The race that thousands of people have been preparing for months is approaching; the Correcaminos is coming. All the training and sacrifice will be reflected in 10, 21, or 42 kilometers of asphalt, dreams, sweat, and challenges.
We've put together 10 facts that will be good to know if you want to run your best Correcaminos possible:
1. The temperature in Cartago at 5 a.m. will be around 14-18 degrees Celsius. In Tres Ríos (for the half marathon) it will be between 15 and 19 degrees, and it could well dawn raining, as happened this Thursday. This means it's probably a good idea to bring warm clothing for those moments before the race and be mentally prepared for everything, including rain and fog.
2. The finish line of the marathon, in La Sabana, is 263 meters above sea level lower than the start (meaning the marathon route has a net descent of 263 meters). The half marathon route has a net descent of 203 meters, and the 10k route has a net descent of only 9 meters. Favorable for achieving good times? Yes, but your legs also suffer more from the impact of the downhill. We hope you've trained well on descents...
3. Marathon runners will have 14 hydration stations on the course, four aid stations and three sponge stations to cool off. Half marathon runners will have 7 hydration stations, and 10k runners will have 4. This suggests plenty of hydration for everyone.
4. The marathon has a stretch of 17 kilometers of almost continuous downhill, between the Ochomogo cone and Plaza Víquez (from kilometer 16 to 33). The half marathon has 12 kilometers of almost continuous descent, from Tres Ríos to Plaza Víquez. The 10k runners never have more than 2k of continuous descent :(
5. The Ochomogo climb is 4k long, of which 2.5 kilometers are moderate climbing (3-4% grade) and 1.5 kilometers are leg-burning climbing (7-9% grade).
6. The lowest point of the race is in Sabana Oeste (near Canal 7), at 1120 meters above sea level. The bad news is that from that point to the finish in Sabana Este there are still two kilometers, and they're uphill (the finish is at 1147 m.a.s.l.).
7. There are 5140 athletes registered for Sunday: 1290 for the marathon, 3000 for the half marathon, and 850 for the 10k. Beyond being a curious fact, it's a good idea to plan the logistics of the day based on these numbers. The half marathon runners will probably need to arrive earlier at the start since there will be 3000 athletes and their families trying to get into Tres Ríos, plus the usual chaos at mass event starts, plus time to warm up, to store your gear in the coat check, etc. Marathon runners, then, keep in mind that getting into Cartago can get complicated as the start time approaches, and nobody would want to miss the marathon because of a miscalculated traffic jam...
8. There will be about 300 people WORKING on race day. This includes about 60 people dedicated specifically to traffic control, which provides some peace of mind regarding cars on such a long route between Cartago and San José.
9. There will be five pacers for the marathon runners, 10 for those running the half marathon, and none for those running the 10k (you'll have to calculate it yourselves). The marathon pacers will aim to help you finish in 3h30', 3h45', 4h00', 4h15', and 4h30', while the half marathon pacers will try to help you finish the distance in 1h30', 1h35', 1h40', 1h45', 1h50', 1h55', 2h00', 2h05', 2h10', and 2h15' respectively. Remember to coordinate your strategy with your pacer at the Correcaminos Expo, since they won't always maintain the same pace...
10. Every year about 8 million tons of plastic end up in the ocean, and plastic takes about 500 years on average to decompose. What the heck does this have to do with Correcaminos? Well, keep your blessed water/hydration bags until you can dispose of them in a trash bin or, even better, until you get home and recycle them! Being a brave runner chasing your goals doesn't give you the right to ruin your planet—be responsible for your waste.
From A Buen Paso we wish you the best in your Correcaminos, whatever your goal may be, and that you enjoy it to the fullest. Go for it!
—RELATED: ANALYSIS OF THE MARATHON, HALF MARATHON, AND 10K CORRECAMINOS ROUTE.
