Living in Peru : your everyday companion

by
Steve Cambridge

This is the second year of the Pacasmayo International Marathon. Pacasmayo is located on the northern coast of Peru, S.A. in the department of La Libertad, about 100 Km north of Peru’s third largest city, Trujillo. Although Pacasmayo is well known throughout the international surfing community for its world class waves, it is less known for its world class off-road running and biking.

We have created a challenging venue in the northern part of Peru where runners can achieve a personal running goal. In addition, we are bringing recognition to the local artisans in Pacasmayo. These talented artisans make animal figurines and other products out of marble. Two of the Pacasmayo artisans have been selected to make one-of-a kind hand-marble medals that will be given to every participant that finishes their designated race. In addition, these two artisans will also make the trophies from marble which will be presented to the first place men and women finishers in each of the four races. The Pacasmayo International Marathon is also unique in that 70% of the profits that we earn will go to purchase products for our local soup kitchen which serves lunches for needy children and destitute senior citizens. Thirty percent of the profits from the marathon will help fund next year’s race. No one associated with the marathon receives any money for their involvement.


All four races (5Km, 10 Km, 21 Km and 42 Km) are considered off-road courses and are described in detail under race information.com in our website at: (www.maratoninternacionaldepacasamyo.com). The courses are challenging and beautiful. The participants will be running on desert roads and paths that are composed of hard packed sand and dirt and at other times on pavement. The course is never more 200 feet above sea level but is punctuated with a couple of attention-getting hills: Heartbreak, “No More”, and No Way! The natural beauty of the Pacific Ocean is almost always in view. Throw in the usual blue sky and you have the ingredients for an exceptional marathon setting.


Our goal this year is to have 200 - 300 runners and 100 volunteers supporting them. Last year, during our inaugural marathon, we had 141 registrations. There will be five major cities in central and northern Peru that we will draw from; Lima, Trujillo, Chiclayo, Cajamarca and Piura. In addition, there are approximately 165 Peace Corps volunteers serving in Peru. About 50% of the volunteers have expressed interest in running in this year’s event. Moreover, we have already received registrations from the United States, Hong Kong, Spain and Canada. So, we are cautiously optimistic about achieving our goal of 200 – 300 participants. However, whether or not we achieve our goal of 200-300 participants will be decided in the next four weeks. It depends on how effective we are in marketing the Pacasmayo International Marathon during the last two weeks of April and the first two weeks of May. I want to thank Living in Peru for helping us publicize the Pacasmayo International Marathon to their worldwide audience.


July is considered a winter month for the coast of Peru. We should have ideal running conditions. The temperatures normally average between 55 degrees F. and 65 degrees F. in the morning. And, you can leave your rain gear at home. We receive less than 1 inch of precipitation each year.


On Saturday, July 4th there will be an artisan’s fair during the day. The Pacasmayo artisans will be displaying their products along with several of our sponsors. At 4 p.m., the runners and volunteers will participate in a course and rules meeting. This will be immediately followed by a drawing for gifts, dinners and deserts donated by local businesses. The drawing will be followed by the Parade of Runners. The runners and volunteers will wear their respective t-shirts and walk through the streets of Pacasmayo as the residents show their appreciation and support to the runners and volunteers. Runners that register before May 1st will receive the traditional runner’s pasta dinner free of charge immediately following the parade. On Sunday, following the awards ceremony, there will be a post-race party for all participants and volunteers.


The Estación Hotel is located on the ocean, and has an excellent menu catering to tourists. For fish, it is hard to beat Tabaris restaurant. Casa Blanca has an excellent Peruvian menu at very reasonable prices. La Piettra has excellent pizza and pasta. Café Café prepares delicious Chinese entrees. For a hamburger and fries or cebiche at a budget price, it’s hard to beat Puerto Escondido. The Pakatnamu Hotel has a chef that will prepare special entrées upon request. All of these restaurants are within three or four blocks of each other. Our marathon committee will provide a list of restaurants to the participants when they pick-up there race packets on Saturday. As far as sightseeing goes, I think the view that the 21 Km and 42 Km runners have as they approach the little town of Milagros is the best view of the weekend. That being said, the participants will want to walk up the hill near the cemetery and catch a view of the sunset while overlooking Pacasmayo. It can be breathtaking!


