ANDINA. Winter Olympic medalist Martin Koukal from the Czech Republic and fellow Olympian Roberto Carcelen from Peru are leading the running expedition called “Joining the two lost Inca’s cities – from Choquequirao to Machu Picchu” from July 1 to 13.
Over a period of five days, the two professional cross-country skiers will cover a 50-mile-long route that exceeds 30,000 feet of elevation gain.
Roberto Carcelen was a runner and surfer before his wife introduced him to cross-country skiing.
“Cross-country skiing is considered the hardest sport in the world, and that aspect really attracted me,” Carcelen told the New York Times in a 2009 interview.
Carcelen was the first Peruvian ever to qualify to the Winter Olympics.
The running expedition is coordinated by Inca Runners, LLC, a US-based adventure travel company founded by Carcelen in 2003. As a part of the Inca Runners Ambassadors Program, Inca Runners LLC is inviting a number of world-class athletes to visit Peru.
Carcelen learned of the Chasquis first time he went to the Andes, Livingingperu.com reports.
"They were endurance messenger runners from the Inca Empire, they had the role of posting and delivering goods to the Inca royalty running on the Inca Trail system," he said.
"I got inspired by the ideal of these old Peruvians and the fact the the Inca Trail system is still there, to offer all inclusive running tours on the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu. I ran all those trails several times, they are amazing, best altitude training while visiting the main tourist attractions."
The Inca Runners expedition says its trips have two goals. First, to promote Peru as an attractive high-altitude training destination for endurance athletes who want to improve their overall fitness goals and second to deliver donation care package and interact with kids in the villages along the route.
“Our Ambassador Program has scheduled three more trips to Peru in 2011 and ten trips for the 2012 season. All the trips are lead by Olympians and elite, world-class athletes”, says Hugo Mendez, Inca Runners CEO.
