Carrera Bosque Nuboso Monteverde

On Sunday, approximately 600 people ran in the Carrera Bosque Nuboso - an 11.6 kilometer race that begins in downtown Santa Elena and loops through Cerro Plano, Monteverde, and the Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve.  While 11.6 kilometers (7.2 miles) might not sound like much, those 11.6 kilometers are Monteverde kilometers (i.e., steep, rocky, uneven, muddy, and slippery).  The race is formidable and most locals train for months to prepare.

Ernesto signed up for the race, but wasn't sure he would run it after he sustained an injury the previous day during bachelor party festivities  (revisit the "Pig-Napping in Monteverde" post for a summary of the bachelor party festivities).  Hopefully Ernesto will provide a more detailed account of the bachelor party and his injury in a future post.  Ultimately, Ernesto ended up feeling well enough to run and had a great time, though his calves were screaming afterwards.  He can fill you in on the race from his perspective . . . I'll stick to my impressions:

The Institute is one of several organizations that participates in the race by providing fruit and water to contestants as they pass in front of the Institute on the race route.  While 600 people run the race, an equal number (if not more), watch the race.  Spectators line the streets to cheer racers on, clapping and screaming words of encouragement as runners passed by. 

Several students and I formed our own little cheering contigent making ample noise as runnesr passed us - whooping and applauding for every runner as if he or she were in the final stretches of a neck and neck race for the Olympic gold medal.  Some runners ignored us, but many others smiled, panted "gracias!", gave us thumb's up signs, or pumped their fists in the air.  These runners were met with even louder whoops and hollers of support.  But the most charismatic runner was the 60+ year old woman who came to a dead stop in the middle of the race course and started signaling for crowd encouragement.  Think of a defensive lineman's gestures to a stadium during the final play of the Superbowl, with fourth and inches to go, as his team tries to prevent a game-deciding touchdown.  This woman was summoning the crowd with the same gusto and passion as that lineman - even cupping her hand to her ear and leaning forward, as if to say "Louder! I can't hear you!"  Only after receiving ample applause and many shouts of support (and after scarfing a piece of watermelon and taking a few deep breaths) did she continue along the route. 

What amazed me most was the diversity within the field of participants.  The youngest participant couldn't have been more than 12 or 13 years old and other runners must have been in their 70s.  There were all sorts of fit, athletic types participating.  And there were some incredibly lean and toned runners touting the stereotypical, rippling runner's legs and 3% body fat.  But there were also a lot of runners who looked liked they spent more time lying down than standing up.  And there were lots of people whose bodies rippled, but not because of taut muscles.   I saw many people trucking along who I wouldn't think could complete a mile run on the flattest roads in Tampa.  It was pretty cool.

One of my dissertation committee members, who is here teaching at a USF field school, snapped some great pictures of Ernesto as he passed by our section of the course.

I love this photo!  The woman cheering for Ernesto is the main Spanish instructor at the Institute.  She's got so much energy and charisma, aptly captured here.  

The woman clapping in the yellow jacket is my dissertation committee Chair (and a member of Ernesto's committee), who is also here for the USF summer field school.  She, her mom, her husband (Ernesto's Chair), and their two kids came out to show support.