BOULDER, CO – The Human Potential Running Series (HPRS) is excited to announce its partnership with Americas for Conservation and the Arts (AFC+A) to produce the 1st ever Latino Ultra Nature Adventure (LUNA). The LUNA event is this coming Sunday, October 22nd in Boulder, CO and is being hosted in concert with AFC+A’s Américas Latino Eco Festival (ALEF) as the festival’s kickoff event.
Anyone may register to participate by CLICKING HERE
All can register to volunteer by CLICKING HERE. We need many volunteers to help us out, please consider lending a hand!
LUNA is designed for several levels. The first is the Ultra level, 55km (32 miles). Those interested in practicing physical activity, even if they have never run, can register to run the Half Marathon (13.1 miles); 12 kilometers (8 miles); or 5 kilometers (3 miles). “It’s not about competing. What we want is for people to enjoy nature, walk, run when they want, jog when they feel like it,” said Irene Vilar, director of Americas for Conservation and the Arts, co-founder of LUNA.
“LUNA is an adventure in nature designed in such a way that you can take on a challenge. For athletes, it will be competing. For the rest of those who participate, the experience will be enjoying the forest in the company of family and friends. Not many people know that the forest is pure, accessible, and free medicine. Science has proven that, in less than 20 minutes in the forest, the body begins to regenerate. Lower the pressure. Calm down. Lymphocyte cells (natural killer cells) are stimulated, which help raise your immune system and protect you,” said Vilar.
Vilar continued, “This is the first time in 35 years that Boulder County, which has some of the most beautiful public lands in Colorado, has granted such a permit for an event. So we’re going to have access to some incredible trails. We also want families to register. LUNA is an adventure with elements of sport that will unite us with our loved ones,” Vilar concluded.
“It is an incredible honor to be working with AFC+A on this event” said HPRS Race Director John Lacroix. “It is not lost on us how incredible an opportunity this is for the Latino community, for HPRS, and for all our running friends in the Front Range.
For HPRS this is an opportunity to showcase why we’re the #1 place for diversity, equity, equality, inclusion, and accessibility in Colorado’s running scene. It’s also an opportunity for us to provide a unique and educative experience that encourages participants to think deeper about sustainability and conservation. We understand the tremendous responsibility we hold in hosting this event successfully, and we thank our land management partners for being willing to work with us.” Lacroix concludes with “How incredibly exciting is it for an official race to be taking place specifically on these lands for the first time in decades?!”
The event takes place on trails associated with Boulder County and Eldorado Canyon State Park’s Walker Ranch Loop, Boulder County’s Meyers Homestead Trail, USFS Arapaho and Roosevelt National Forest Boulder Ranger District trails at Forsythe Canyon, and Denver Water’s trails around Gross Reservoir. Distinguished guests include the Mayor of the City of Boulder and the Ambassador of Mexico to The United States.
An actual trail race is happening in Boulder this weekend, for the first time in decades. Will you be there?