The Come To Galapagos Marathon, half marathon and 10K events!

The annual Come To Galapagos Marathon (half marathon and 10K) event is dedicated to the development of environmentally sustainable economies in the Galapagos. It is a community sponsored event involving to a greater or lesser degree everyone living on the island. Population 6,000.

The 3rd annual Come To Galapagos marathon will be held on May 13, 2012.

Click Here for 2012 packages, registration/release forms, 2010 & 2011 results/reviews/photos.

Overall, the 2011 marathon went well. Results are available at: CometoGalapagosMarathon.com. We had an unexpected amount of publicity this year; live national TV and radio coverage, the Ecuadorean equivalents of Oprah and Regis showed up, the marathon was featured on an internationally syndicated program “Asi Somos” (this is us, “Oprah’s” show), there was a full spread two page write up in El Comercio, the largest Ecuadorean news paper.
We try to plan and organize every detail, but each year something wonderful happens that we didn’t plan. The first year there was a farmer cheering and throwing flower peddles as the marathon runners past and there was the group of kids playing soccer at the stadium near the finish line who got the bright idea to escort the marathon runners as they entered the stadium and made their way around the last 300 meters of the track to the finish line. The kids liked it because they got to cross the finish line and receive the applause again and again. The runners said it was the most helpful thing that had ever happened to them finishing a marathon.

This year there was a man at kilometer 32 giving the runners that wanted it, a bucket full of water on the head. He just happened to be there at K 32, “the wall” for marathon runners where many have to simply quit. Several told me that bucket of water and that man standing there with his willingness to help them made the difference. There is an old woman who sits at “four corners” every day with her wheel barrow, selling a dollar’s worth of whatever fruit is in season here. It is her only source of income. If I’m passing I always stop and buy whatever she’s selling whether I need it or not. The day of the marathon she wheeled her wheel barrow full of fruit the few blocks over to the stadium and just gave us all she had “for the runners”, she said. I would like to report that ever since I have made it a point to stop by her corner daily and buy some fruit, but I haven’t gone out of my way as of yet. And each year there have also been some goof ups. The first year we had a police man directing the last runners off the course (short cut to the finish line). In 2011 a corporal in the navy decided to clean up the last four aid stations while there were still fifteen runners attempting to finish the course. I turned into a mobile aid station on my atv, hydrating these last runners home.

Normally our business is customizing private tours of the Galapagos, so over the years we’ve seen many kinds of travelers. I have to say marathon runners as a whole are some of the most gracious, patient, appreciative visitors we have had the pleasure of sharing these islands with.

We doubled the number of off island runners this year and it looks like we will double that again in 2012, which will mean the event will be full and registrations will be closed at some point. We will then be accepting reservations for 2013.

We would like to thank everyone who helped or participated in the first two marathons. Your help and participation made it possible for there to be a third. The mission of the marathon is to connect and involve the people and institutions of the town in a mutually beneficial event with national and international runners. The Come To Galapagos marathon is an “eco friendly” sporting event that both promotes health activities and furthers the development of sustainable economies here on San Cristobal. The 2011 marathon, in the space of six days put more than $80,000 directly into the local economy while having minimal environmental impact. Next year we will more than double that figure.

We wish to continue to develop the event for years to come while maintaining this adherence to the care of the local people and environment. This year we are certain that the races will fill to the maximum allowable size, 250 “off island” runners.

In order to maintain a level of service for the runners and to maximize the economic benefits for San Cristobal and the Galapagos we will not be registering international runners who do not take part in an organized tour.

In order to have the least possible ecological impact and the greatest possible experience for the runners, companies wishing to offer marathon related tours will need to have these tours approved/coordinated by us. What we will be doing is very similar to what the National Park does with cruise tours, organizing them so that we don’t have a situation where five groups show up at the tortoise breeding center at 8 AM one day or there are ten boats out at Isla de Lobos. This is a service we are willing to do simply for the sake of the experience of the runners, the future of the marathon and local agency’s ability to profit this year and in years to come. We will reserve the number of spaces in the races for these international tours while filling the remaining with national runners who, due to all the publicity and “scouts” sent by sponsors and running clubs in Ecuador will be coming in force next year.

