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2010 Copper Canyon Ultramarathon: Results and summary

Filed Under: Uncategorized by Josue Stephens — 2 Comments
March 11, 2010

By Caballo Blanco (Micah True), Race Director
The men’s race was dominated by the high country raramuri, the real deal. These guys would compete with anyone, anywhere. They had been running together regularly, TRAINING SPECIFICALLY FOR THIS EVENT.

The first deep canyon Raramuri [my friendsfrom Batopilas] was Juan Quimare [relative of Arnulfo] who camein 4th— 7,500 peso winner [$600] and a ton of corn. Juan was mistakenly listed as being a high country raramuri from the county of guachochi….

Arnulfo was in the top 15, I think, take a look at results. The preliminary draft is not very good, many times missing and skipping around after the top 10 men and women.
La Cebollita won corn and cash as did several Mas locas. The odds were very good for them, and they DID have/get to run the thing to win.

Summary of Raramuri competitive runners:
To be competitive, really good, and compete with the high country Raramuri, whom at this time can compete with ANY states-side runner, The canyon boys have to train/have more smaller races, stay active and nourished.

I am proud of everybody, everywhere!

> Top 10 Men and Women
> 1–Jose Madero–Choguita [Guachochi]–7:12
> 2–Silverio Ramirez–Tataguichi [Guachochi]–7:14
> 3–Erculano Reyes–Tataguichi [Guachochi]–7:15

> 4–Juan Quimare–Munerachi [Batopilas]–7:18
> 5–juan Contreras [Choguita [Guachochi]–7:22
> 6–Nick Coury–Arizona [USA]–7:29
> 7–Miguel Lara–Poroche [Urique]–7:48
> 8–Silverio Holquien–Choguita [Guachochi]–7:50

> 9–Juan Ramon–Tataguichi [Guachochi]–7:51
> 10–Pedro Duran–Guachochi–7:52

> Women Top Ten:
> 1–Sarahi Amendariz–Parral [Chihuahua]–9:28
> 2–RuthAnee Hamrick–New Mexico [US]–9:50

> 3–Elizabeth Wistrom–California [USA]–10:10
> 4–Alexa Dickerson–Arizona [USA]–10:23
> 5–Maria Rodriguez–Guachochi–10:50
> 6–Leah Atwood–California [USA}--10:53
> 7--Aurita Maldonado--New York [USA]–11:02

> 8–Maria Elvira–Guachochi–11:05
> 9–Virginia Mendoza–Huicorachi [Urique]–11:19
> 10–Ceborah HIrsch Bezanis–Ilinois [USA}–11:25

for more information: visit www.caballoblanco.com

eres mas loco?

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Fuego y Agua Current Projects

Filed Under: Fuego y Agua 100k, Ometepe by Josue Stephens — Leave a comment
March 9, 2010

I would like to give an overview of what I am currently working on in relation to Fuego y Agua and Isla de Ometepe.

Johnson Cruz Barrios, the 2009 Fuego y Agua 50k winner is from Isla de Ometepe. The 50k was his first race of any kind, he started 5 minutes late and had friendly chat with several people as he passed by them. He ran with my sister Abigail (women’s 100k winner) to the 50k finish, then continued on with her for another 20k. He then rode a bicycle back to the start/finish. When I saw him at the start/finish, Johnson looked like he could run another 50k before dinner, no problem. The next day he fitted kids for shoes,  worked the aid stations and cheered the children on during their 5k. I also know he rode his bicycle back and forth from the point-to-point 5k start and finish lines several times to carry supplies.

Anyways, long story short. Johnson does not train, he only plays soccer and works on the ferry docks. He is a part-time college student and takes the ferry to the mainland twice a week for classes. He has a very humble attitude and is a very friendly guy.

Paula and I have decided to help Johnson find some local, and if possible, international sponsorships to allow him to attend other races. I believe, if given the opportunity, Johnson will be blowing some great runners out of the water. We have entered Johnson into Ultramaraton Q50 Costa Rica in May. My sister Abigail has also created an excellent training plan which Robinson (our race manager on Ometepe) will help him train on. This Q50 is Johnson’s trial race, and he will have the chance to prove himself. As a smaller training race before Q50, Johnson will be entering a Peace Corps 25k race in the Nicaraguan town of Jinotega.

