A mountain of green divided two enormous turquoise lakes deep below on my right. To my left, a steep snow-topped ridge gave way to barren rocky terrain that made me feel like I was running on the moon.

Instinctively, I reached for my phone to take a photo, but thought better of it. I forced myself to keep my gaze on the trail, concentrating on the cliff edge. 

The best views, I decided, I’d keep for myself. They were my reward for continuing to put one foot in front of the other. It was my second day running Argentina’s most daunting endurance run, and every part of my body was aching in protest.

For over two decades, runners have headed to Patagonia to compete in a 100 kilometer, three-day race known as El Cruce (the crossing), so called because participants used to run over the Andes from Argentina to Chile. 

The route changes each year, but is thigh-achingly intense: expect snow, steep mountainsides, and chest-high rivers. This year, the race began at Cerro Catedral in Bariloche, winding through the backwoods before looping back to the starting point on day three. 

I prepared for and ran El Cruce with 13 runners from Palermo Adventure Team. Training started in June, with three runs and two strength training sessions per week. Preparation ramped up significantly, incorporating longer distances and hill training — which meant hours running up the only two hills in Buenos Aires.

Prices vary depending on whether you’re resident in Argentina and which days you run the race. Like all prices in Argentina, they vary, but in 2023 it was between US$650-780 for foreigners and the peso equivalent of US$317-462 for locals. 

To sign up, you need to provide a fitness certificate from a doctor within the past year — there’s a suggested template on the website.

The race requires a lot of gear: expect to buy everything from trekking poles to a headlamp and snow sunglasses. The weather can change dramatically, so you’ll need to carry gear for all eventualities.

The organizers require you to carry essentials including a survival blanket, rain jacket, and drinking water........

© Buenos Aires Herald