From Saturday, June 13 to July 20, 2020, and organized from San Gil, Chicamocha Canyon Race was run in a different way: the #RetoCCR2020 "Reactivated" challenge. The goal was for runners all over the world (20,000 were expected), each from their home town and following health protocols and local rules, to walk or run one of five distances: 10 km, 23 km, 45 km marathon, 100 km and 100 miles.
Each runner could plan their own outings and add up kilometers in several stages, from Saturday, June 13 at 7:00 a.m. to Monday, July 20 at noon (Colombia time). New runners could also sign up during that period.
A challenge to keep us moving
One of the aims of the virtual event was to get sport going again and keep a positive attitude through the emotional toll of those months. Anyone could take part, because each person added up kilometers according to their abilities and circumstances: everyone was a winner, and every participant who completed their distance received a finisher certificate.
Free registration with a charitable twist
Registration was free, with the option of a voluntary donation, in money or in kind, to a fund supporting the most vulnerable communities along the race routes in the Chicamocha Canyon and in towns such as Aratoca, Cepitá, Los Santos, Jordán, Villanueva, Barichara and San Gil. Live broadcasts ran on @chicamocharace's social media.
We wanted people to stay active and for social media to talk about the Chicamocha Canyon, San Gil and the landscapes and towns of Santander. Chicamocha Canyon Race, which drew more than 800 runners from around the world every year, was due to hold its eighth edition in 2020, and we could not let the date go by.
The result: more than 5,000 runners from all over the world got moving again from their own cities, and many completed the 100 miles in stages.
