Quito

Welcome to Quito! Today, we will pick you up from the airport and go to the Hotel located in Carolina in Quito. Our lead runner will meet with you in order to share some important information regarding the next days of the program. 

Quito

Today we have a combination of some short running and cultural activities. Early in the morning, after breakfast, we go to the Metropolitan Park to have a “get loose your legs” run. We are aiming to run no further than 6 km (3.7 miles), the idea is just to get used to the altitude and enjoy a morning run. We then return to the hotel and get ready to go explore the Old Town of Quito. This activity is super worth it and gives us the opportunity to learn about the history of our country. For a delicious lunch, we go to a traditional restaurant serving local food. (Length 4 -5 hours) After lunch, we immediately start our drive to the countryside. After 1 hour, we will already be in the little Andean village, where we will spend the night. The hacienda is located at over 3,200 m (10,500 ft), so our body will keep adapting to the elevation.

Quilotoa

After breakfast, we start our drive to the Quilotoa Lagoon, about 2.5 hour-long. Upon arrival, we will start our 11-km (6.8 miles) run around the crater of the volcano. Elevation here is over 3,900 m (12,795 ft). People with an intermediate level can finish this loop in approximately 1h20. After our run, we enjoy a savoury and nutritious lunch in a local place managed by indigenous people of the area. We then take the minivan again, direction to Riobamba (2.5 hr drive). Riobamba is the capital of the Chimborazo province, which was named after the highest volcano in Ecuador. Our accommodation is provided by the Andaluza Hotel and Museum, where they will be waiting for us with dinner and access to the massage therapy.

Chimborazo Province

Today, we follow a trail of 20-km (12.4 miles) long, with an interesting elevation change. Our support cars will be available to pick up the runners who feel like running less. Our goal of the day is to have a good 5-hour session of running above 3,900 m (12,795 ft). The terrain in the paramo is rocky and humid, and the weather can be challenging but we guarantee that this experience is beyond worth it. Once we finish the run, we get in the minivan to drive around 40 minutes to come back to our hacienda. There, relax at the Spa or enjoy the there amenities!

Banos

At 8:00, after breakfast, we drive about 1 hour to our next destination, Baños de Agua Santa. This little village is located on the slopes of the Tungurahua Volcano, at a lower elevation. For our first day in this part of the country, we will run around 10 km (6.2 miles) with an elevation gain of approximately 1,300 m (4,265 ft). We should complete this run in a couple of hours. Once finished, we have the opportunity to enjoy the hot springs and a massage if needed. Our accommodation for the night is the Samari Spa Resort. We recommend to go to bed early tonight since we have to wake up very early for our next intense day!

Tungurahua Province

We wake up at 3:00 to start our climb to the summit of Tungurahua Volcano. We start the run at 2,900 m (9,514 ft) and it usually takes around 6 hrs to reach the summit with an intermediate level. For the more advanced runners, it is doable in about 4 hrs. Let's note that an Ecuadorian runner holds the speed record of 4h18, from the city centre of Baños (1,770 m / 5,807 ft) to the top (5,026 m / 16,490 ft) and down. Along the way, support staff can provide drinks, and maybe collect equipment needed for the descent. Back at the hotel, savour a great meal and relax. At night, we will have our special goodbye dinner and share all the pictures and videos of this incredible experience!

Quito

Sleep in a bit for our last morning! At 9:00, we start our drive back to Quito, and we will directly drive the runners leaving the country today to the airport. The ones staying longer in our magnificent country will be driven to the city centre.