Johnson will compete as the sole running representative of Isla de Ometepe, he will be choosing a cause to represent in order to raise awareness.

Since entry is covered, all Johnson needs now is some gear and money to cover lodging and travel expenses to Jinotega then Costa Rica for Q50. I will be shipping some items down for him soon. He wears size 45 shoes and size medium shirts and shorts.

I am contacting running and adventure companies to see if they are willing so sponsor him, but in the meantime, is anyone interested in donating some gear, gently used shoes (size 45) and maybe kicking in toward a fund to get him to Costa Rica.

Update: Team Traverse and Traverse Trail Running have put together some funds for a part of Johnson travel expenses. we are still working to get funds together for shipping items and for travel expenses in Costa Rica.


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REI Natural Running & Minimalist Footwear Clinic

Filed Under: POSE Method, REI Clinics, barefooting, coaching by Josue Stephens — Leave a comment
March 9, 2010

I have been working with REI and POSE method Coach Valerie Hunt on these clinics.

Our first one was held at the Downtown Austin REI on Feb 22nd. REI was very accommodating and we had an excellent turnout of over 50 people. Valerie Hunt and Dr. Mike Maggio, both put on an excellent presentation on the POSE method of running and on proper form and technique. I presented a slideshow and talked a bit about easing into barefooting and its advantages.

The second clinic will be held at the Gateway REI in North Austin on March 29th @ 7:00pm. The Faceboook event invitation for RSVP is here

For a true hands on course on barefooting, proper running form and injury prevention, I suggest you attend the POSE on TRAIL Clinic on April 10th. Signup and RSVP are still available HERE!

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Minimalist Shoe Review – Kigo Shel

Filed Under: Five Fingers, Kigo, product reviews, shoes by Josue Stephens — 1 Comment
March 2, 2010

A month ago my dad sent me a link to Kigo Footwear and suggested I try their shoes as a great Vibram Five Fingers alternative.

After checking out their site, I was very interested in trying these out as a One-Finger alternative. I contacted Kigo’s very friendly marketing department and received a pair of Kigo Shel’s for review.
For this review, I compared the Kigo to my very used Five Fingers KSO’s. I have had these since early 2008, and with a bit of sewing and gluing, they have been very reliable.
Since unboxing, I have run about 100 miles in the Kigo’s, part of this mileage includes the Austin Marathon a few weeks ago.


One of my first impressions upon opening the box was that the shoe was very narrow. However, this has not turned out to be as much of a problem due to the slight stretchiness in the fabric. In fact, the shoes are very comfortable and I almost forget I have them on.
I received a note from the manufacturer that the 2nd Generation Kigo’s will have more room in the forefoot, making them more comfortable for wide feet.
The Kigo’s run about half a size small and although I normally wear an 11.5, I had to remove the thin insoles to make these fit. Now I do not recommend removing the insoles, just buy the correct size, the rough footbed gave me a big heel blister during the marathon.

On weight, the Kigo’s are very comfortable and light, they weigh less than my Five Finger KSO’s and much less than the KSO Treks.
On durability, the Kigo stitching and glue seems to be holding together much better than any Five Fingers I have owned. I tend to put my footwear through water, mud, rocks, long term unwashed conditions etc…

On traction, both the Kigo’s and the Five Fingers have about the same amount of traction (or lack thereof). I experienced some very slippery trails while testing. They held up great on rocks and dry areas, but I was skiing on the mud. Like any shoe without tread, it is all about how you approach the trail. We have come to expect the shoe to grip for us, but a slight adjustment in form and footwork makes all of the difference.
On keeping stuff out, the Kigo’s do an excellent job of keeping sand and rocks out. The shoe forms to your foot and does not leave much space for debris to get in.
I really recommend these over the Five Fingers in cold weather. I wore them for 28 hours while volunteering for the Rocky Raccoon 50-100 miler a few weeks ago. Because my toes were together, they stayed much warmer than in Five Fingers. The cloth is also a bit thicker and provides more insulation.
At $49.99, the price is right for a minimalist shoe. They are also made from recycled and eco-friendly materials and come in a recycled box. For more information, or to purchase a pair of these awesome shoes, check out the website at www.kigofootwear.com.

