11/10/2025
María Lorena Ramírez, a 22-year-old woman from the indigenous Rarámuri (or Tarahumara) community, won the 31-mile (50-kilometer) ultramarathon known as the UltraTrail Cerro Rojo in Puebla, Mexico, defeating about 500 contestants from 12 countries. Remarkably, she completed the race in 7 hours and 3 minutes wearing a skirt and handmade sandals made from recycled tire rubber, without the typical modern running gear — no special shoes, energy gels, or hydration vests.
Her victory highlights both the extraordinary endurance culture of the Rarámuri people and the contrast with mainstream ultrarunning. Ramírez comes from a family of long-distance runners, accustomed to navigating rugged terrain and covering large distances on foot as part of daily life, such as walking 6–9 miles (10–15 kilometers) to tend goats and cows.
