A whole group of the Mas Korima team is just back from the Copper Canyons and the magic that is the Ultra Caballo Blanco.  It is a place of tropical beauty, deep under the horizon line of the Sierra Tarahumara mountains. Its days are hot and its nights, starry and warm. The air is filled with scents of sage, mesquite fires and the song of mourning doves.
 
The quiet canyon town of Urique becomes the epicenter of the ultra running world every first Sunday of March. Hundreds of Raramuri runners, some coming from hundreds of miles away, gather down to meet a group of foreigners and Mexican nationals to share an event unlike any other. Or like its founder Caballo Blanco aptly put it, "to create peace while others are at war".
 
Every runner has to travel long distances to get here, which adds to the general adventure vibe all around town. Locals look for familiar faces and show curiosity to newcomers, asking if they think they will win, place among the champions or merely manage to cover the whole distance. Always with a little twinkle in the eye.
 
Excitement is palpable. This is by far Urique's largest event of the year and 2017 brought back a nice crowd of International Travelers and visiting Mexican Nationals. Uriquenses showed us a warm welcome with open arms and wide smiles, and it was good to see the canyon town happily bustling about, getting ready for the big day.
 
Kids also had a lot to look forward to; the Saturday before the race has now become their day, with La Carrera de Los Caballitos, or kids' race. A thousand of them showed up this year, with their parents or in school groups, giddy with the expectation of the run and the goodies which come with it.
 
School shirts, sport tees, medals, good food, toys, hats, bandanas and even a triumphant return of Cucharita The Clown, a local celebrity, were on the menu for every child that day. Thanks to donations from Mas Korima, The 100 Mile Club and runners from all across North America, the younger generation gets exposed to a global health and wellness culture that also celebrates and acknowledges their own. (check out DuzerTV video episode 5 for footage of the event)
 
The town has taken over the organization of the event with great pride and devotion, and it's a joy to see Caballo's creation being owned and perpetuated by the people it aimed to support. It was for sure heartwarming to see the streets and the trails full of visitors and locals sharing in the beauty of the lands and all the aspects that have made this event so special.
 
2017 was a great return for a lot of Mas Locos, and a brand new adventure for the first-timers. We are excited that next year will bring even more travelers to this 'must-do' experience. Turbulence's and the harsh reality of canyons life haven't vanished, of course. But when everyone toes that starting line at the first blue light of the day, united in joy and excitement, only one thing matters. The genuine, irreplaceable joy of running. #runfree