Celebrating The Ultrarunning Ancients
Trail Runner|July 2018, #129

THE RACE THROUGH THE SACRED VALLEY CELEBRATES PERU’S HISTORY OF RUNNING

Monica Prelle
Celebrating The Ultrarunning Ancients

When Claudio Castillo started to plan a running event in Peru’s Sacred Valley of the Incas, he knew it should honor the country’s deep history of long-distance running.

“We wanted to make a race that would evoke the chaskis,” says Castillo. “Peru has a history of ultra runners, and we wanted to make this race a tribute to that legacy.”

Ancient Ultrarunning Messengers

During the Inca Empire that peaked in the 15th century, communications between different regions of the empire were delivered by running messengers called chaskis. According to lore, the complex communication relay system could cover more than 200 kilometers per day on the Inca roads. Today, trail running is in its golden era, and new events and participation in Peru are on the rise.

Castillo, 40, works between Cusco and Lima, selling outdoor equipment. He partnered with Daniel Martos, who also coordinates logistics for the longstanding Jungle Ultramarathon in southeast Peru, and Juan Carlos Flores, who is in charge of photography, design and marketing. In 2015, the first annual Andes Race—Chaski Challenge was born.

Esta historia es de la edición July 2018, #129 de Trail Runner.

Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 9,000 revistas y periódicos.

Esta historia es de la edición July 2018, #129 de Trail Runner.

Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 9,000 revistas y periódicos.

MÁS HISTORIAS DE TRAIL RUNNERVer todo
You Cannot Erase us
Trail Runner

You Cannot Erase us

Over the years and through thousands of miles of running, I have thought about the words that marked the beginning of colonialism on the land and the end of Indigenous sovereignty.

time-read
2 minutos  |
Fall 2021
Inside The Adaptable Mind
Trail Runner

Inside The Adaptable Mind

How Courtney Dauwalter uses adaptability to stay cool, calm and collected when the going gets tough.

time-read
4 minutos  |
Fall 2021
Take it Easy
Trail Runner

Take it Easy

How to stay at aerobic pace when you live in the hills

time-read
4 minutos  |
Fall 2021
Here Comes the Sun
Trail Runner

Here Comes the Sun

Where pessimism meets its match

time-read
3 minutos  |
Fall 2021
Connecting the Dots
Trail Runner

Connecting the Dots

How Laura Cortez uses her passion for trails to build community.

time-read
4 minutos  |
Fall 2021
Carbohydrate Confusion
Trail Runner

Carbohydrate Confusion

When it comes to food and nutrition, we tend to overcomplicate things. Eat this, not that. Run fasted, restrict sugar. Unfortunately, much of the controversy stems from observations and sensationalized media headlines vs. actual data, leaving the consumer more confused from their Google search than they were before.

time-read
2 minutos  |
Fall 2021
This Wild Life
Trail Runner

This Wild Life

ONE MAN’S 92-MILE RUN OF GRIEF AND SELF-DISCOVERY.

time-read
5 minutos  |
Fall 2021
Our Town
Trail Runner

Our Town

Trail running is all about the community it fosters and the beauty and diversity within the community. Here’s a look at seven places, and the faces that call them home.

time-read
10+ minutos  |
Fall 2021
Fueling for Females
Trail Runner

Fueling for Females

Here’s how female runners can use recent research findings for performance breakthroughs

time-read
4 minutos  |
Summer 2021
Lose Weight with a Shake
Trail Runner

Lose Weight with a Shake

Being a health and nutrition correspondent means that companies frequently send me their products, and ask for my stamp of approval.

time-read
3 minutos  |
Summer 2021