Felipe Richard Londoño reached Alto de Letras on his trainers and with the beat of his heart. A challenge that many pedal and few, very few, run.

It all began far away from Mariquita-Tolima, and quite a few years ago. The man who was standing on a Saturday in April in front of the first kilometre of the road, as he says, was previously two men referring to their excess weight. Richard's sporting present could flatly deny that his is a story related to extra kilos, obesity and reduction in size.

But running and his life crossed paths because he wanted to go through the world more lightly and sport had golden chapters in store for him. Both of them added kilometers, low times and the anecdotes that leave a mark on the soul of a runner in every race they attend.

That's life, in many cases we walk towards an achievement and flying goals appear, peaks that we never imagined existed or a thunder that at 2 in the morning on a Saturday in April 2021 interrupted sleep so that anxieties woke up early to wonder if the kilometers that separate a runner from the start and kilometer 80 will begin in the rain.

Kilometer zero

The humanity of Felipe Richard Londoño, half of his other self from a few years ago, began at 5 o'clock in the morning to break the darkness of the climb to Alto de Letras. With a flashlight on his forehead, he advanced the first few meters that took him away from the encouraging hugs of the beginning and brought him closer to the congratulatory hugs of the end.

The day was getting brighter and the runner continued to dodge each curve, each truck that passed by and the inclines that put to the test the 4 months of specific training he had done to meet this event and the will that had him on that asphalt that changed temperature with the rigor that is immersed in covering around 3,200 meters of unevenness.

The first few kilometres were full of excitement, some descents to stretch the legs and even encouragement to answer a couple of interviews that were conducted on the side of the road by the lenses that immortalised the feat.

Good companies

Once he had entered into the dance with the mountain, Felipe found wheels and other steps that accompanied him. Just like in life itself, he had no one to run for him, but he did have someone at his feet. Santiago, his trainer, got on his bike and Inés, an experienced trail runner, kept up with Richard during two chapters of the story: one of ten kilometers and another that was almost four.

They were there at kilometer 60 when he had to walk, his skin turned white and he ran out of words to answer questions. At 3,000 meters above the level of doubts, his friends were there to lend a helping hand when the road showed its coldest and most painful face. Felipe's story was not without drama.

My kingdom for a sign

And all that pain, nights avoiding late nights, postponed beers, hours cloistered on a treadmill, Sundays raising dust in Minas, Calderas and other latitudes of Eastern Antioquia just to reach some wooden boards that say “Alto de Letras.” All that effort to reach that plain of cold wind and silent air.

And yes, that is what the heart tells passions. It asked him to climb that mountain, it can ask Camilo to get up five minutes earlier, it can tell Andrea to finish her thesis once and for all, it can tell Roberto that it is time to give that woman his first kiss and Laura invites her to do her first kilometers. Life is colored by the goals that the spirit sets, by the signs that deserve a photo for the networks or by the stories that are behind a weekend morning.

At kilometer 80, 3,200 meters from the level of joy, Felipe Richard Londoño crossed another challenge off his list, raised his arms with what was left of his strength and was already preparing, without knowing it, for the next hug that will receive him in his next challenge, still unknown. Because the desire to go further and further is as infinite as jogging for 8 hours and 14 minutes to reach a stop.

Cristian Marín - Alternating Current.