---
title: "La Angelina in Pairs: tips and what to expect"
published: 2016-02-12
updated: 2026-08-04
source: "https://dev-abp.massivoai.com/en/articles/la-angelina-en-parejas-consejos-y-que-esperar"
---

# La Angelina in Pairs: tips and what to expect

**What better way to celebrate a friendship, a love, or a family bond than by running? That's what makes La Angelina en Parejas unique, organized by Costa Rica Ecogreen — throughout the entire course, both runners must stay together and, of course, must cross the finish line together.**

But it's not a walk in the park either. The park part is true, because it will be at La Angelina Mountain Bike Park, in Ochomogo, on a 100% asphalt-free route surrounded by nature. But the course is far from easy: it's 10k with steep climbs and technical descents. To make the challenge even harder, the race will be at night. This year more than 120 couples signed up for the challenge and will race on Saturday with someone special.

"For me the start is the hardest part," Erick Agüero told us, who has run La Angelina en Parejas twice. "The first two kilometers are very tough because you start out very fast and it's all uphill," he added. According to the event's elevation profile, the race starts with 1.5 kilometers of steep climbing, followed by 500 meters of descent and then another 3k of climbing or so until the midpoint of the race.

![Alt LA Parejas](https://scontent-mia1-1.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xtf1/t31.0-8/s2048x2048/12622031_973748102680714_3857950711053485732_o.jpg "Alt LA PArejas")

Then comes a descent of approximately one kilometer, another climb until kilometer seven, and finally the last 3k of descent to the finish. "The climbs aren't that steep, but the descent is very fast and technical," Paola Herrera explained to us, who has done the course before. "There's a section that's all exposed roots and you have to be careful not to fall or twist an ankle," she continued. The exposed roots section is famous because every athlete we spoke with mentioned it.

"The downhill section is super technical, you can fall easily," said Adriana Vicente, referring to a section of the descent that is used for practicing downhill (high-speed downhill cycling). Adriana ran La Angelina en Parejas for the first time last year and was delighted by the experience: "La Angelina is beautiful, but it does have some very tough sections. In my case I run with my sister and my advice is to let one of the two people set the pace and have the other follow," she said.

Here's a summary of the main tips for running La Angelina en Parejas:

• **Control your pace in the first few kilometers.** They're uphill and "very difficult," so maintaining an appropriate pace will be vital to continue the rest of the race at a good speed.

• **Be careful on the descents.** Normally we celebrate when a downhill section comes in a race, but in the case of La Angelina the descents are complicated; in some sections there are exposed roots that can easily cause a stumble or twist an ankle, and in others there's a lot of dust and curves that you need to navigate with good technique or otherwise you'll end up on the ground.

• **Let the weaker person set the pace.** In the middle of the mountain, at night, and with other couples around it can be very difficult to agree and maintain the same pace. The couples must stay together at all times, so the logical advice is to let the stronger runner of the two allow the other to set the pace. This way they'll avoid leaving their partner behind, will be able to help them on the toughest sections, and there won't be arguments or problems about the pace.

• **Come prepared for cold and rain.** It's not like you need to wear a heavy coat, according to the athletes we interviewed, but for some it might be a good idea to wear a long-sleeved shirt under the event shirt, which you're required to wear anyway. At La Angelina the weather is unpredictable and fog and rain can appear at any moment. You need to be prepared for whatever comes.

• **Live it and enjoy it.** The route is difficult and the terrain is challenging, but how often do you get the chance to run a race with your best friend, with your spouse, or with a family member? It's an experience to remember and just as much as you suffer you have to enjoy it. Halfway through, after a killer climb, share a laugh with your partner or give them a hug. At the end of the day it's a privilege to be up there among coyotes, owls, and other adventurers like you.

You can see the map of La Angelina en Parejas [HERE](https://www.facebook.com/costaricaecogreen/photos/pcb.973748239347367/973748146014043/?type=3&theater).

A Buen Paso uses [Massivo](https://massivoai.com), the event-registration platform that powers this article.