LCS Student Aid Receives Generous Boost LCS member and ESL volunteer Jay Gibson made a substantial financial gift to the LCS Student Aid program in July. His gift will be distributed over the course of at least ten years. Jay’s generous donation will be used exclusively for helping youngsters earn college and university degrees. Working with Coralie White, our Student Aid ay Gi son Coordinator, Jay will be involved in interviewing applicants and monitoring the progress of the successful applicants. He is interested in helping young Mexicans improve their lives and feels that a college education is the surest ticket to get a youngster on the path of success. Jay has also made a bequest to LCS so that after his death additional funds will be added to his gift allowing his legacy to continue. Currently, in 2011 LCS is helping over thirty students through its different Student Aid programs, of which the benefactors are: the Skin Cancer Screening Program and the doctors running it, the Chris Robertson Fund, the Pandju Merali Fund, the up and coming Jim Cullums Fund, and all LCS members through a portion of their dues. Thank you Jay, and to everyone helping LCS make education a priority in our community.
La Carrera de La Chupinaya Perhaps a few people are aware of “the wild” race held each year in Ajijic. A 13.8k cross country style foot race, that begins in the plaza and makes its way up the Chupinaya Mountain and back. This year the race was held in conjunction with the North American Central American Caribbean Mountain Championships, and hosted teams from Mexico, Canada and the USA. Even fewer people are aware that LCS gardener, Mauricio Ramos Perez (age 51) is a four-time champion of the race. This year LCS was a sponsor of both Mauricio and the race. We are proud to say that Mauricio once again took the first place trophy in his class (50-60 years) with a time around one hour and forty minutes. Mauricio did suffer a fall and twisted ankle, delaying his winning time (and his return to work). We are very proud of Mauricio and hope that members will take the time to congratulate him when they can. What follows is a letter received from the Women’s Champion and her experience in Ajijic: I wanted to take this opportunity to erry idal with share my experience at the NACAC auricio amos Mountain Running Championships in Ajijic, Jalisco, Mexico given that this was the first win of my mountain racing career and such an overall great experience. Prior to the race the competitors remarked how this was the most difficult and technical mountain race in which they had ever competed. Though I had not seen the course, the vast international experience of my fellow competitors was enough for me to appreciate how difficult it would be. Even the cobblestone roads which made up the first and last kilometer of the race were not the typical European postcard cobblestones but instead, rough, uneven roads which were difficult to walk, let alone run. The climb from 5000 to 7500 feet began in earnest as soon
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El Ojo del Lago / August 2011
as we hit the single track trail. After 5 stream crossings the trail became narrow, extremely rocky and treacherous, requiring the use of the upper body to pull yourself over the boulders. One difference between this race and U.S. races I have done in the past was the water stop with prepackaged baggies of water that had been taken up the mountain on horseback. I could not have made it through this section without the help of my fellow male Mexican racers. Many of them deserve my thanks for physically positioning me back on the course as my balance teetered and I came close to sliding over several hundred foot drop-offs and for scaring off a grazing horse that blocked the trail as we approached. In addition, with the course being so narrow, multiple times, these men would step to the side and let me and my teammates pass. This is just one example of the courteousness of all the racers and townspeople we encountered. We topped out at the double crosses marking the top of Chupinaya and began the up and down ridge crossing. Despite the well marked course and because I was so focused racing, I didn’t pay enough attention to where I was going and I managed to become lost twice. At this point, recurring nightmares that I actually have began to come true and I backtracked until I saw the next runner to get back on course. The final stage of the race was the descent back down the mountain which required all means necessary to negotiate the rough rocks, boulders and stream crossings with fatigued legs. The cheers of the spectators, “Ann-eee-mal, Ann-eee-mal*”, carried me down the mountain. The aria al ot final stretch over the cobblestone and into the plaza with spectators lining both sides made for a finish I will never forget. For those who have not seen the results, the men’s race was won by Joe Grey of USA with a time of 1 hour 16 minutes about 3 minutes under the course record, the women’s race was won by me with a time of 1 hour 47 minutes and 23 seconds, about 17 seconds under the course record, the men’s team race was won by Canada and the women’s team race was won by USA. Many thanks to: • Nancy Hobbs, Richard Bolt and the entire USATF staff for giving me the chance to race and all of the support leading up to and on race day, • my US teammates for making me feel a part of the team and lending their experience as we prepared for the race, • to the Lake Chapala Society volunteers for their sponsorship and time to provide transportation to and from the airport, • to Daniel “Jambo” Corona and the entire staff of Hotel Danza del Sol for their never ending helpful ways, • to Ricardo, Ivan and the race management crew for putting on an excellent and well organized event, • and finally to the all the townspeople of Ajijic for their hospitality and enthusiasm. Ajijic will always have a place in my heart. Maria Dalzot, BS MS Candidate, Dietetic Intern Davis College of Agriculture, Forestry and Consumer Sciences West Virginia University [*Editors Note: the crowd was actually yelling, “Animo, Animo” which translates as “Go! Go!”]
DON’T FORGET FREE SKIN CANCER SCREENING 2ND & 4TH WEDNESDAYS DONATIONS HELP LCS STUDENT AID FUND ign u in er ice ce