocky Raccoon last week, this was pretty much the last straw for my ankle, I feel pain just sitting still.

I had my ankle x-rayed and the doctor told me there are no apparent fractures. I visited the Orthopedist today and he set me up for an MRI appointment. He thinks this is a stress fracture, but I am not sure he is right. I might end up going to Physical Therapy this time

Since Bandera I have only run five or six times. I have been working out at the gym doing weights, rowing, cycling and stretching. Yes, it is driving me mad, but I know it is the best thing for me.

I might get into Jemez, it all depends on how I heal. Both Paula and I are in the same boat right now with hurt right ankles. We are not bringing each other down, we are motivating each other to find other activities other than running to keep us busy and healthy.

Paula is the most wonderful thing that has ever happened to me!

Ultramaraton Fuego y Agua 2008 - Race Day - Race Director Report

Wow, where to start! It took me several days since the race to even begin this report, and I am still not sure exactly how to blog all of the events surrounding the event without writing the equivalent of a novel.

Ultramaraton Fuego y Agua 2008 is an experience I will never forget, for a first time Race Director, I would say the whole thing was fairly suicidal. The logistics were absolutely insane, the money was just not there, and getting anything done on schedule is an impossibility on Isla de Ometepe, or Nicaragua for that matter. Yet somehow, I would not trade this experience for anything and am looking forward to Fuego y Agua 2009, 2010, 2011 and more....

Many things happened last minute, some worth laughing about, some worth bawling about. All in all it was a successfull event where everyone left with a sense of accomplishment.
Course control and logistics were a severe issue this year, I had to take out long sections of beach due to flooding on the lake.

Race day came fast and I woke with only around 45 minutes of sleep, It was already a warm morning and I was glad the runners were starting at 4 a.m., this gave them an opportunity to beat the heat before their long ascent up Volcan Maderas. I sent out two volunteers on motorcycle to hang glowsticks for the first part of the course and the runners began to gather on the start line. The race began at Hostel IBESA in the town of Moyogalpa on the Concepcion side of the island. The island is separated by two sides, Concepcion and Maderas.
There were 22 runners, both 50k and 100k. The race felt very small yet there was a lot of tension and excitement on the start line. Along with several runners from the US, including a handful from Texas, we had runners from Scotland, Colombia, Italy and Nicaragua. One of the Nica runners was from the island, this would be his first ascent up Volcan Maderas and his first ultramathon.
I counted down and the runners were off into the darkness. Carlos from IBESA rode ahead of them on his motorcycle honking his horn incessantly. Abigail and the volunteers left for the first aid station and all of a sudden the start line was very quiet. This is one of the interesting parts of being a race director as opposed to being a runner or volunteer. There were quiet points in the race where I just had to wait at the start line to answer calls and make decisions. What I really wanted to do the entire time was to be out running or working the course and aid stations.

The aid station setups seemed to be going well, Abigail had everything under control, we had not heard from Ebelio and Josh, but hoped they would make it up to the Maderas crater to setup before the runners arrived up there. Danilo (Carlos' other brother) left for the Volcan Concepcion summit with a mule loaded with supplies. His aid station was the last one on the 100k course and he had plenty of time to get up there to set up. Cell phones were not fully reliable on the island but that was our only method of communication.

The Aid Stations were as follows, IBESA Start - Urbaite - El Porvenir - Maderas Crater - Hacienda Merida (50k finish) - Altagracia - La Flor - IBESA Finish

The kid's 5k and 10k were starting at 9:00 a.m. so Paula and I took advantage of the quiet time to catnap on the hammock. The children began arriving at 8:00 and we started putting wristbands and numbers on them. Carlos also arranged to have a DJ and all of a sudden the place got very loud. It was 8:30 in the morning and the place was blasting techno music like a Euro nightclub. Once the kids got their numbers, we sent them down to the IBESA office to get fitted for a pair of shoes. We had over 125 pairs of used running shoes donated by runners and a group out of Boulder, CO. Almost all of the children running the race were able to get a pair of shoes. 9:00 rolled around, but we were told not to start the race because there was one more village sending kids out and they had not arrived. By this time the place had become a madhouse. We had an aid station setup with food and drinks, but the kids wanted to ravage it before the run.
In the midst of the madness Abigail pulled up to pick up more supplies and volunteers but was not able to get out because of the massive crowd blocking the truck. Kids were climbing into the back of the truck and eating aid station food, the DJ continued to blast techno, and I slammed Nescafes like they were going out of style.

