Costa Rican 6-day Race, a Big Challenge

Costa Rica Race

Jennifer Samway, 41, of Miami Beach completed a grueling six-day Costa Rica adventure race on Feb. 6 in Bahia Drake, Osa Peninsula on Costa Rica's Southern Pacific.

The 250-kilometer competition took more than 75 participants -- from eight countries -- through the jungle, rainforest and mountains as well as across single-track ridgelines, highlands and coastal ranges. They also raced through beaches, rocky outcroppings, reefs, rivers and estuaries.

The course entailed climbing, trekking, bushwhacking, crossing rivers, running on the coast and more. Her Costa Rica adventure began Feb. 1.

''It was really the hardest race I have ever participated in,'' said Samway, who took more than 400 photos. ``The pain that you feel on the race course goes away, but the memories and experiences of the whole event leave such a lasting impression that I can't wait for the next one.''

Samway actually has been a competitive triathlete for eight years, including events in Florida, Brazil, Mexico and the Bahamas. A top finisher in her age group, she finished ninth in her division at Ironman Brazil.

Samway and her husband, Michael, an infrequent triathlete, have two children -- Keenan, 10, and Daria, 8 -- who have done kids' triathlons.

• Hollywood's David Plese, 26, won the season opening triathlon Feb. 8 at Tradewinds Park in Coconut Creek.

Plese covered the 0.25-mile swim, 10-mile bike and 2.5-mile run in 42 minutes 50 seconds. Kevin Channer, 37, of Deerfield Beach was the runner-up in 48:00. Miami's MichaelNunez, 33, was third at 48:12.

In the women's field, Jeanine Feldman, 31, of Greenacres was first in 50:31. Alexis Flagg, 16, of Brentwood, Calif., was second at 56:43, and Weston's Judy Doherty, 47, took third in 57:56.

In the women's duathlon (1-mile run, 10-mile bike, 2.5-mile run,) Nancy Gribble, 51, of Loxahatchee finished first in 55:12. Lake Worth's Natalie DiFranco, 41, was second in 55:29, followed by ColetteKeno, 44, of Fort Lauderdale in 56:05.

On the men's side, Gino Hodge, 29, of Oranjestad, Aruba placed first in 48:40. Patrick Lee, 44, of Kingston, Jamaica, was second at 50:20, and Dania Beach's Andrew Colabella, 47, was third in 50:29. Visit multirace.com.

• Time is running out for application requests for the Seven Mile Bridge Run which is 7:30 a.m. April 25 in Marathon.

Applications to run must be requested and returned by mail. Requests for applications should be sent to the Marathon Runners Club, P.O. Box 500110, Marathon, Fla. 33050. Requests must include a self-addressed, stamped, legal-size or 4-inch by 9-inch (minimum) envelope, by the third week of February.

The run is limited to the first 1,500 people who return completed applications to the Marathon Runners Club. Because the number of applicants generally exceeds 1,500, organizers encourage prospective competitors to request and return their applications quickly.

Applications will be mailed the first week of March. Returned applications must be completely and correctly filled out or they will be disqualified.

Call 305-395-7040. Visit southernmostrunners.com.

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