“That which does not kill you, makes you strong” Nietzsche

The last two weeks were really hard for me. I took sometime off and did not train like I always do but now I am back and ready to prepare the Rotterdam Marathon. I feel strong now and ready to work hard to achieve my goals.

I decided to keep my mind busy racing as much as my time allows me. I have 3 or 4 ironman in mind, a marathon, 2 ultra-marathons and plenty of short races.

I like to have a big race every 2 months. I already raced the Cruce and my next goal is the Rotterdam Marathon on April 11^th.

I’m getting use to the Swiss weather again, I don’t like it but I do not have any choice at the moment. However, I like running in the snow.

Running in Switzerland

En la cima!

Snow

Why do I race in Rotterdam? I have not been in the Netherland for almost 8 years, so I decided to go back to see one of my families and participate in one of the fastest marathon in the world. The race is flat and fast but if we have bad weather it could be really windy.

I’m looking forward to race in Rotterdam!

Pablo Ureta is one more time a Columbia Cruce de los Andes Finisher. Pablo Ureta and his team mate Sergio Trecaman did 8 hours 8 minutes and 29 seconds finishing on the second place at only 11 minutes from the first team.

FINAL RESULTS CRUCE DE LOS ANDES 2010 / GENERAL:

1º GR TEAM / Gustavo Reyes – Nelson Ortega / 7:57:33

2°  CASA IRWO TEAM / Pablo Ureta – Sergio Trecaman / 8:08:29

3º FIDIA SA. Columbia Challenge / Ayala Samuel – Tosti Sebastián / 8:35:06

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Here is a video of the third Day race:

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Martin
Xtrial.com

We have the first three results from the third day race. Pablo Ureta and Sergio Trecaman are on the second position.

Results Cruce de los Andes 2010 / Third Day:

1º GR TEAM / Gustavo Reyes – Nelson Ortega

2°  CASA IRWO TEAM / Pablo Ureta – Sergio Trecaman

3º FIDIA SA. COLUMBIA CHALLENGE / Ayala Samuel – Tosti Sebastián

I’ll update soon with the respective timing.

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Martin
Xtrial.com

We have the first three results from the second day race. Pablo Ureta and Sergio Trecaman are on the third position.

Results Cruce de los Andes 2010 / Second Day:

1º FIDIA SA. COLUMBIA CHALLENGE / Ayala Samuel – Tosti Sebastián

2° GR TEAM / Gustavo Reyes – Nelson Ortega

3º CASA IRWO TEAM / Pablo Ureta – Sergio Trecaman

I’ll update soon with the respective timing.

Cristian Mohamed, Sebastian Tosti, Sergio Trecaman and Pablo Ureta

Interview in spanish from Triamax.com

Martin
Xtrial.com

The Top Ten Teams Columbia Cruce de los Andes 2010 / DAY 1

1 – GR TEAM: Reyes Gustavo – Ortega Nelson  -  02:50:49
2 - CASA IRWO TEAM: Ureta Pablo – Trecaman Sergio - 02:54:15
3 – OPTITECH 1: Mohamed Cristian – Santivañez Dario - 02:56:32
4 – PAPAS GREGORINI: Argonz Cristian -Perez Marcelo – 03:14:06
5 – TEAM Salomon Uruguay:  Alonso Diego – Rodiguez Santiago – 03:18:31
6 – FIDIA S.A Columbia Challenge: Ayala Samuel-Tosti Sebastián-03:20:34
7 – STYLENT OPTICA: Calafell Gonzalo – Aniceto Reyes Marcelo -  03:24:25
8 -  TEAM TANDIL: Pereyra Leonardo – Pereyra Nestor – 03:25:05
9 – BLACK AND WHITE: Kibet Rotich Paul – Silio Antonio – 03:31:11
10 - OPTITECH: Perez Lucio – Sosa Oscar – 03:31:46

For the full list: http://columbiacruce.com/clasificacion/general.htm

Mention adventure racing in Argentina, and it is likely Pablo Ureta’s name will come up.

The Argentinian, swiss-resident Pablo Ureta is an amazing endurance athlete. After making a name for himself in the Ironman series, mountain biking, triathlons and road cycling fields, Pablo entered his first adventure race in 2002.

In the wonderful landspace of Argentina Pablo is now doing his fifth Columbia Cruce de los Andes!

A month ago he was in Switzerland getting ready to start the university  and decided  to escape a few weeks to Argentina looking for good weather and new adventures. He choose one more time The “Columbia Cruce de los Andes”, a great adventure race in one of the most beautiful places in the world.

“I’m a little bit tired, but I love this race. The place is amazing. I have to say that today we went really fast and it was longer than what I thougt.  One of the great things about adventure racing is that you challenge your patience and your personality. But most of all, you go to places you’ve never been before.” …”The Columbia Cruce de los Andes is a three day race and the race is not over, we have a lot to come. The firt day you don’t win nor you don’t loose. Now we have to get rest, drink some mates and get ready for tomorrow” said Pablo.

Pablo Ureta interview in English from Triamax.com:

Pablo Ureta interview in Spanish from Triamax.com:

Pablo Ureta interview in spanish from Atletas.info:

Follow-up Pablo on ColumbiaCruce.com / Triamax.com / Atletas.info

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Martin Ureta
XTRIAL.com

We have the first three results from the first day race. Pablo Ureta and Sergio Trecaman are on the second position. I’ll update soon with the respective timing.