We got a frantic call from Hacienda Merida Aid Station (50k split and downside of Volcan Maderas climb) that the ultra runners were coming through much faster than expected. We also heard that the first 8 runners had passed Ebelio and Josh on the way to the Maderas Crater and had missed aid. This meand they would go without aid for 20 kilometers on the hardest section of the course. We already had runners headed to the next aid station, Altagracia, and it had not been set up yet, so we did everything we could to get Abigail and the aid station truck out and on the way to Altagracia. She caught up to the lead runner, Richard Cunningham of Scotland, and gave him aid on the side of the road before he reached Altagracia. He'd missed aid at the Volcan Maderas and Hacienda Merida Aid Stations and had run about 28 miles with no aid. Abigail set up the Altagracia Aid Station, dropped off her volunteers and headed over to set up the Station at La Flor (at the base of the second volcano climb, Volcan Concepcion).

In the meantime, the kids from the village that were supposed to show up never came and we began the 5k and 10k kids races. The course had been set up to wind through the town of Moyogalpa with a small out and back on the main highway. Kids finished in record times and we began to suspect there might be some cheating involved. Sure enough, Paula and I were swamped by kids each claiming that the other cheated and jumped on a bicycle or motorcycle. I listened to their stories as best as possible, but was forced to decide based only on the information I could gather from asking questions. The 10k event had two top prizes, 1st Female and 1st Male finisher, the 5k had 1st Overall finisher. The three top prizes were brand new mountain bikes purchased there on the island. Even with all of the fuss and discussion, the children seemed very happy with the event, we fed them and announced the Awards Ceremony for the next afternoon.

