Jose Gonzalez Valenzuela doesn’t remember a time when he was not running on rough mountain trails.
While today his life is focused on his position as assistant chef at La Nueva Posada Hotel and Restaurant and getting his younger brother educated, this young man was born and lived his first 11 years in the mountains of Jalisco and Zacatecas that are the homeland of one of Mexico’s remaining indigenous groups, the Huichol.
“I ran everywhere when I lived in the mountain. Everyone runs or walks in la sierra.” The serious man paused and a rare little smile flitted across his face. “We have to, there are no buses and no cars. Now I run for fun with a local group of mountain runners, the Club Salvaje Ajijic.”
Both experiences gave Gonzalez Valenzuela an edge during Colima’s May 4 First Annual Half Marathon Mountain Run. Thousands of men and women from around the world divided into 20 categories to attempt to complete the 10km and 21km events on rugged courses through the Nevado de Colima National Park.