For those in Austin, I will also have a few pairs to look at during the REI Natural Running & Minimalist Footwear Clinic on March 29th.

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Survival Running

Filed Under: MovNat, coaching, parkour, survival running by Josue Stephens — 2 Comments
February 24, 2010

Now that I am coaching the  TRAIL Speed + Agility Class for Tejas Trails, it is making me want to start a new class format I have been thinking of for years. It follows the method in which I usually train when running distances between 5-20 miles.

The basic concept of the training is to get over/under/through any obstacle, whether it be a lake, creek, cliff, trail, logs, steep scramble etc…  I usually take as little as possible to keep me light and free in my movement. Most of the time I wear Five Fingers a pair of shorts, and a handheld water bottle with a gel and some trail mix in the pocket. When I need my hands free, I just hold the bottle in my mouth or stick in in the back of my shorts.  I also train to keep my body going as long as possible without needing as much.
My average training can involve swimming, running, scrambling up steep hills, jumping from boulder to boulder, jumping into water, crawling under logs, climbing trees etc..
It probably sounds like a kid playing around, but I feel that is the key to a fun and fitness combination. Make the workout fun and exciting, go back to a natural setting and have a great time like you did as a kid. This is the best way to become overall fit. Most of the muscle-isolating exercise in a gym makes for all work and no play.
With the recent outburst of natural fitness activities like Parkour and MovNat, the interest for this type of fitness is growing.
I attended a MovNat clinic with Erwan LeCorre here in Austin last November, it was a great learning experience, and I am now hooked on this type of fitness.
If people express their interest in this type of training, I will develop a personal coaching and group training class.
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REI Minimalist Footwear Clinic & POSE on TRAIL Clinic

Filed Under: Clinics, POSE Method, Speed + Agility, Tejas Trails, trail runs by Josue Stephens — Leave a comment
February 23, 2010

Last night I joined POSE coaches Valerie Hunt and Dr. Mike Maggio at REI downtown for a small presentation on minimalist footwear, natural running and form.
We had an excellent crowd of about 50 people show up, and everyone seemed very interested and happy to participate in the clinic.
Mike and Valerie did an excellent job with their POSE method presentation, they showed some video and and taught a few different form exercises. I am very excited to go train with them, while my form might not be the worst, it needs a lot of work and it only makes sense to analyze and repair any flaws.

I recently began coaching Speed + Agility Classes for Tejas Trails. The format is exciting, challenging and brings a different aspect to training on trails.

SPEED + AGILITY Training for TRAIL
A training program that focuses on getting you faster and more agile on trail. The intent is on speed and is appropriate for all levels of ability. For the novice, this will get you up to speed. For the veteran, this will get you tuned with workout drills on trail.

I have a fun and challenging format that is designed to improve your efficiency in moving along all types of trail conditions. Each class will have a specific topic such as Mud, Rocks, Flats, Downhill, Uphill, Scrambles, Balance, Speed etc..
Agility combined with speed allows you to run the roughest of trails with skill. Workouts will last 1 to 2 hours every Tuesday on the roughest trails in Austin
Training Start : Feb 16, 2010 (ongoing program)Training Day/Time : Tuesday 6:00 PM Training Cost : $45 a month Primary Coach : JosueStephens Registration : OnLine Entry

Since the REI clinic garnered so much interest in minimalist footwear and natural running, Valerie, Mike and I decided to combine forces to put on a POSE Running on TRAIL clinic.
I have posted some of the information below, for signup or more information, feel free to visit the event at: http://poseontrail.eventbrite.com/.

If you have not yet tried running on trail, I highly suggest it! It is fun, challenging and never gets boring.