The Pacasmayo International Marathon is not just a race, it is an event. This is an event which is as much about developing and strengthening international relationships as it is about competing in a race. The courses will bring out the best in every runner. The runners and volunteers will bring out the best in each other. We hope that you will come to Pacasmayo and help us celebrate this 4th of July weekend in a very special and memorable way.

Click here for more information on this event!

About the Author:
(Steve is a Peace Corps Volunteer living in Pacasmayo, Peru, S.A. He works with artisans, assists in tourism, teaches physical education in a grade school and special education school and teaches a weekly exercise class to senior citizens. He also coaches Special Olympic athletes. He is currently training to run the 42 Km course one week after the July 5th race.)

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Great story and event!

Glad to see the country of Peru is offering a world class marathon in 2009 and other short course running events. It sounds like the location will be ideal, so I am sure you can expect a great response in participation.

Also, good to hear you have such a strong support group of volunteers. This always makes a big difference between success and failure. The people of Peru are blessed to have such a dedicated individual such as you Mr. Cambridge as a "difference maker".

Adios and Cheers!

hi there i am a canadian athlete based out in puertovallarta mexcio.I was looking to see if peru offerd a regular race circuite with road 5kms and 10kms because i was thinking about living trainning and raceing out there in november 2009 onwards. anyways saw your event advertised and i think what you and other volounteers are doing is brilliant i only wish i could join your for the 5km as i am a 5000m runner makeing my comeback.
  well hope your event is great and please if you know of any part of peru that has an athletics track to train and maybe some 5km or 10km races please email me. well done on your past achievments with your running events.... bless you. sarah saffie bouchard mexico skype saffie911

Hello Sarah,
Lima is quickly developing a great running culture.  Here is a story I did about it recently:
http://www.livinginperu.com/blogs/features/769
and here is a review of the recent Adidas marathon, 1/2 and 10K:
http://www.livinginperu.com/features-785-art-culture-lifestyle-adidas-marathon-takes-lima-running-new-level-
Cheers,
Ben Jonjak

I wanted to share a couple of runner´s comments that we received following the II Pacasmayo International Marathon - 2009.  In addition to these two comments, we have posted several other runners' comments at www.maratoninternacionaldepacasmayo.com.  We had participants from Hong Kong, Canada, Spain, United States and Perú.  Over 80 Peace Corps Volunteers participated as runners or volunteers.   The Pacasmayo International Marathon is receiving the distinction as the "Best Small Marathon in South America".  I want to thank "Living in Peru" for publizing the Pacasamyo International Marathon.  We invite the readers of "Living in Perú" to join us on July 3rd and 4th, 2010, as particapants or volunteers in what is regarded as one of the most fun-filled weekends in Perú.  Prepare to arrive early to experience the Friday night concert, Saturday´s Parade of Runners, free spaghetti dinner for early registrations, fireworks and post-race party.  Not to mention all the new friends you will meet from all over the world.  We look forward to your participation.  Finally, below are the comments i promised to share with you;

Dear Friends,

This letter is directed to the community of long-distance runners of Peru. My name is Oscar Gutiérrez and I am currently treasurer of the Peruvian Track and Field Federation, principal judge y coordinator of the Association of Peruvian Long-distance Runners, and technical member of Perú Runners.  I live thankful to God and life for having found long-distance running, a lifestyle that has allowed me to refocus my life and to meet people with whom I share every day the enjoyment of training, competing, traveling, conversing, etc., and to be able to say this makes me happy.

