Ultramaratón Fuego y Agua

I first met my good friend Josué Stephens in Urique - a small town nestled in the bottom of Copper Canyon, Mexico. I instantly knew this guy loves to run trails and have some amazing adventures. It came as no surprise when last year he announced the first ever Ultramaratón Fuego y Agua on Isla de Ometepe, Nicaragua. This year, Josué and his (now) fiance Paula Ring are busy preparing to host their second annual Ultramaratón Fuego y Agua coming up on December 12.



The perfect host for this event, Josué is a child of missionaries and spent the first ten years of his life in Mexico and Central America. A little older, he enjoyed returning "for adventure and to quench his thirst for the beautiful culture." Falling in love with Isla de Ometepe, a volcanic island on Lake Nicaragua, he dreamed of working with the people in Fair Trade, environmental and economic sustainability. After getting hooked on ultrarunning, it all came together and Ultramaratón Fuego y Agua was conceived.

Isla de Ometepe is a volcanic island located on Lake Nicaragua (also known as Lago Cocibolca) in the Southwestern region of Nicaragua. The two volcanoes, Volcan Maderas and Volcan Concepcion form most of the island. Volcan Concepcion (1610 meters) is considered an active volcano but has not had a major eruption since 1957. Volcan Maderas (1394 meters) has a crater lagoon and is surrounded by cloud forest and thick jungle. Its slopes are dotted with petroglyphs and stone idols. The forests of Ometepe are full of monkeys, tropical birds and rare insects, plants and flowers. Both volcanoes are now protected as national forests. Isla de Ometepe is full of legends surrounding the volcanoes and its former inhabitants, the Nahua. The fertile volcanic soil makes Ometepe an agricultural phenomenon. Coffee, cacao, beans, rice, tobacco, bananas and many other fruits are plentiful on the island.


Pre-race relaxation

Portions of race entry and donations are used to host Calzado para Ometepe, a children’s race for local islanders. The children’s race promotes running, fitness, healthy eating and awareness of the island as an endangered environment that must be cared for. All participants of Calzado para Ometepe receive a pair of running shoes donated by supporters and participants of Ultramaratón Fuego y Agua.

Additionally runners and volunteers are encouraged to participate in the annual Isla de Ometepe Pre-Race Trash Pickup. This organized effort promotes local awareness of the island as a natural resource that must be preserved and maintained.

Get out there and run!