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The Coastal ChallengeRainforest RunOn February 1st, 76 people gatheredat the Costa Rican coastaltown of Quepos with one thingin common. They were about tocross the start line for the 5th AnnualCoastal Challenge (www.TheCoastalChallenge.com).The Coastal Challenge- RainforestRun, is a 6 day stage running raceset along Costa Rica’s tropical Pacificcoastline using both the Talamancas,a coastal mountain rangein the Southwest corner of thecountry, and the verdant rainforestas the habitat for 225 kilometers ofpure physical and emotional challenge.Each stage is designed totake advantage of the topography,and the stunning beauty of the mostrural and undeveloped places insouthern Costa Rica.Of the 76 athletes gathered, somewere well known in the enduranceracing community like, Scott Jurek,5 time Winner and course recordholder of The Western States100, or Robyn Benincasa, WorldChampion Adventure Racer inboth the Eco-Challenge and theRaid Gauloises. Some of the athleteswere ultra-runners looking toextend their experience over morethan a day, and some were IronManathletes looking for the next bigchallenge. But all of them wouldbe subject to 6 days of running,hiking, walking and sometimescrawling a route that would requirethem to climb over 30,300 feet ofelevation, cross countless streamsand rivers, run on sandy desolatebeaches and deal with the heat andhumidity of a race only 7 degreesabove the equator.In an effort to give you the bestinsight available into The CoastalChallenge, we are going to take excerptsfrom the race’s daily blog.Day 1 – Feb 1- 33.5k- 850m As-Photos by Tim Holmstrom/Sidelight ImagesAdventure World Magazine is a GreenZine 31