Aluma and Peace Corps Volunteer in Nicaragua, Maggie Byrne (IWU ’11) ran an ultramarathon with some fellow Peace Corps volunteers.

Nicaragua is known as the land of lakes and volcanos. One volcano in particular is an island in Lake Nicaragua and is used for the Fuego y Agua race. The race traces around Ometepe Island, including beaches, trails, and roads for about 20 miles, then finishes with a climb and descent of Maderas Volcano! It was nearly impossible to “run” the volcano due to a mix of intense climbing and sloping, rutted trail. Howler monkeys, birds, and all the beauties of this part of the world encouraged her to make it to the top, stopping only long enough for a drink and a photo by the crater lake at the top of the volcano. It took just over two hours to climb the volcano, and would take even longer to make the descent. There was no steady downward path, and in many places, Maggie found it necessary to crab-walk on all fours and jump down large drop-offs. The slick, muddy conditions tried to pull her shoes off, and the tree-root “jungle-gym” tried to slow her down, but Maggie even resorted to sliding down some of the volcano on her shorts to stay on pace. After running for nine and a half hours, Maggie says, “I felt a level of energy I never imagined possible!” Maggie finished as the tenth female overall, with a time of 9 hours 33 minutes. “This was one of the coolest, most beautiful, and most challenging things I have ever done.”