corriendo hasta el fin

Austin MovNat Inspired Natural Method Conditioning

Josue Stephens — Sun, 06 May 2012 23:43:48 +0000

If you are in Austin, Texas and interested in Natural Method, Natural Movement or MovNat, join the Austin Natural Method Conditioning (MovNat Inspired) group on Facebook.

We will have some serious training happening this summer, all levels of training available.

A Spartan Weekend in Vermont

Josue Stephens — Sun, 06 May 2012 23:27:05 +0000

I had the opportunity to attend a Coaching Certification at Spartan Race Headquarters in Pittsfield, Vermont last weekend. If you are not familiar with Spartan, these are the guys who put on the #1 obstacle course race series as well as the formidable, one and only Death Race.

The Spartan Coaching Cert is being developed for the first time and was by invitation only. I was told about it last minute and scrambled to put my entry application in 3 days before I flew out. A friend and fellow coach, Matthew Lee Willis of Texas Parkour, also attended the certification with me.

In brief, we had an incredible time meeting the Spartan group, some wonderful coaches from all over the country, and training with some of the heavy hitters in fitness these days!

I had the opportunity to meet Mark Divine, the founder of SealFit and an all around solid human being. The slang term “badass” was invented to describe this man.

If you have not heard of Pankration, this guy will rock your world! Jeff Funicello is an very talented and accomplished athlete and coach in MMA and Pankration. I learned some training techniques I never imagined from him.

This trip was pretty epic, I wish I had more time to write about it. However, there is an excellent post about it by the most respected DirtInYourSkirt blogger/Spartan athlete Margaret Schlachter.

None of us know yet if we passed the Certification, it was based on overall performance, and it was not easy! Why should it be?

I will do the Death Race next year, I would do it this year but cannot get the time off.

Updates coming…Fuego y Agua 2012…

Josue Stephens — Sat, 03 Mar 2012 22:22:52 +0000

It has been a while since this blog was updated. Fuego y Agua 2012 was epic and is now over, giving me time to relax and train a bit.

Updates are coming, exciting new Races I am working on creating/producing, training for Death Race 2012 (possibly getting in)…

Interviewing with Canal 8 News Nicaragua during Fuego y Agua 2012 | Photo Courtesy of www.pinkcrowphoto.com

Let the stories begin!

Josue Stephens — Sun, 18 Dec 2011 19:32:49 +0000

I originally designed this blog in 2007 to write mostly about my running adventures (hence the name josuecorre “josue-runs”). Since then a lot of learning and experience has happened. This blog has been through Blogger, WordPress.com and now is self-hosted as WordPress.org, I promise not to change it anymore and to focus mainly on content.
I have had the idea to start collecting some of the stories from my childhood on a blog, but am reluctant to start another blog. Josuecorre.com is now a blog about my life, my running, my training, my stories and my goals. The blog is organized in a format with categories, which allows you to focus on the types of posts you want to read.

Most people may not know this, but my childhood stories would make Cheaper by the Dozen look like a relaxing dinner at the local wine bar. I have 13 siblings and grew up as a gypsy missionary, migrant worker kid in Mexico, Central America and all over the USA/Canada.

As a few examples, I was born on the floor of a migrant worker home in Burbank, CA, one of my sisters was born in a bread truck under a fire tower in the woods of Mississippi, another sister born in the mountains of Costa Rica. From living in small villages in Mexico, Amish communities in the northeastern US, to house cults run by a man named Ronald McDonald (no joke), the journey has been a colorful one.
We are now spread out all over the place and have become everything under the sun, from geologists, to teachers, to ultra runners, to business managers.

I look forward to writing about my life as I hope you enjoy reading about it.

-Josue

ActiveATX.com December Newsletter

Josue Stephens — Sun, 18 Dec 2011 19:08:26 +0000

For those in Austin, TX (one of the best places to live in the USA right now). Check out ACTIVEATX.com for all of your fitness events. ActiveATX aggregates these and puts them into a format that makes it very easy for you to find and attend.

I am also a guest blogger on ActiveATX and will be regularly blogging on there about ultrarunning, natural method and parkour training.

The link to their December Newsletter is below.

Isla de Ometepe’s Extreme Ultra-Marathon Returns

Josue Stephens — Thu, 15 Dec 2011 17:45:55 +0000

Article by Christopher Haley

Ultramaratón Fuego y Agua Isla de Ometepe, Nicaragua February 18, 2012

Volcan Concepcion rises above the Port town of Moyogalpa

The third running of Ultramaratón Fuego Y Agua, featuring 100 km, 50 km, and 25 km trail races, will take place February 18, 2012 after a one-year hiatus. The race is held on Ometepe, an island known for its astonishing biodiversity, prehistoric rock carvings, and vibrant local culture. The twin volcanic cones of Ometepe, one still active, rise out of Lake Nicaragua, which is the largest lake in Central America, and located in the southeast corner of the Republic of Nicaragua. Ometepe is the world’s largest volcanic island in a fresh water lake, and in 2010, was made a UNESCO biosphere preserve to promote sustainable development of agriculture and ecotourism to protect the island’s unique ecology for generations to come.

