MOISÉS JIMÉNEZ, A NEW TRAIL RUNNING RECORD FOR CHILE!
By: Chile Travel - 28 August, 2021
That’s right! On January 18th, Moisés Jiménez achieved a new victory for our country, breaking the record for completing 51 kilometers in the Cerro Castillo National Park in only 5 hours and 18 minutes; on a route with a positive elevation gain of 2,100 mt.
Moisés Jiménez, Endurance Challenge
Photo: [Outdoors.cl]
A MAN RUNNING AT FULL SPEED
Moises Jiménez, better known as “Moi”, was born in Venezuela 30 years ago, but when he was 8 he moved with his family to Coyhaique and became a Chilean citizen. He had always been a sporty kid and liked to practice many sports, although he recognizes that running was always his passion.
When he was still quite young, he was curious to know what was on the other side of the Patagonian mountains, so he decided to put on his running shoes and started to explore Chile, the gymnasium of the world, at full speed.
His latest achievement happened in January of this year, when he ran a 51 km trail in the Cerro Castillo National Park in just 5 hours and 18 minutes. This beautiful mountain is located between the towns of Coyhaique and Rio Ibañez in the Chilean Patagonia.
Cerro Castillo, Chilean Patagonia, Aysén
Photo.[ Sernatur database]
His history-making journey began on the route going from Las Horquetas trail all the way to the Cerro Castillo village square, passing by important landmarks such as the Turbio River Valley, El Peñón pass and La Tetera campground.
Sendero las Horquetas, Cerro Castillo National Park
Photo.[ Sernatur database]
On this occasion, the Chilean athlete not only surpassed his own best mark that he had achieved 6 years earlier with Max Keith, when they finished in 6 hours and 27 minutes, but he also dethroned the North American runner, Dakota Jones, who had set a record of 5 hours and 45 minutes in 2017.
Tourists who visit the park usually complete the 51 km journey in 4 days. Moises did it in just over 5 hours, which is quite a remarkable feat and a great source of inspiration for those who practice outdoor sports.
Photo: [APT 31 COLLECTIVE]
For Jimenez, the biggest challenge is to stay strong, which requires proper training, physical fitness and motivation to push himself and exceed his limits. To do so, training consistently is the key. So what better than to live in Chile, a country that has been recognized worldwide for being the best adventure sports destination, where the gym is the great outdoors.
He says that the most difficult thing about Trail Running in Chile is the disconnection that occurs in such remote places. “The fact that you are in an extremely disconnected place, practically falling off the grid, is one of the greatest complexities; and at the same time it makes Chile such an extraordinary place to explore, although it’s also complex for those who want to go deep into the mountains, the desert or the ice fields”.
Today he is positioned as one of the most outstanding trail runners in the world. Getting the 16th place in the Ultra Trail Mont Blanc, one of the world’s greatest mountain ultra-marathons, consolidated him as the best Chilean athlete in this discipline.
HISTORY OF TRIUMPHS
When Moisés Jiménez goes after a goal there is no stopping him. So in 2015, when he set out to be the first Chilean to win the 80K Endurance Challenge, not only did he achieve that, but from that moment on he never got off the podium again.
Photo: [APT 31 COLLECTIVE]
Undoubtedly, one of his greatest feats on a global level was in 2017 when he became the first Latin American to finish top 10 in the TDS of the Ultra Trail du Mont Blanc, one of the most important and demanding races in the world.
FOTO:[trailchile.cl]
In this competition Moisés ran 120 kilometers and a positive elevation gain of 7,000 m in 15 hours. This challenge has up-hills at approx. 2,500 meters of altitude and more than 1,800 athletes participate.
The following year, he came in 16th place in the UTMB, the most competitive mountain ultra-marathon in the world, where the Jimenez ran 170 km.
Those who know him know that the key to his success has been learning to master the mountains and to have a sense of passion and determination to go as far as he proposes, which today has turned him into a great national leader in Trail Running.
His dream for now is to be able to achieve new records for Chile in the national circuits and to make his name known in his favorite trails. To that end, he will continue to train in his most beloved place of all, the outdoors of Chile, the mountains of Chile, and what we call “the world’s natural gym”. Let’s go Moises!
