Congratulations to champions of the Salvajes Ajijic running team for their excellent performance in the UT60GDL ultra-marathon trail race held Sunday, June 21 in the Bosque de la Primavera.
Jose Ignacio “Chabelo” Gonzalez Valenzuela (pictured on the number 1 block of the winners’ podium) chalked up another big victory, blasting ahead of the pack to take the medal as absolute winner of the grueling 60-kilometer race. He completed four laps around the 15 kilometer backcountry track in five hours, 41 minutes, 31 seconds, crossing the finish line almost five minutes ahead of his closest competitor.
Team companion Andrea Mora brought home a silver medal for second place standing in the female division of the 30KM contest, with a time of 3:25:40, barely a minute off the top mark.
Local expats may not realize that they know these rugged athletes. Gonzalez was trained in La Nueva Posada kitchen by Chef Lorraine Russo and now works with her on the Loving Spoonful food service staff at the Instituto International. Mora is better known as Andy to her clients of Ajijic’s Total Body Care.