Total time: 39h 12m 33s
Total distance: 176.2km
Total vertical gain: 6,918mts
I began at 2:17 a.m. on the shore of Playa Chachalacas, stepping barefoot into the ocean to give thanks before embarking on the challenge towards the summit of Mexico’s highest peak. Wearing my minimalist Luna Sandals and a light running vest with just the basics, I started the journey accompanied by my support team: Melissa Lambert and Óscar Araujo, who were essential for the success of this challenge, handling all the logistics and details along the way.
Throughout the route, they followed me in a support vehicle wherever it was possible to drive, especially on narrow, unlit roads with sharp turns, where they escorted me with the hazard lights on for safety. In other sections, they would drive ahead to the next town and wait at planned checkpoints. With almost no cell reception in most areas, our coordination had to be strategic and precise.
During the daytime, the temperature rose significantly, and I could feel the intense heat dehydrating me. At around kilometer 30, I wore a knee brace to support my meniscus injury. At around kilometer 80 I changed into my trail running shoes.
I ran through different terrains, but before reaching Nuevo Jacal (at kilometer 160 and at 3,041 MASL – the final town before starting the climb), the majority of the route consisted of paved roads and dirt roads crossing crops. There were only a few sections of proper trail and river crossings.
I arrived at Nuevo Jacal at 28h 30m, where the real climb began and the true trail started. I changed into my trail running gear and continued towards the Piedra Grande Basecamp, which I reached at 32h 50m. There, I switched to my high-altitude mountaineering gear – boots on, crampons and ice axe packed – which I began using shortly after, when snow appeared at around 4,500 MASL. I reached the base of the glacier at 36h 30m, just as the fog began to roll in. The mountain was empty, only my support crew and I were there.
As I began climbing the glacier, the hallucinations kicked in, a result of extreme sleep deprivation. Ironically, I started mistaking the snow for sand, as if I were back on the beach. I also confused shadows for animals. I began mumbling incoherently and tripping as I climbed the steep glacier with my ice axe, while the slope increased, the sun went down, and the temperature began to drop.
In the final push to the summit, I lost the ability to make clear decisions. Melissa took the lead, while I simply followed. We weren’t roped up, as given the steep conditions and firm snow, it was actually safer to move independently.
After 39 hours since starting at sea level, I reached the summit (5,636 MASL) at sunset, scanning the horizon for a glimpse of Playa Chachalacas and the Gulf of Mexico. The sky was clear, revealing a panoramic 360-degree view of the landscape, with the astonishing shadow of the Pico de Orizaba cast by the setting sun, spread across the valley below.
Even though the challenge officially ended at the summit, we still had to face the descent, which was much harder at night. A beautiful red moon faintly lit the sky, but due to our sleep deprivation and the confusing dark trails, we began to get disoriented. As a result, the way down took us much longer than the way up.
Besides the hallucinations, one of the toughest challenges was dealing with the stray dogs along the way. During the nighttime, as I passed through small towns, I encountered packs of unleashed, aggressive dogs that barked, chased, and even tried to bite me, though luckily, they never got me. They kept me wide awake but anxious all the time. I carried my poles, which I would use to try to defend myself, and in the sections where my support crew was nearby, they honked the car horn to scare off the dogs, who seemed fearless and were likely just protecting their territory.
Along the way, my support team carried food and water to refill supplies, and while there were small shops along the route, it was sometimes difficult to find the exact things I was craving. Ice was one of the most essential things, especially during the intense heat of the day, but it was difficult to find. During the entire challenge, I burned over 14,000 calories and fueled mostly with vegan bean tacos, oats, and purée food (baby food).
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