sunrise over Volcan Maderas

The stunning scenery and relaxed, paradisiacal atmosphere of Ometepe belies, however,
the challenging course that race director, Josue Stephens, has laid out to test thoroughly the endurance and will power of all entrants. The course takes runners on a grand tour of the island, confronting runners with dramatic changes in climate and elevation, from tropical beaches and jungles to dry tropics and cloud forests. The vast changes in geography ensure runners face all elements: hot sun, strong winds, high humidity, rain showers, and a lot of mud. Temperatures
in a single day can range from mid-50s on a volcano peak to upper 90s in low-lying forests. The toughest sections of the course are the steep climbs (with no switchbacks) that head straight
up over the two volcanoes, gaining approximately 3000 feet over Maderas and 4300 feet over Concepción. Not to be overlooked in the cloud forests on Maderas are the notorious tree root systems of an unique species, Ardisia ometepensis, found only on the island. These roots

the aptly named Jungle Gym challenges even the most experienced runner

form the challenge of the aptly termed, “jungle gym” section, taking what is ostensibly an ultra marathon, and transforming it at times into an obstacle course. New for 2012, the rugged beauty of Ometepe and its remote location has qualified Fuego Y Agua to join the Lost Worlds Trail Series, becoming its prologue event.
Traveling to Ometepe is convenient and inexpensive. From Nicaragua’s international airport in the capital city of Managua, it is a 2.5 hour bus ride to the Port of San Jorge on Lake Nicaragua. From the port, visitors catch a ferryboat for a one hour trip to the town of Moyogalpa on the island. Moyogalpa has excellent and reasonably priced lodgings, and serves as the start and finish of all races. The 100k and 50k races will begin at 4 am with a hot sun rising shortly after
6 am. Runners attempting the 100k have 24 hours to complete the race, while the 50k has 12 hours, and the 25k, six hours. In order to minimize the ecological impact of the race, Fuego Y Agua has a cap of 200 total participants in all three races: one hundred will be allowed to run in the 100k and 50k, and one hundred in the 25k. During the race, five certified guides will monitor the course, while medical support is being provided by the Nicaraguan Red Cross. Seven well- stocked aid stations line the course, with drop-bag access at key locations.

Over 350 children participated in the 5k the day after the ultras!

Fuego Y Agua is seeking sponsors of the race and volunteers to man aid stations and help manage the race course. Fuego Y Agua is a not-for-profit race, and, as in previous years, the proceeds will benefit the mission of Natural Doctors International, a NGO dedicated to providing medical care for the residents of Ometepe. A portion of the proceeds will also finance the Calzado 5k race, held the day after the race for the children of Ometepe, to promote health
and fitness. For more detailed information about travel arrangements and lodging, to fill-out an online race entry form, or to learn about volunteer and sponsorship opportunities, visit www.fuegoyagua.org.

Christopher Haley haley.cw@gmail.com 12/6/2011

UltraRunner Dalton Wilson collects Donations for Bastrop Fires

Josue Stephens — Thu, 15 Dec 2011 14:43:32 +0000

Dalton Wilson of Team Traverse has been collecting donations for the Bastrop Fire victims.

Below is a message from him. If you are interested in contacting him about this, please send a message to wwilson0985(at)live(dot)com (email has been altered to avoid spam bots).
…………………………

Hey guys, I just finished the collection of round #2 of donations from the schools in Graham on their way south. Besides the 30-something bags of clothes last time, this sleigh-load consists of…
23 blankets
52 coats and hoodies
15 sets of sheets
dozens of gloves and beanies
9 boxes of cleaning supplies
4 boxes of school supplies
2 cases of diapers
37 cases of dry/canned food

Run an Epic Race in 2012!

Josue Stephens — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 22:17:52 +0000

If you are anything like me, you want the ultimate adventure and are always seeking the ultimate challenge! Nicaragua..Ireland..Dominica..Italy..Guatemala..The Lost Worlds Series takes you to unique places for the once in a lifetime challenge!

Join us for one of the Lost Worlds Racing Series events this year, it will change your life.

Visit www.fuegoyagua.org for more information on Ultramaraton Fuego y Agua in Nicaragua
Visit www.lostworlds100.com for more information on the Lost Worlds Series

In Session: Texas Parkour Academy

Josue Stephens — Mon, 21 Nov 2011 06:33:24 +0000

Visit the Texas Parkour Academy for More Information

Texas Parkour Affiliate Groups

Josue Stephens — Fri, 18 Nov 2011 18:03:23 +0000

No matter where you are, there are Parkour Groups all over Texas! Check them out and join the one nearest you to stay updated on workouts, workshops and classes!
Workouts for all Groups are posted on the Texas Parkour Calendar
Classes and Workshops are on the Texas Parkour Academy

NOTE: Texas Parkour Affiliate Groups are groups who organize Parkour workouts, classes, workshops and meetups in different locations of Texas. The goal of Texas Parkour affiliation is to create a strong network of traceurs and parkour enthusiasts all over Texas. Texas Parkour Affiliates receive several benefits including more web traffic, product sponsorships, discounts, free workshops, certification discounts, coaching opportunities and more! For more information on becoming an affiliate, send a message to texasparkour@gmail.com