POSE on TRAIL Clinic:

Join POSE Method Coaches Valerie Hunt, Dr. Mike Maggio and ultrarunning trail Coach Josue Stephens on an intensive four-hour running clinic focused on: proper running form, agility on road or trail, how to use barefooting to strengthen your feet.   ]

What: POSE Running on Trail Clinic
When: Saturday, April 10, 2010
Where: TBA – Trails in Austin
Time: 9 am – 1pm

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Cold and Rocky, a Bandera 50k in Five Fingers

Filed Under: Bandera 50k John Reynolds, Five Fingers, Kigo, New Balance MT100, POSE Method, Paula, Team Traverse, Tejas Trails, ultramarathon, ultrarunner by Josue Stephens — Leave a comment
February 23, 2010

This is a more of a rant than an extremely late race report…

Photo by Joe Prusaitis,  Race Director

I ran the Bandera 50k on January 9th in my VFF Treks. This was my second ultra distance in Five Fingers, the first one being the 2008 Hog’s Hunt 50k.
My Bandera 100k in 2008 was a warm race with temps in the 80s. This time, it was anything but warm. This was to be Paula’s first 50k and she was extremely excited and apprehensive. For a first ultra, she sure picked a tough one!
Paula and I slept in the back of the Xterra the night before and woke up to find ice forming inside of the windows. Needless to say, we did not get much sleep, but we did the best we could to stay warm until the alarm went off. It was too cold to get out of the blankets, so we made oatmeal and coffee in the Jetboil and ate some of my leftover birthday cake
The temperature at the start line was 9 degrees and we were bundled up like Everest climbers at base camp. I tried to look around to say hello to fellow runners, but could not recognize anyone.  I had talked to my teammate John Reynolds about running together. He showed up at the last minute wearing every cold weather item he could find in his closet.
The first five minutes of the race were on narrow singletrack, and I focused on getting my toes warm before getting a bit ahead of the crowd. Joe’s races have been getting a lot more runners, and Bandera was part of the Montrail Cup this year.
My plan for this race was to take it easy, I wanted to see how my feet would feel in Five Fingers during an ultra on this type of terrain. John also expressed the desire to “take it easy,” and we settled into a relaxing run. There was a short point there where I got excited and started running a bit faster, but John and Larry caught up to me as soon as I stopped to remove multiple layers of clothing.
In a nutshell we had a wonderful time and chattered away like a pack of squirrels. Larry eventually had enough of us and ran ahead to catch Olga. I had never experienced this side of an ultra before, and it felt great to relax for once.

Paula finished her first 50k and ran in smiling! I was very excited to be at the finish line to see her!

My feet felt great and I never felt like the Five Fingers impeded my run. Now, if this were Cactus Rose, I think the distance combined with the rocks would eventually wear and make this a difficult endeavor. My overall take on it is: If you want to race an ultra like Bandera above 50k on rocky terrain, you probably want to stick with a minimalist shoe such as the NB MT100’s. However, on an easier course such as Rocky Raccoon, I could see racing with Five Fingers as a great option.

More blog entries coming soon. There has been a whole lot going on lately, and I promised myself and Paula I would blog more often.

Still Pending
-Shoe Review for Kigo Shel’s (Austin Marathon)
-Trail Speed + Agility Classes I am teaching
-POSE Method of running, integrated on trails?
-REI and Trail Clinics

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VivoBarefoot Evo – EXCLUSIVE first chance to buy!

Filed Under: VivoBarefoot, minimalist footwear, shoes by Josue Stephens — Leave a comment
February 23, 2010
I am about to test these shoes out and will write a lengthy report on them.
VivoBarefoot EVO
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www.terraplana.com

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An Ultra Experience in Nicaragua – Fuego y Agua 2009

Filed Under: Abigail, Calzado para Ometepe, Fuego y Agua 100k, Fuego y Agua 2009, Gabi, Hacienda Merida, Hammer Nutrition, Natural Doctors International, Nicaragua, Ometepe, Robinson, causes, ultramarathon by Josue Stephens — 1 Comment
February 11, 2010

