XTERRA Trail Runs Race into New Territory

First XTERRA Puerto Rico Trail Run is completed at Bayamon

XTERRA Trail Runs reached new territory last week when the first XTERRA Bayamon Trail Run was staged in Bayamon, Puerto Rico, on Sunday, January 29.

It was the first event of the new XTERRA Puerto Rico Trail Run Series, and the first trail run race ever produced on the island.

"A bunch of newbies," is how race director Efrain Cardona Cabrera described the field of more than 100 runners. "Since trail running is new around here, most were people that have never seen or known the trails and just jumped in the event for an adrenaline rush and to experience some challenging and adventurous racing."

(Race photo courtesy www.xterrapr.com)
 
The runners got just that as two days of rain prior to the race created slippery and muddy conditions along the 5-kilometer course. The race was held at a site normally reserved for mountain biking, so most of the runners had never practiced on the course prior to the race.

David Rosa Fonseca, a member of Puerto Rico's national duathlon team, was the overall winner. He completed the 5K course in 22 minutes, 30 seconds, and finished well ahead of the rest of the field.

Kelvin Gonzalez placed second in 23:36, and Fabian Roman De Jesus was third in 25:08.

Mirla Gonzalez was the top female finisher with a time of 32:58. Gonzalez, 45, is a competitive mountain biker and a spinning class instructor, and this was her first trail run.

Runners ranging in age from 14 to 63 participated in the race. After the 5K was completed, more than 40 youth runners participated in a fun run for children 12 and younger along a short section of the course.

The XTERRA Puerto Rico Trail Run Series will feature three more races in 2012. Here is the upcoming schedule:

May 27 - XTERRA Salinas Trail Run (8K course)
August 12 - XTERRA Cabo Rojo Trail Run (5K course)
November 18 - XTERRA Cerro Gordo Trail Run (5K course)

Each race is open to runners of all ages and skill levels. To register or learn more about the series, please visit www.xterrapr.com.

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