The Azores Trail Run 48K – Not so Easy, but Brilliant

by Leon Lutz

Living is not so easy, but it is brilliant.

I’d arrived on the island of Faial just that morning to take part in the 2^nd annual Azores Trail Run (ATR) 48K the next day and now, bobbing up in down in the Atlantic on a motorized raft giving chase to the spray of sperm whales and the darting leaps of striped dolphins, a Portuguese sailor with a lifetime of fascinating stories lurking in his gaze and begging to be told had offered those words of wisdom.

The nine volcanic islands that make up the archipelago of the Azores have sprung up from the ocean floor relatively recently.  Altogether devoid of human habitation until the adventurous seafarers of 14^th century Portugal came to shore and established small settlements, the Azores have ever since served as a key port of call for cross-Atlantic sailors.  Short on long sandy beaches and the resorts that draw mass tourism, the islands have resisted over-development and instead stand as relatively pristine examples of the unique ecosystems that are volcanic islands.

Horta, a village with a population of roughly 7,000, is home to a busy marina that hosts an endless parade of yachts and sailing vessels passing between the Western and Eastern hemispheres.  A priceless archive of paintings along the walls and walkways of the harbor stands as an on-going historical record of the many ships that have passed through Faial’s waters.  Horta is also home to the race director, Mario Leal, and Joao Melo, the director of the Parque Natural do Faial.  Together, the two friends dreamed up the Azores Trail Run after catching the trail running bug from Europe and recognizing the potential for Faial to host an event of its very own, an event that has been fully embraced by the people of Faial and the surrounding islands.  This fall (October 30-November 1) they will expand upon the ATR with the Triangle Adventure, a unique 130K event spread over 3 stages that ferry participants between different islands for each leg of the race.

The course of the ATR does a miraculous job of transporting runners through every natural variation that exists on Faial, beginning on the easternmost side of the island, tunneling through corridors of heavy vegetation, passing through cow-filled pastures, climbing to the isle’s centrally-located highest point, and rounding the dormant Caldeira volcano’s 7 kilometer-long lip from which you can look left down to the now lush interior of the crater or right to the ocean far below, and then steadily descending toward the shoreline on the far side of the island while summiting an additional 9 volcanoes along the way. A stunning finish line awaits, perched aside land that literally did not exist before eruptions in 1957 and 1958 had sculpted it.

While the highest point of the race is only 3422 feet, there is a cumulative elevation change of well over 14,000 feet. Underfoot, the terrain shifts between single track, grass, dirt road, mud, and ultimately sand with just the tiniest bit of pavement thrown in to make sure all of the bases are cover all of the bases.  As the islands collaborate with the ocean to create their own weather, humidity runs high and is ever present.  In between the fog, there is sun and lots of it.  The collective conditions, at least for the uninitiated, are challenging.

Salomon-sponsored Mallorcan athlete Tofol Castenyer definitely did not fall into the “uninitiated” category and threw down a masterful 3:55:10 performance that easily rewrote the first year course record.  A good half hour passed before his fellow podium mates, Portuguese runners Luís Fernandes and Miguel Silva crossed the line in 4:22:47 and 4:26:45, respectively.  The all-Portuguese women’s podium consisted of Sonia Tubal (5:56:14), Sonia Mendes (6:06:11), and Isabel Moleiro (6:08:24).  For those runners not quite ready for a full crossing of the island or just looking for something shorter (and faster!), the Trail 10 Vulcoes 22K started at the Caldeira and charted a slightly modified course to reach the same finish line.  Jose Batista was the overall winner in a stout 1:51:37 and Spanish marathoner and sky runner Sofia Garcia Bardoll ran 2:10:55 to gap the women’s field by a full 17 minutes.

The remaining 431 finishers of both races found their way to the shoreline over the next 7 or so hours, a mix of exhaustion, relief, and elation gracing their faces.  Much like races here in the United States, there was a well-staffed recovery tent, a local brewery on-hand slinging drinks, and a mix of standard aid station foods and regional cuisine to enjoy.  The landscape, however, left no mistake that this was an exotic locale.  A look back over the course revealed the now-navigated volcanoes, the iconic Capelhinos lighthouse perched oddly inland thanks to the neighboring ash and volcanic rock that 50 years ago rudely interrupted its once unfettered ocean view, and the sweeping ocean crashing ashore just 100 yards from the finish.  Rocky tide pools with fishermen-placed pool ladders beckoned for post-race soaking and found their invites accepted by many stiff-and-sore legged runners.

A week later, home again in Pennsylvania, I still wear the warmth of the Azorean sun on my skin and feel the strength of the Portuguese spirit coursing through my memories.  I hope it sustains me until a return visit for the not so easy, but brilliant Azores Trail Run.