Running the Inka Trail

When I decided to come to Peru as part of my sabbatical, I knew I wanted to run the Inca trail if possible.  The Inca trail is 43 km long and finishes at Machu Picchu. There are two major climbs up to 4,200 meters and 3,900 meters.  It is almost entirely an ancient stone path with many steps.  The trail was used during the inca times as a sacred pilgrimage to machu picchu.

Actually getting on the Inca trail is a challenge. Due to its extreme popularity with trekkers, it is required to have a permit and go with a certified guide.  There are 4 control points on the trail that check to make sure this policy is followed. 99.9999% of people hike the trail as part of a big group with porters over 4-5 days.  The only other official running option is to go with Andes Adventures, which offers a couple trips in July that are 2 week rigidly structured tour guide type trips.  Since neither of those options interested me, I set out to find a different option.  After much searching, I read an article in Ultrarunning about a guy that did the same thing with a private guide.

I contacted him and we eventually worked out a plan to run the trail in one day.  To do this, we had to "bend" some laws.  I won't go into much detail, but let's just say it made for a few interesting conversations at the check points.

Start

We got an early start at 6 am.  The weather started off ok for being in the middle of the rainy season. Mostly cloudy, but dry.  The trail for the first 7-8 kms is mostly gentle rolling hills.

First of many ruins on the trail

Because each day 500 hikers start at the exact same time and camp at the same place each night, we were alone for most of the time.  We just had to pass a couple huge groups of people.  The first group was on the biggest climb from km 9 to 15.  It climbs 1,200 meters up mostly big stone steps. 

Views on the way up

Throngs of trekkers

Just as we hit 4,200, we passed the last of the "day 2" trekkers and porters so we returned to amazing solitude.  But just as that happened, the rain started.  It began as a light drizzle, but was quickly a steady downpour.

Just before the rain

Pouring rain

We ran along for several hours without seeing anyone.  It was such a unique experience. Any other way to hike the trail, you are stuck with a huge group of people the whole time.  The clouds and rain obscured the views, but gave everything a fun, mysterious feel.

Typical trail

The rain did make the smooth stone steps tricky, but they weren't too bad.  Finally at about noon, we started the looong downhill towards machu picchu.  The rain stopped, and it warmed up.

Last long downhill

We hit the last control point, 5 kms before machu picchu.  I felt great and was ready to experience the triumphant entrance into the ruins from the trail.  The weather was clearing up and it was going to be perfect.  Unfortunately, they told us that there had been a land slide and the rest of the trail was closed.  Instead of finishing in one of the most amazing places on earth, we would have to continue downhill for 5 kms to the rail road tracks and then another 5 kms along the tracks to Aguas Caliente. "CRAP!!!"  Talk about deflating.  Oh well, on to plan b. We ran down to the tracks and into town.  We then took the bus up to Machu Picchu, which was absolutely amazing.  While it was obviously not the perfect ending to the run, it was still unbelievable so I can't complain. 

Machu Picchu

Emilie and I spent the afternoon after the run and this morning exploring the park.  It is indescribably spectacular.  Now we head back to Cuzco for the night and then make a short flight over to Arequipa tomorrow to start a 3 day hike in the Colca Canyon.