Kelly's still in top 3 position!

Sending updates by Kelly's sister, Shawn

The Coastal Challenge 2009 – Day Four Race Update – 2/4/09
The Coastal Challenge Cruises Past Midway Point

Overcast Skies Provide Slightly Cooler Conditions During a Climbing-Focused Route
Montero Builds Lead in Men’s Expedition Category While Jurek Drops to Third Overall; Greenhill and Madrigal Battle For the Top Women’s Expedition Spot

By Matt Draper, TCC Web Staff

PALMAR SUR, Costa Rica – By Thursday, competitors at the 2009 Coastal Challenge (TCC) wondered what could possibly be in store for the remaining two days of the race. Since starting on Sunday, more than 70 competitors have run, trekked, slogged, and coasteered across hundreds of kilometers of Southwest Costa Rica. They have burned upwards of 20,000 calories, and have probably developed just as many blisters.

Wednesday’s course, the fourth of the six-day competition, continued the challenge with a steep route that moved from Playa Ventanas to Palmarsur and featured climbing and bushwhacking on single-track trails. While Javier Montero of Costa Rica finished first for the fourth straight day in the men’s Expedition Category, the women’s Expedition Category proved the most captivating as American Jaclyn Greenhill and Costa Rican Ligia Madrigal continue to race neck-and-neck for first.

“The Expedition group continues to change pole position, and the women’s category has really developed into a good-natured battle between Jaclyn and Ligia,” said Tim Holmstrom, race director. “It’s also been fun watching Scott (Jurek) run alongside TCC staples such as David (James) and Javier (Montero). Javier appears to be in top form, and Leonardo (Soresi) from Italy came on strong today to keep things interesting.”

Montero finished atop the field in five hours and 21 minutes, and has more than an hour overall lead. Soresi finished second (5:27) and James took third (5:32). Soresi made the day’s biggest push, finishing second after spending the majority of the race in the middle of the pack.
“Yesterday I gained confidence running with Scott Jurek,” said Soresi. “He told me I could do better than I thought, and he was right. The first two days I didn’t push myself.”

“From the first uphill to the last distance, it was a rollercoaster,” Soresi continued, referring to the Wednesday’s up-and-down course. “Costa Rica has canopy tours. Today was like a canopy tour of running.”

Madrigal finished first in six hours and 29 minutes. Greenhill and Ridgway tied for second (7:07). After four days of racing, Madrigal is on top (25:22), followed by Greenhill (25:53). Ridgway is third at 26:45.

Bill Butcher of the U.S. and Javier Sanchez of Costa Rica tied for first (9:09) in the Adventure Category. Adrienne Gordon of the U.S. came in first in the women's field (9:35). Team "No Artificial Ingredients" from Costa Rica again placed first in the team category.

Thursday’s course was titled “The Revenge of the Borucas” because of its location in what used to be the home to the Borucas Indians.