Do you have what it takes? North Face Endurance Challenge comes to Costa Rica in May 2016

[Shannon Farley]

For its fourth year, the intense ultra-trail running endurance race The North Face Endurance Challenge Costa Rica returns to the Rincón de la Vieja Volcano in Guanacaste, Costa Rica.

On Saturday, May 28, 2016, hundreds of runners from all over the world will challenge themselves and each other in four endurance trail-running races of 10 km, 21 km, 50 km and 80 km on the slopes of Rincón de la Vieja Volcano. All races are individual, with no teams.

Demanding trails cover difficult yet beautiful terrain around Rincón de la Vieja Volcano, one of six active volcanoes in Costa Rica, spanning altitudes between 850 feet and 3,280 feet (260-1,000 meters). There will be aid stations along the routes.

Rincón de la Vieja is the largest volcano in the northwest province of Guanacaste. The towering ridge-shaped colossus holds several craters, and peaks at 6,286 feet (1,916m). Surrounding the volcano is Rincón de la Vieja National Park, filled with wild dry tropical forest, rivers, waterfalls and hot springs. The Rincón de la Vieja Volcano and National Park are a UNESCO World Heritage site.

Organized by The North Face outdoor gear and clothing company in the USA, The North Face Endurance Challenge is North America’s premier ultra-trail running series of endurance races. Launched in 2007, the races test experienced runners in beautiful scenic locations, while promoting a minimum impact philosophy. Part of the Latin America series, Costa Rica – a big destination for endurance races – held its first North Face Endurance Challenge in 2013.

Base camp for the race, and the start and finish lines, are at eco-hotel Hacienda Guachipelin – a major center for adventure tours in Guanacaste, Costa Rica: zip lining, mountain biking, waterfall rappelling, river tubing, horseback riding, nature trails, and natural volcanic hot springs.

Hotel Hacienda Guachipelin is a top Costa Rica travel destination for adventure and nature lovers. The award-winning hotel next to the Rincón de la Vieja National Park is located 15.5 miles (25 km) northeast of Guanacaste’s main city of Liberia, with easy access from the Liberia International Airport.

More Adventure Races at Rincon de la Vieja

The newest Costa Rica adventure race – 160K Rincon de la Vieja Mountain Bike Race – happens Aug. 20, 2016 at Hotel Hacienda Guachipelin. Racers will compete in three distances: 160 km (100 miles), 100 km (62 miles), and 50 km (31 miles) by the Rincon de la Vieja Volcano.

The fourth annual Rincon de la Vieja Challenge extreme mountain bike race will test elite mountain bikers on a 100-mile (160 km) circumnavigation of the active Rincon de la Vieja Volcano on Sept. 3, 2016. The Rincon de la Vieja Challenge is the first international chapter of the National Ultra Endurance Series (NUE) of the USA.

Article by Shannon Farley