Results Cruce de los Andes 2010 / First Day:

1° GR TEAM / Gustavo Reyes – Nelson Ortega / Cipolletti (number 2)

2º CASA IRWO TEAM / Ureta Pablo – Trecaman Sergio / Córdoba (number 178)

3º OPTITECH 1 / Mohamed Cristian-Sntivañes Darío/ Cipolletti Columbia (number 251)

Information about Cruce de los Andes:

Cruce de los Andes is the mountain trekking race that crosses The Andes, with a 30 km route by day, during 3 days, and resting by the night on the campsites established by the Organization. Participation is in couple, and its members must stay together the entire route. The essence of Columbia Cruce de los Andes is to cross The Andes each year by a different route, and its philosophy is to merge both countries (Argentina and Chile) crossing their frontiers on race.

This year the big challenge began at San Martín de los Andes and finished at Chilean Tromen Pass or Mamuil Malal Pass.

Competitors of more than 20 countries are registered for this edition.

First day:
Distance aprox 33 km with significants slopes. Starts al 800mts and reaches 900mts. The maximum height is aprox 1200mts.

Second day:
23km aprox. It will be the hardest because of the length from 900mts. And the highest peak will be 2100mts, It rises to the top of a hill and down at the same level that rose. The entire way is a path.

Third day:
Will be the longest without uneven pronounced but with small ups and downs constants. The distance is 37km aprox. Mountain roads and trails in the most extension.

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Martin
Xtrial.com

The 2010 Columbia Cruce de los Andes just started. Pablo Ureta and his teammate Sergio Trecaman are fully charged and ready for the three days adventure!

Keep tuned, more to come.

Martin

Here is the start video:

Last year the Cruce was amazing like every year I raced! I did not have a partner and a good friend of mine “Ramiro Paris” told me he may know somebody that would race with me. Peter Vail from Canada was my partner, a fast guy: 2°21’ for the marathon! Ramiro and Peter climbed the Aconcagua a couple of days after the race.

Volcan Pucon

Esteban, Ramiro, Pablo, Manuel and Peter before the race

The race started in San Martin de Los Andes. I stayed there with some friends that used to live in Cordoba.

The first stage was hard but amazing. We run most of the time with Ramiro Paris and Julian Peralta. The last 8 km were down hill and we made a difference. We won the first stage.

Running down the Volcano

Cruzando un arroyo

The second day was the harder for me, most of the course was flat and we run on the road. When your partner runs a marathon in 2°21’ it’s hard… We got lost and we lose a couple of minutes too. We finished 5^th and we were 4^th overall.

The last stage was my favourite one. Up, down, up, down. It was the longest one, we run 41 km. I felt great up in the mountains and I enjoyed the course a lot. We finished 3er on that stage and 3er overall.

Peter and me after the second day

El campamento con los chicos del sur! Gracias por estar siempre!

El campamento

Finish line: first stage

Thank you Peter for coming and racing with me. It was great meeting you and I’m looking forward to see you.

It was a great experience. I love the race, the places where we run, and the time we spend up in the mountains after each stage. We did camp with Ramiro, Julian, Manuel and Esteban.

I think you know better somebody when you spend time in the most challenging moments. I had the chance to race shoulder to shoulder against Ramiro and I admire and I respect him so much. He is one of the fastest marathon runners in Argentina and he is an excellent person. He is a gentleman! I would love to have the opportunity to race with him ones!

Ramiro en la carpa

Awards

Awards Peter and me

Mis compañeros de campamento

Hasta la próxima!

I’m so excited about racing in Frankfurt again! Why?

• Because I love that race
• Is the most competitive ironman race after Hawaii
• It’s going to be my 20^th ironman, the 4^th time in Frankfurt
• And I will try to get the Kona slot. If I qualify for Kona; it would be the 10^th time I in my career

The start

Esperando la partida

Frankfurt at night

Finish at midnight

I remember being in a cyber café in Australia with my friends Chiara and Nico. We wanted to sign up for Frankfurt. We were online ready to sign up but we had problems and we could not enter in the race. The race was full booked in a couple of minutes. I was so disappointed but I never stopped believing. I knew I will race in Frankfurt.

When I have something in my mind I try the impossible to do it and I never give up!

Last Friday, there were a couple of slots online and I could sign up and now I’m in!!!!!!!

Last time I raced in Frankfurt was in 2008. A couple of my best friends from all over the world came to support me: Melania from Costa Rica, Fede from Italy, Rohan from South Africa, Kris from Hungary, Patric from Switzerland who raced too, Marce and my brother from Argentina. We were 8 in the room and we had 3 beds but we figured it out and we slept well. My friends make my life beautiful and I enjoy racing much more when they are with me.

Marcelo, Fede, Kris, Rohan and Melania

Marce, yo y Patric

I participated 3 times at the ironman Frankfurt and I always had amazing races. In 2008 I finished in 9°11’ and I got my Kona slot. This year I will try really hard to do better. I already started training; I just need to buy a good bike and I’m ready for it.

Swim Start

Transition

Bike course

Finish line

Disfrutando

Llegando

I’m motivated for this year more than ever before. I want to go back to Kona but not only for the ironman. I miss my Hawaiian family, my friends, and a special friend….. I feel at home in Kona and I’m sure I will be there soon.

Now is time to work hard, train smart and go through every step to be ready on July 4^th

Hasta la próxima!