The Ruta de los Conquistadores!

Heard about this race? I thought you not. Needier had I until I was hiking around in Engadine, a beautiful valley in the south east corner of Switzerland in August. To be more exact, the 26 of August. This is a story about something that I will remember for the rest of my life, hopefully with joy and excitement. But it´s not over yet, after November 5 we will know how it ended. The Ruta de los Conquistadores… In Costa Rica, middle America squeezed in between the Pacific- and Atlantic Sea.

Some of my close friend say, when they are talking about me, well you know; -”Staffan is doing his own thing as usual”. Like he have always done. People that don´t know me the other hand say, you are so lucky, things like that just happens to you.

That can drive me crazy, as some of you know, I don´t believe in luck. This is like a flood, it splits up in diverse directions and you govern your path. You can choose, either to take notice of success in life, learn and take care of what you just experience or you can choose to see failure, loss and all negative aspects in life, that way you will never experience luck. To quote one of the best skiers in the world ever, Ingmar Stenmark. He was interviewed buy a reporter after one of his many wins one season.
Reporter said; - "You had a lot of luck this season wining buy small margins, can you explain this".
Ingemar reply – "Yes, isen´t that strange, the more I train the more Luck I get"…
What I am about to tell you now is a true story about what some people consider Luck…

Topp of Piz Languard above Pontresina in Engadin

So it happened this time. One of our client and I had a interesting conversation about ÖtillÖ that was coming up quick (Island to Island) walking along the trail. Talking about hard and thought races over the world, fitness, staying healthy, training and about my lifestyle. After a short while he burst out, Staffan I have the perfect race for you! Have you ever heard about The Ruta de los Conqustiadores? I replay with some doubt in my voice, - No, what´s that?

The Ruta de los Conquistadores is consider to be the toughest mountain bike (hike and bike) race in the world. It´s in Costa Rica, biking for 4 days through the entire country of Costa Rica, west- to est coast. Pacific- to Atlantic ocean. 385 km, through humid jungle, single track roads, Jeep roads, asphalt, mountains, cold peaks, banana & coffee fields, small villages and gravel trails. The total climb of the race is 11,887 vertical meters (39,000 feet). Dose that sound challenging enough for you Staffan? My answer, - Sure it sound interesting, (not very convincing in my voice) when is it?

It´s between November 2-5. And one more thing, when this was first attempted buy Spanish conquistadores a half century ago it took them 20 years to cross the country, that´s how remote and harsh the nature and landscape is! My thought was, great… (a little negation was puring through my mind) but the other half told me something else, it really got my attention and made me curious? Later that evening at dinner he faced my, Staffan he said, I been thinking about this race, if you decided to come I would like to pay for everything, air fare and starting fee. And set you up with my team, LOTABURGER!

I took my decision right than, I have to do this race. Just because of my pure curiosity, can I finish this even do I´m not a real biker anymore, is it really that hard and will my body hold for all that physical pressure, what are a race like in Costa Rica where questions among many others. As, of what I (we) know, I will be the first Swede ever to enter and finish this race. Failure is not an option, it´s consider and though through in my mind but it stops there. I know it might sound cocky for not have been on a bike much last 6-7 years at all and for being a Swede. Do I have a choice than? No, if I doubt now I have already lost. That´s way nothing is impossible through my eyes. I like the challenge and to take a steep into the unknown future. Face what ever I might run into there. Buy doing this I can maybe direct and someway control my future. Even tho control might sound a little harsh. But buy always assume my and others success I increase my chance of success! It dosen´t matter what I do, our you, I always look on things this way! This is one tiny part of what I think people are talking about when they say, Be Positive. Look at this word and think about it, what dose it mean? I believe a part of being positive is what I just mentioned above. 

Like they say on the official website for The Ruta de los Conquistadores: "More than a race, a personal growth journey" That´s whats really got me interested, because I want to grow!

Official website for The Ruta de los Conquistadores: www.adventurerace.com