Have questions? Give us a call at (917) 328-6472.

Day 1/Pre-Race check-in (October 12, 2008)

Arrive San Jose, Costa Rica before 3pm. Registration, check-in by 5pm. Welcome reception from 5pm-7pm. Get some sleep! We’ve got a big week ahead of us!

Day 2/Race Day 1 (10K)

Depart the Best Western Irazu in San Jose and head for the volcano. The 10K run will be near the volcano of Turrialba.  A narrow unpaved road will take you through the hills and past small villages that sit above San Jose.  Your finish line is the home of Turrialba Lodge, where we’ll be staying that night.  Relax at the indoor pool, go horseback riding or trek up to the volcano.  It’s all up to you. 

Note - For those not interested in camping, lodging is available on a first come first serve basis. 4 nights lodging (w/out any camping throughout the week) will be available for an additional $300 per person for the week.

Day 3/Race Day 2 (7K)

Our 8K run begins at 6:30 am through the region of Turrialba. Trails will take you through Costa Rica’s world-renowned rainforests and a botanical garden. Today’s main event is an intense canyoning tour and canopy walk! As you rappel down waterfalls and tall trees, drift through huge lagoon pools, and zip-line across spans of jungle floor 60-80 feet below, you’ll soon realize you are just beginning to experience Costa Rica in a way very few people have the opportunity to do in one week!
You’ll also tour the "Golden Bean Coffee Mill", a local coffee plantation that helps produce one of Costa Rica’s most amazing exports. You’ll see, smell and taste how it’s transformed from a simple bean to rich, flavorful perfection in a mug! Feel free to explore the town of Turrialba that evening.

Day 4/Race Day 3 (5 K)

The 5K run begins @8am and will end at the put-in for today’s whitewater rafting adventure! The Pacuare River is one of the top 5 river rafting experiences in the entire world and the most beautiful rafting trip in this hemisphere. You will hurdle down Class 2, 3 and 4 rapids with certified river rafting guides and have the rafting trip of a lifetime.
That evening we’ll be lodging in style and recovering from the long day on the water at the Rios Tropicales Lodge!  This lodge is actually on the river and is half way through your water rafting adventure.  Rest up for the final leg on the river tomorrow morning.

Day 5/Race Day 4 (8K)

Today’s 8K run begins @8am. Be prepared for a combination of jungle and riverside trails today. The race will start and finish at the Rios Tropicales Lodge.  After breakfast, it’s time to get back on the river for your final leg of rafting.  Enjoy the rapids, waterfalls and overall scenery of the rain forest because we’re headed straight for the coast that afternoon. 

Our next stop is Manzanillo!  It is the first of three coastal towns we’ll be exploring over the next 2 days. Manzanillo is a 250 year-old village originally settled by fishermen seeking the hawksbill sea turtle. They first settled near Monkey Pond and gradually moved into what is now known as Manzanillo. The village has developed slowly over the years and did not have electricity until as recently as the 1980’s or landline phone service until the year 2000. The areas are close to one another so you won’t need to brace yourself for long trips on a daily basis. This section of the race will allow us to gradually cover the beauty of Costa Rica’s Southeastern Caribbean side.

Day 6/Race Day 5 (7K)

Today’s 7K run begins at 8am.  Give it all you have for the last 7K, a tough but stunning single-track trail. You’ll need to dig deep on this one. We’ll be running past the final small town on the last bit of road in Southeastern Costa Rica. You will see one of the most beautiful and unspoiled places in the entire country, a stretch of jungle trail that weaves on and off the beach before turning inland and leading to Panama. You won’t get to Panama today but you’ll get close before circling back to where you started. This entire area is a surfing Mecca and bohemian paradise.
We’ll also have complimentary snorkel equipment, kayaks and tours for those not interested in conquering the Costa Rica waves. SCUBA tours will be an option at an additional price for anyone certified. We’ll celebrate everyone’s success with a banquet and awards ceremony that night. CONGRATULATIONS EVERYONE!

Day 7/Transport back to San Jose (October 18th, 2008)

Brunch is served and then it’s time to board the bus back to San Jose. Accommodations are complimentary if you’d like to stay at the Best Western that night. Some of you may decide to say goodbye to the group in Puerto Viejo, contemplating the idea of calling it home for the next year or so.