Pura Vida in UltraRunning magazine

First, a quiz: do you recognize the three runners on the cover? Read down to the end for the answer...

This week I received my issue of UltraRunning. With ultrafondus, they are my two favorite magazines. This issue is special: there is a long section on adventure running, a sport I discovered this winter. The section features several remote and multi-stage races, including a 1-page article on The Coastal Challenge by... me!

As the course change every year I tried to give the article a generic spin, conveying the philosophy of the event, rather than going back to the details I already provided you with in my series of post on the TCC (not tired about it yet? ;-).

For instance, I start with the following very special cocktail recipe:

Mix 130 miles of running through the Costa Rican jungle, 7 stages, a handful of micro-climates, breathtaking views, top quality food, ultra running camaraderie, a pinch of competition, outstanding logistics, rustic but non-dry camping. Shake for 6 days and you will get a memorable Coastal Challenge cocktail. No counter indication!

This is also known as the Pura Vida Cocktail, the ultra and healthy way, of course! Read the magazine for more...
And now, ultrafondus presses me to write a much longer article to be published overseas. Like I had not enough with a two jobs, blogging and many other activities... Patience and tenacity...

This is also a special issue in another way: UltraRunning is starting a series of articles featuring running clubs, kicking it off with... The Stevens Creek Striders, my running club in Cupertino (I'm also a member of the Association Sportive des Vétérans de Paris)! Here we are, manning the Last Chance aid station at mile 43 on the Western States course, in June 2005 (I was the co-captain with Bob and Marsha).
And one year later, same place, celebrating 25 years of service to the race.Thanks to the Striders I can join USA T&F (Track and Field, Pacific Association Chapter) and compete in the US; thanks to the Vétérans de Paris, I can register with the FFA (Fédération Française d'Athlétisme) and compete in France (although far less). I work for a global company (900 people, 15 offices in 9 countries), and my running business is global too! That said, there are so many new places I still want to visit and run at/in.

Yes, Farther, an endless dream...

Once more, Pura Vida to you all!

PS - The response to the quiz: Zeke Tiernan, Kyle Skaggs (the brother of Erik who came in 2nd at Way Too Cool this year) and... yes, Tony Krupicka (you should have known if you read my American River post last week!). Kyle and Tony are on their way to something very unique: both winning the Moab's Red Hot 50K (0r 55K actually). A tie, setting two course records at once! By the way, Kyle is 23 and Anton 24 so they have a huge "Farther Faster potential" ahead of them... (Need to patent this expression and pick a unit. Any suggestion? ;-)
PS: adding links to the scans of both articles in this issue of UltraRunning (April 2008):

1. A Pura Vida experience Experience
2. The Stevens Creek Striders