Holding onto a chicken while running over the rough terrain of a volcanic island sounds like a surreal variation on the classic chicken-crossing-the-road joke.
It鈥檚 not, though, as ultra runner Paul Romero, 46, of Squamish found out when he took part in the Nicaragua Survival Run in early February, when he had to run carrying a chicken for part of the race.
鈥淭his is a solo, ultramarathon survival event,鈥� he told The 小蓝视频 during a phone interview from Maui. 鈥淭he race takes place on a mysterious island called Ometepe鈥�. This island is in the middle of a giant lake.鈥�
The race is so tough that most do not complete it. Romero, though, hit the finish line in a tie for first place with fellow local racer Dylan Morgan.聽
鈥淲e鈥檙e proud to represent Squamish.鈥�
When he is not competing, he operates UPRISE Performance in Squamish and Whistler as well as a new location on Maui. His regular work involves training high-performance athletes for events such as ultramarathons and adventure racing. He also has plenty of experience in these events, with more than 15 years competing.聽
In many ways he was prepared for Nicaragua, but some elements came as a surprise.
Spread over eight-plus kilometres of gruelling terrain, the Nicaragua Survival Run鈥檚 challenges include two volcanoes, one of which is active. Many obstacles are based on the local terrain as well as the means of daily survival in local Nicaraguan culture. Complicating the situation is that the competitors do not know what the challenges will be prior to the race.
鈥淭he whole competition is completely by surprise,鈥� Romero said. 鈥淭here is nobody in the world doing this kind of event.鈥�
The run requires competitors to make a couple of climbs of about 6,000 feet (1,828 metres) without water through scorching equatorial heat. It was the least amount of food or water he had for any event, Romero says.
The runners often have to carry large objects such as logs, or as Romero was surprised to find out, a live chicken. Some of the birds seemed fine for other competitors, but Romero spent a few hours playing something that sounds like an alternate universe, live-action version of Angry Birds.聽
His first realization that he was about to have an unexpected companion for part of the race came when he approached a truck with a big bin full of the birds.
鈥淎 guy hands you a chicken and says, 鈥楾ake off,鈥欌�� he said.聽
Complicating things was the fact that competitors are not allowed to lose hold of the birds or they lose the race, and his chicken was not thrilled to be along for the ride, fighting Romero constantly.
鈥淚 was holding on to this chicken like a running back,鈥� he said.
Despite the obstacles and coming into the event facing an injury, Romero was able to persevere.聽
Romero works with Morgan, a South African who trains in Squamish, and the two chose to tackle the course together. With the reigning champion on their tail, they opened a wide enough margin to allow them to share the glory and end the race together, with a time of 23 hours, seven minutes and five seconds, more than 13 minutes ahead of the next competitor.
鈥淲e banded together to work together,鈥� he said. 鈥淚n the spirit of these events, it just made sense to share that win.鈥�
