The avid young athletes associated with the Salvajes Ajijic running club have been gaining fame as they have steadily burnt up tracks in every race they have entered since the group was formed just over a year ago.

Among their major accomplishments were the ten medals captured in the July 20 Chupinaya Mountain Race, including two out of the top five places in the elite men’s open category. Team members also brought home five top awards from the strenuous 21-kilometer half marathon Runpalsky event held on the slopes of the Nevada de Colima Volcano, plus a first place standing in the women’s field for a parallel 10-kilometer run.

“Now everywhere we go we hear other runners moan ‘Oh no, the Salvajes (Savages) are back,” jests club manager Daniel Urzua.

On Sunday, August 24, Salvajes Ajijic will host its own mountain running contest, composed of two circuits: the 14-kilometer La Campanaria route and the less demanding  9.1-kilometer Copal Chino. These follow pathways through the Ajijic hillsides that are not as well known to hikers and runners as the Chupinaya tracks.

The event starts at the Ajijic Malecón at 9 a.m., with the finish line set at the same point.

Competitors will be enrolled in five age brackets for each gender. The entry fee is set at 200 pesos, entitling the first 400 registered runners to a commemorative

T-shirt, plus a medal for finishing the race. Urzua is still looking for sponsors to complete the 20,000-peso purse that will be split among the top contenders.

Sign-ups are being handled at GYM’nos Lake, Carretera Oriente 10-B, Ajijic and Comude Chapala at the Municipal Coliseum, Avenida Madero 268. For additional information, English speakers may contact Urzua at (cell) 331-443-1050, Ricardo Umbarger at (cell) 331-142-1474 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..">This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..