As an athlete, I have been able to participate multiple times in the New York Marathon, then in Chicago, Miami and also in Huancayo and Lima; but, as director, I have been able to travel around the country supporting and controlling races organized by Perú Runners and the AFP. This experience gives me the basis to reaffirm what I said when they awarded me for winning the 21K in the category of SuperMaster at the Pacasmayo Marathon: This race is one of the most beautiful races that exist in Perú.  I would like to briefly summarize why:

1. The dedication of the organizers, in particular the Peace Corps Volunteers of the United States, is impressive; besides professionalism, there is love and affection.  They bend over backwards to offer us the best, from the pre-planning to the order of their program, but, above all, the smile of those at the hydration points or the sweetness with which they give you the little surprise gifts the day before the race, the race t-shirts, the courtesy shown at the pasta party, etc.  Those who participate expecting to receive large material prizes are better off not going, because the value of the prizes is found in the generosity of the artisans who produce the trophies and the time that, with much love, the volunteers dedicate to recognizing the winners.
2. Those of us who run on the asphalt of Lima are sick of running among cement, and we have the chance to run in an enviable coastal landscape, by the sea, feeling the beach breeze or seeing the lighthouse which characterizes the place as a reference point, on a hard route, with all types of terrain (sandy slopes, sturdy ground, rough terrain and highway asphalt).  But that allows us to establish new challenges in four distances (5K, 10K, 21K and Marathon).  On the other hand, Pacasmayo is a beautiful summer resort, with an incomparable sunset, good hotels and excellent food and with prices that are actually very economical when compared to Lima.
3. The liveliness along the route is fabulous, from the hydration volunteers, the locals that encourage you to continue the race and the encouragement of the other participants, many of them foreigners, with those you cross in the heat of the race, depending on the distance you choose, and you feel that you are not competing against them, but rather that everyone is part of a single team, and to achieve the goal is a joy that they will share with you.  The technical aspects of hydration, nourishment, bathrooms, route marking, and others are well taken care of and prepared with care (just as an example, a large part of the marking in the desert is with piles of rocks painted white by the coordinators themselves!!!) 

I could continue giving more reasons: the aspect of social work the race includes, the involvement with the population, the diversity of categories, etc., but it would be lengthy to tell.  I just want to finish by saying that, in Perú, the only way that races of such quality will continue to be organized is if we participate in them.  For this reason, I invite you to participate in the 2010 marathon and, as of now, put it in your athletic calendar.  For my part, I want to offer all of my support to the organizers and to thank them because, even though many of them are foreigners, they give a token of affection to Perú that we, as Peruvians, should imitate ourselves. 

Oscar Gutiérrez  

Cc:  Organizers of the Pacasmayo International Marathon    

Hi Steve!
I just wanted to thank you for such an amazing marathon weekend. Running was my outlet in the states- to meet up with friends, to meditate, to stay fit- and I've been really missing that camaraderie that you get from other runners. Unfortunately, the terrain at my site in Ancash doesn't really allow for much running. They all think I'm just a crazy gringa and yell things like "Ras! Ras!" (Faster, faster! in Quechua) when I go by. Everything was absolutely perfect! From the t-shirts, to the pasta dinner, the markings on the course to keep us on track, the amazing volunteers, my trophy, the after party, and I could just keep going on. I stayed at Bahia hostel and they were so accommodating. They boiled water for us in the morning for coffee, returned my cell phone that I left in their cafeteria race day morning, helped us out when we locked ourselves out of our rooms (which happened a lot for some reason). They were great and please thank them again for me. I also got some great prizes at the raffle- an awesome fanny pack and a polo from a boutique. And my prize dinner at Cafe Cafe was delicious! I shared the two plates with everyone else and they agreed it was the best chifa we'd had in Peru. I really hope that the race goes on again next year, it was such a fantastic opportunity to see my friends and share in something unique on our 4th of July weekend. Thanks again, Steve! You really made something happen in your two years of service and I hope that I can leave in Nov. of 2010 with the same sense of accomplishment.

Shannon Doran