The Come to Galapagos Marathon is predominantly downhill, starting at near the highest elevation on the island and descending to sea level. For this reason the course is a little challenging. The “training package” will allow runners to descend from the highlands of all four populated islands. All of the marathon tour packages we offer are basically all inclusive so that all you really need do is arrive in Ecuador and everything else is taken care of.

Also new this year and by request of many of the town’s families are junior races for kids of five and two kilometers.

The marathon course starts at 574 meters above sea level on the highest part of the paved road which crosses the island. It ends in the soccer stadium in town at 19 meters above sea level. The course is run on asphalt, cement or inlaid blocks with the exception of two stretches of dirt road, 4 kilometers and 2.3 kilometers. These two stretches are within the first 18 kilometers of the race. There are two stretches that run along the coast. The runners will pass through 5 vegetation zones (miconia, scalesia, transitional, arid and costal). Figuring in all of the undulations the course has an approximate net downhill of 808 meters (2,650.9 ft.) and an approximate net uphill of 234 meters (767.7 ft.). The last 10 kilometers have a net rise of 75 meters (246 ft.) and fall of 60 meters (196.5 ft.). The last 3 kilometers are flat. We will be sending cross sections of the elevation changes in the races so you’ll know what to look forward to.

The half marathon is run entirely on asphalt, cement or inlaid blocks. It starts at 574 meters above sea level on the highest part of the paved road which crosses the island. It ends in the soccer stadium in town at 19 meters above sea level, has an approximate net downhill of 584 meters (1,916 ft.) and an approximate net uphill of 42 meters (137.8 ft.).

The 10K course is run entirely on asphalt, cement or inlaid blocks. It begins and ends at the Soccer stadium in town, basically circumnavigates the town with a net up hill and down hill of 75 meters (246 ft.)

At the beginning of the Marathon and half marathon the temperature will be around 65 degrees, with a five to 10 knot breeze, some mornings stronger and possibly there will be some drizzle. Runners may want to begin running with a windbreaker. We will attach a second “mini bib” to your windbreaker. This will allow you to discard it at one of the first four aid stations, the last of these four is at kilometer 12.5. These stations are ready to receive your jacket, store it and have it waiting for you with your back pack at the end of the race. If there is drizzle the first 2 kilometers of the race are on a wide dirt road, it may be a little slippery. Be careful, at kilometer 1.9 you will reach asphalt. At the end of the race the temperature will be around 75 degrees, may be sunny, partly sunny or overcast. Each kilometer is marked with a sign. The half marathon course is marked at ¼, ½ and ¾. There is one way, controlled traffic on some of the roads you will be running, though there will not be much traffic as it is a Sunday morning. On the two sections of one lane dirt road, those roads will be closed. There are bathrooms on the course at K 12 and 30. There are limited bathroom faculties (two) at the start of the marathon and half marathon due to the lack of portable bathrooms in the Galapagos and national park directives. Please do your best to void yourself before you get on the bus. As you probably know “your best” has as much to do with the time of your last meal and what that meal consisted of as it has to do with anything else. Aid stations with water and electrolyte drink occur every 2.5 kilometers (often less) in the first 27 Kilometers of the race. After that every 1.5 Kilometer (often less). Sponges, and bananas will be available at aid stations you will pass at approximately these kilometers; 29, 32, 36, 39 and 41.

The race is an international event attracting runners from around the world. We’ve had runners from India, Africa, Europe, North and South America. The only continents which haven’t been represented yet are Australia and Antarctica. For environmental reasons, enrollment is limited to two hundred and fifty entrants. Please write for registration form and to check availability, rickandbere@cometogalapagos.com.