Pucón - again?! Trail running, hiking, and canyoning

The time has come for the long-awaited run at the foot of the active Villarica volcano. I won a free ticket for this race at a competition in Valdivia. The date was perfect for me because it's my last week in Chile and I can say goodbye to everyone again. The distances to choose from were 6, 12, 21, or 50 km. I bravely chose the 12 km, as a trail run includes difficult paths, sometimes with climbing, and many meters of elevation that you have to cover during the race. I had 3 months to prepare, and guess who didn't take the time to train during my travels? I was active, especially on foot, but running is a whole different story.

After much deliberation, whether I should switch the distance and reduce it to 6 km, my ambition got the better of me and I stuck with my decision. I registered officially for the race. The race kit included, in addition to the number, a beautiful T-shirt from the race.

After registration, there was a technical briefing. I was told to bring a rescue blanket, a whistle, and store an emergency phone number. It is also recommended to wear a kind of sleeve to prevent stones from getting into the running shoes and to use poles for better running. Where have I landed, I don't even have a backpack for running. But I managed to organize one somehow, and also a baseball cap to protect against the sun. The day before, I was allowed to spend time with a running group from Valdivia in a house at the foot of Villarica. We even had a pool. That was one of the best things that could happen to me. After the last days of traveling, I had sleep to catch up on, and a totally lazy day is the best before the race anyway. Of course, the evening before, there was the traditional pasta party, which is common before demanding sports competitions.

On the day of the race, I was very excited. I had great respect for the course because during the 12 km route, we had to climb 500m in elevation, with a temperature of 25 degrees and bright sunshine. But I would describe myself as a competitive type, and so I entered a very focused state that pushes the body to its limits without letting "the pain" take over. Since training was lacking, I took it slow.

The first part of the course was a descent on gravel paths into the forest. We had to jump back and forth along the banks of a water channel, which was a lot of fun. However, it required a lot of concentration. One wrong step and the whistle would be necessary. After half of the course, the ascent followed. 6 km uphill, sometimes steeper, sometimes flatter. It was not possible to run, so everyone started walking fast. (and I had plenty of practice with that in the last few months) Eventually, the leg muscles start to ache and you feel like you're carrying lead weights. My respect to all who chose the longer distances. After 1:35h, I reached the finish line, overjoyed. It's incredible how movement can make you so happy. Later I found out that I came in 4th in my category and 12th among all women. I never expected that.

The next day, my legs are burning.. and not from the sun this time. I have a terrible muscle ache. But that doesn't stop me because today is supposed to be my last hike in Chile. For this, I chose a real challenge: I climbed the San Sebastian in the "Huerquehue" National Park. 1200 meters of elevation in 10 km uphill and, of course, back down. I wanted to give up, but then I met an Argentine who had the same problem with tired muscles, and so we dragged each other up to the summit with many breaks. The trail was very demanding, the last part required holding onto roots to avoid slipping and climbing a very steep section. To finish, we had to navigate through large rocks. Once at the top, I was overjoyed, the view was incredible! I had a 360° view of 7 different volcanoes and 6 different lagoons. And also the wonderful Aukarien. Everything I have loved so much in the last few months came together here. I believe that this hike was the perfect ending to my time here. Exhausting, but magical.

On my last day in Pucon, I crossed off another activity from my bucket list: Canyoning. (Bucket list includes all the things you want to do before you kick the bucket.) For those who don't know, you get a wetsuit with a life jacket, socks, shoes, and a helmet. There is a safety briefing, and then small groups head into a fast-flowing shallow river. You wade along the edge, trying to find traction on the slippery stones. Then you come to a small waterfall. Everyone lines up in a row. Then, on the guide's signal (or being pushed "on 3"), each person jumps into the pool below the waterfall. There are also swimming sections and parts of the route that function as a natural slide. The highest jump for me was 6 m, and for the 12 m waterfall I decided to use a kind of zip line into the water. Canyoning is a lot of fun and provides an adrenaline kick, but it's also quite exhausting. The flowing water is freezing despite the wetsuit, and my nose got rinsed a few times. The guides push people through the river quite quickly, so there is often little time to consider whether you really want to jump or not. Definitely worth it in any case.

Now I'm heading back to Valdivia to pick up my winter clothes, cuddle the alpaca, and say goodbye to all the important people.

Frieda (24.01)