"Racing" in Guatemala

As you all know, I have been racing basically forever, thus it is something that I attempt to keep up with here in Guatemala. When there's a race happening and I can make it, why not?

Last week my running partner, the doctor, informed me of a race happening this weekend in Totonicipan (about an hour from here). A 10k. Sounds great, I said. I'm in. Off we went this morning for the 9 a.m. start time. At 8:15, we finally found the start after almost driving down a flight of stairs. We were the first to arrive and the organizers (the 7th Day Adventist church) were still setting up the course and had to begin to take entries. Turns out it was actually a 6k, "campo travioso" (obstacle course). Sure, why not? We were already there. The entry fee was 2 Quetzales (25 cents) and the doctor bought me the race t-shirt as well.

For a bathroom, they opened up a neighbor's house for public use (that's more than I had expected), and there was even toilet paper! Then I tried to do the old WU cross country warm-up, but cut it a little short because the start time was nearing.

9 o'clock passed uneventful, the religious music still blasting away. By 9:15 they were ready to start... the 2-3 year-olds. They went group by group like that, granted, short races, but it was already passed 9, the supposed race time. Needless to say, my warm-up did not help me out much. By the time it was finally time for the adults to start, I had finished my warm-up an hour before.

At the start line there was still question of how long the race was. 10k? 12k? 6k? 7k? We settled on between 6 and 7k. (When have you ever run a race not knowing how long it would be? And the organizers not knowing how long it was either??) Then, literally 10 seconds before they blew the whistle, the announcer shouted that the men would turn around at the bridge and the women at the church! What?! How long am I running then? But there was no one to answer my question; I was running down the street.

I ran until they held up a red flag at me and made me turn around (about 9 minutes in). I wanted to keep going with the men, but I also wanted to win the race, thus I obeyed. I finished first. Yep, second race I've won in Guatemala, and this time there were actually other women in the race to beat! (About 7.)

I think the course ended up being around 4k, but who knows. With my crappy warm-up, lack of sleep, being sick, etc. I was not running like myself, so am not really sure. And as far as the obstacle course, I have no clue what they were talking about. We just ran on city roads. Perhaps the extra 2km in the men's course went through a corn field?

Waiting at the finish line I made lots of new friends who were all very curious about the strange, fast, white girl. (The event was very small and mainly just people from the church.) Then came the awards... "Andre Skeers," yeah, something like that. As they handed me my trophy, I climbed on top of four concrete blocks (the awards stand) which almost toppled over like when you stack the Jenga blocks too high. Along with my trophy, I won a magazine about God.

They asked me to say a few words, which I did. Something to the effect of, "Good morning everyone. Thank you very much for this trophy. This was a great event. I've been running my whole life, so it is very nice to be able to find races here to make me feel at home in a different country. Thank you. And congratulations to everyone!"

Cheesy, yes. But I meant it. Despite the craziness and poor organization of the race, it was super fun and just wonderful to see so many people, including girls and women, out enjoying running. That's rare in Guatemala.

My next race is at the end of June: the big Coban International Half Marathon. (This one's actually quite well organized.) It had originally been scheduled for May, but was postponed due to the one case of swine flu in Guatemala. I ran it last year; it was my first half. My training has been quite difficult over the past few months, but I'm still hoping to better my time from last year, which shouldn't be too hard since I was throwing up and fainting a couple days before the race!