At this point we began to receive calls that the runners were getting lost on the Concepcion side of the course between kilometers 60-80. We also got notice that the lead runner, apparently still Richard Cunningham, was climbing Concepcion and was only about 20k from the finish line. I did not expect any runners to finish the course at this speed. Either I had overestimated the difficulty of the course, or I had severely undersestimated the ability of the runners. The weather was much cooler than is normal for this time of year, it was in the mid 80s instead of mid 90s.
I tried to get in touch with Carlos and other course control volunteers, but was not able to get in touch with them. Abigail also called me and let me know she was not able to find the La Flor aid station location. Apparently she had been driving on non-passable roads with the truck and was lost. We were frantic to get the aid station set up before another runner came by (poor Richie Cunningham was basically running on nothing at this point and still killing the course).
Although it was against all of the race director advice I had received, Paula and I made a last minute decision to go fix this section of course where all of the runners were getting lost. We also thought we could find Abigail to guide her on to La Flor.
We jumped on the motorcycle and rode the rough bumpy dirt roads until we reached La Flor. We saw Abigail's aid truck pulled up at the Volcan Concepcion trailhead. She told us she was going to set up Aid here since she could not find the proper aid station location. At this point Amy Sproston, (2nd place at this time) an ultrarunner from Washington DC came running up on the main dirt road, (not on the course). She told us she had tried to take the course but had not found flagging and was lost for a good while. I told her to continue the course up the volcano and not to worry about her missing the course turns. At this point she had probably put more miles on by being lost than if she had been on the small section of course she missed. She seemed hesitant, but got aid and headed up Volcan Concepcion.
Paula and I continued on the course to flag the missing sections. We saw children in the villages wearing flagging on their heads as headbands, we also saw flagging on the ground and knew what was happening. The locals were tearing down the flagging all over the course. We drove the course and flagged it as fast as we could. Once we were back on the main road we several runners and told them to watch for the tricky intersections. (Apparently most of them never saw the flagging we hung, it was torn down minutes after we put it up).
We drove out to Altagracia and got a call that Richie Cunningham was still winning and would be at the finish line within 45 minutes. We hauled out and made good time to Altagracia, arriving in IBESA only 10 minutes before he did. He finished in 1st place at 3:45 pm, in only 11 hours and 45 minutes! This blew my predictions out of the water.
It was around this time (4:30pm or so) that we got a call that there was one runner unaccounted for. Jacqueline Castro of Colombia had not been seen since 11:45 in Hacienda Merida and should have arrived at the Altagracia Aid Station hours ago. Carlos was out delivering food to the La Flor Aid Station, all of the other volunteers were working aid stations or hanging glowsticks on Volcan Concepcion. By this time Arturo Rodriguez of Colombia had come in 2nd place and was extremely concerned about his wife Jacqueline. We reported the incident to the Captain of police thinking he would send out a search party, but he told me to head out for a preliminary search on the roads near Merida. If I could not find her, he said he would call the military to begin an official search and rescue. As a race director, I do not think I could have felt more worried and freaked out than I did at that moment. Runners were getting lost, and now we even had someone missing, even possibly injured.
On top of all of that, I had ordered 25 fresh pizzas from Finca Zopilote (a small Italian permaculture farm) for the runners and. Finca Zopilote was located on the other side of the island, near Merida, and there was no one at the start/finish to go pick them up. I handed the timing spreadsheet to Yalkiria (Carlos wife) and headed out with Paula one more time to search for Jacqueline and to pick up the pizzas.
We searched for Jacqueline for awhile but did not see her. I called Carlos and reported that we were not able to find her, but the signal was spotty and I kept dropping the call. We quickly ran up to Finca Zopilote to get the pizzas and tried to head back toward some better cell service. The pizzas were in a box and strapped onto the back of the motorycle with rope. The roads we were riding in the dark were extremely rough and my exhaustion began to take a hold of me. I am experienced on a motorcycle, so I am not sure what happened, but I laid the bike over twice. The second time it landed on my ankle and the accelerator got stuck on a rock. The back wheel was spinning and the bike seemed like it was about to wind out, but my ankle was pinned and I could not get out. Paula was able to get loose and helped me raise the bike up off of my ankle. I could tell my ankle was pretty hurt, but there was nothing to do at that point but continue searching for Jacqueline and to head back to the start/finish. We rode very slowly and carefully back to the main road where we could get clear cell reception. I got a call from Carlos that they had found Jacqueline, she had taken a bus back hours ago and had been sleeping in her room after showering. I was also told six runners were lost and that I needed to get back to the start/finish ASAP. Needless to say, we hightailed it back to Moyogalpa once again. The bugs were so bad, Paula had to half cover my eyes to keep them from getting into my eyes as I drove. We had a near encounter with a horse, a cow and a harrassing policeman, but we finally made it back to IBESA. Once back at IBESA we found everyone had finished and there were no lost runners, just some very hungry tired people. Paula and I did not even bother to explain our experience on the motorcycle and handed the still intact and warm pizzas out. Some of the runners were so hungry they wolfed one pizza down and tucked another under their arm on the way to bed.
I heard lots of things from the runners, advice, criticism and even praise and awe for the course. After about an hour or so, most of the runners headed off to bed and Paula and I did the same.

Overall the race was a wonderful success. Thanks to all of the volunteers who worked extremely hard to make this work. To mention a few: Abigail worked nonstop and overcame some very ridiculous and hilarious circumstances to make sure there were Aid Stations. Carlos and his wife Yalkiria looked like they had not slept in a week, poor Yalkiria was popping some unknown energy pills the entire time. Josh Barnwell and Ebelio climbed Volcan Maderas with only two hours of sleep hauling over 100lbs of food up the insane trail into the crater. Danilo spent 16 hours on Volcan Concepcion managing an Aid Station alone then hauled everything down on his back. My wonderful girlfriend, Paula, was extremely helpful in keeping everything organized (including my brain) and in managing the children during the kid's race. I did not know how badly her leg was hurt during the motorcycle accident until after the race, she kept it from me because she did not want me to worry about it.

Thank you to:
-Hammer Nutrition for providing Heed, Hammer Gel and Endurolytes for the event.
-Moeben for providing sleeves for the event
-Mackinaw's Grill and Bar (Kevin Quinn), for their generous contribution
-Traverse Trail Running, Brad Quinn, Thomas Quinn and family, for their incredible support of the entire event
-Nomadic Design Studio, Robert Heynen, for donating his time to build the Fuego y Agua website
-Michael Sandrock, author of "Running with the Legends," for sending 100 pairs of running shoes for the children of Ometepe.
-Team Traverse members, for supporting the race with their presence and participation.
-All other contributors and supporters of this event, all of those who could not make it but wished they could.

The proceeds from the 2008 event went to Natural Doctors International (NDI). They plan using the funds to build a childrens park in front of the free clinic in the village of Los Angeles, Isla de Ometepe.