This message goes out to all Mas Locos
(those who have ran the UMCB)
All Future Mas Locos
(those racing for the first time in 2014)
All Poco Locos
(those who aspire to be a Mas Loco)
&
To anybody who has a kind heart and values the happiness of children.
2013 marked the Inaugural Caballo Blanco Ultra Marathon Kids fun run.
Thank You Josue!
Over 400 Kids showed up participate in the event free of charge and every single one of them received a T-shirt, a medal, and a bag of school supplies.
From all over the canyons kid's came to run. Some leaving their home on foot as early as 4 a.m. just to participate. It a beautiful event that hopes to be even bigger this year and is looking for sponsors.
Why does this matter to me?
Because some of my best memories are of the good times with the children of Mexico.
2011
The first time I went to race the Caballo Blanco Ultra marathon the most memorable moment of the whole adventure was not the race? While scouting the course a few days before the event In a neighboring town o about 5 miles away we were invited to race a bunch of school kids in Rarajipari (Tarahumara Ball race)
The kid's were all very sweet and showed excellent sportsmanship. When we lost our ball over a fence they stopped racing, climbed the fence and didn't proceed till we were ready to go. The race was close but team gringo was beaten by a superior squad of kids. Then as gesture of friendship these kids who don't have much, gave us one of their balls to keep which now resides as a cherished memory in the Luna Sandals factory.
2012
One of the highlights from my 2012 adventure was playing basketball with some local teenagers whom seemed to be getting just us much joy out of playing with us as we did with them. The bleachers were filled and the crowd cheered raucously.
2013
A couple of weeks before arriving in the Canyons last year I participated in the Fuego Y Aqua 100 km. Race directed by my friend and race director for the 2013 UMCB Josue Stephens.
Unbeknownst to me (because I don't read the race websites as well as I should) there was a kid's race held the next morning. Hundreds of kid's showed up and each kid I believe got a free pair of shoes.
(sorry about the blurry pic it's all I got)
Once again it was one of the major highlights of my trip. The coolest moment of the race came when I saw Johnson Cruz local hero and winner of the Survival Run a few hours earlier running down the street wearing a big smile as he cheered on his young nephew or cousin.
My first day in Urique this year I went on impromptu an jog with UMCB race Director Josue Stephens and Luna Sandals CEO Bookis up to Guadalupe Coronado to the school where I had the ball race with the kids a few years prior.
Josue asked them if anyone was running in the kids race? Smiles filled there faces and nearly every raised their hand (about 20 or 30 of them) We talked for a bit about who was gonna win the Ultramarthon and the kid's were very proud to root for their local champion Miguel Lara winner of the 2011 and 1012 race.
I don't we remember if we challenged the kids to a race or if they just started running with us but the next thing I knew all of us were sprinting out of town and most of these kid's I couldn't keep up with.
They were excited about the race and so was I.
Race day I planned on just taking pictures. I was literally running late as I jogged to the starting line with my buddy Luis Escobar minutes before the race began.
The excitement was overwhelming and a few seconds later I found myself swimming downstream in sea of happy children.
These are the memories I won't soon forget.
I am grateful to all the 2013 sponsors that helped make these kids lives a little happier as well as my own.
The 2014 Kid's Run needs your help!
As of right now the 2014
does not have same level of sponsorship that it did last year plus there is expected to be even more kids. It doesn't take very much to make I difference and I thank you in advance for your support.
If you are coming down to the 2014 UMCB I would suggest you spend $20 and bring at least a small bag of school supplies to give out. Even if it just a pencil or and eraser these kids don't have very much, they are very thankful and I promise that you will not regret it.
If you can not make it down to Mexico and you have access to cheap or free school supplies or know a corporate sponsor that wants to get involved please email either myself
at
Bourbonfeet@gmail.com
or
Race Directors
at
Josue Stephens: josue@ultracb.com
Maria Walton: maria@ultracb.com
Bonus:
A few weeks ago I was back at the School at Guadalupe Coronado playing frisbee with the local kid's. I asked them if they are gonna run again this year?
:)
They are already very excited!
I'm hoping that in the week leading up to the Kid's Run and the Ultra Marathon, during our hikes to scout the course we can visit a few school's. While there we can hold training runs with local children (a few laps around each school would be fine) where we can share gifts (school supplies) share our excitement about the event, make some great memories and
most importantly make some new friends.
Are you with me?
KUIRA BA
(We are one)
Thank you for this post, Patrick. I am sharing this with one of my son's middle school teachers who has taken on a project to collect supplies for the children and write letters in Spanish. I'm looking forward to returning to the race again this year and again bringing lots of donations. Kuira Ba.
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