All photos are Courtesy of 2009 50k finisher John Frierson, please do not use these without permission

by Race Directors: Paula Ring and Josue Stephens


In it’s second year, Ultramaraton Fuego y Agua became the experience no participant would ever forget. The turnout yielded a much higher amount of local runners. The buzz from last year’s race had peaked thelocal community’s interest, and many Nicaraguan runners stepped up to the challenge. Joining them were severalseasoned runners from the United States, a handful of Costa Ricans, and a German.
Saturday morning, 50k and 100k runners gathered in anticipation of the early 4:00am
start. The weather was cool and breezy and participants were greeted with fresh Nica coffee and an assortment of home-made cakes from the bakery across the street. The explosion of fireworks signaled the start, and the runners were off into the dark. Several minutes later, two very confused-looking runners, Abigail Stephens and Johnson Cruz, arrived at the empty start line, and immediately tore off in pursuit of the other athletes.
Ironically enough, as the results would later show, Johnso
n, a local islander who had never run in a race in his life, came in first place for the 50k at 6:11. Abigail Stephens, the other late starter, took first place

female, and 3rd overall in the 100k at 13:18 minutes! First female, and 5th overall for the 50k was the talented runner Adria Owens from Colorado. Coastal Challenge champion, Costa Rican Ja
vier Montero, broke the 2008 100k course record by 44 m
inutes and took first place male in 11:08. The extremely challenging 100k had an almost 50% drop rate, with only 5 finishers.
The 25k runners also had a very difficult run ahead of them. The runners took off at 7:00am and headed straight for the 6 mile vertical climb up Volcan Concepcion. Two hours and 32 minutes later, local island runner José Briceño came tearing through the finish line for first place. First place female was Stephanie Andrews, a Canadian doctor interning for a medical program on the island. Overall, race day was a huge success. Runners were very challenged and inspired by the course and its beauty. Many swore afterward that Fuego y Agua was the hardest ultra they had ever run.

It goes without saying that this race could not have happened without the incredible support

of our volunteers and sponsors. Locals and foreigners (including Peace Corps) donated their time to this race. Volunteers and runners alike were also integral in the success of our pre-race trash cleanup day, and our post-race Calzado Para Ometepe kids 5k.

The objective of Fuego y Agua is not only to host a race, but also to help promote awareness of the island, its culture, and the forests that thrive on the volcanoes. The trash pick-up day was a huge success. Most of our runners and volunteers participated, and several locals joined in along the way.
Calzados Para Ometepe 5k could not have happened without the huge support of Natural Doctors International (NDI). Over 350 children participated, 270 more than 2008! NDI helped transport the children from different villages all around the island to the start line, and with their team of extraordinary volunteers, managed to match each child with a pair of donated running shoes. Several of our runners from the ultramarathon, along with their families, came out to help support the event as well. It was beautiful to watch so many excited children in their new running shoes blaze away along the 5k course.

Our 2010 challenge is “run the 100k in under 12 hours and we will refund your entry fee.”


Thank you to Robinson Espinoza, our island manager and race organizer, we could never have done it without him. Thanks to all of our volunteers and to all runners who donated shoes, Tim Kneeland, Adria Owens, Patrick Gaines, Brad Quinn, Jason Simmons, Gordon Montgomery and more…

Thank you to all of our sponsors:
-Natural Doctors International for Calzados para Ometepe 5k organization and support (Tabatha and crew, you are all amazing!)
-Enercon Engineering and 25k finishers Danielle Nelson and Justin Lahrman for their generous donation of shoes!
-Traverse Trail Running for shoe and gear donations
-Pearl Izumi and Hill Country Running Company for shoes and sponsorship
-American Cafe & Hotel in Moyogalpa for sponsorship (Bob and Simone were amazing)
-Totoco Eco-Lodge for sponsorship (very nice place to stay on the island)
-Hacienda Merida for the Aid Station and sponsorship
-Hammer Nutrition and Amanda McIntosh for electrolytes and fuel
-One World Running and Michael Sandrock for shoe donations
-UltraSignup for providing such an excellent service

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Filed Under: Fuego y Agua 100k, Fuego y Agua 2009 by Josue Stephens — Leave a comment
January 27, 2010

Off for a run

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