Peru - Cuzco (Day 3)

Day 1

Day 2

I slept fantastic. Woke up at 7:00, allowing myself about 30 minutes getting all my things ready and then head down to breakfast (buffet style), for about an hour of eating and socializing. The food was phenomenal. We left the hotel at 8:30 and then took the tour bus to see some of the archaeological sites including the temple of Sacsayhuaman around Cuzco. Took TONS of pictures.

There was a really cool natural formation of slides that some of the group was brave enough to try. I figured I'd probably break an ankle on my way down and did NOT try it.

I apparently have a ginormous obsession with alpacas. I think they are the cutest EVER.

I'm sure it will be fiiiiiine

They are not running from me. Promise.

Overlooking Cuzco

Parade in the square

We visited a factory where they make and sell different products made out of alpaca (and probably other animal) hair. I only bought a few cute Christmas ornaments. The high quality stuff was really pricey.

Around noon, we began our run (approximately 12,500 feet at the peak) down some pretty challenging terrain (4ish miles) to our hotel.  My big concern with the race is that I am by FAR the slowest runner. The man who runs the tour group claimed he would be the “sweeper” and run at the back with me. I am not the greatest runner on rocky downhills, not to mention I was wearing my road shoes and not my trail shoes. Apparently what being a “sweeper” meant was that he would run ahead of me, once in a while making sure that I wasn’t lost. Pretty annoying. The trail was really pretty and although I was able to take a few pictures, it was frustrating that I really couldn’t stop and take a breather because it was not marked and I didn’t want to get lost. Sometimes it really sucks being slow (usually I don’t care that much).

Pretty much just had time to drop off stuff in the room and then had a pretty fabulous buffet lunch in the hotel restaurant. 

After lunch I had to take a shower, then most of us decided to walk to the market outside the main square. A lot of the shops were closed, but I managed to get some inexpensive souvenirs. This will not be like China where I didn’t find anything!

Returned to the hotel and had a little over an hour until our mandatory briefing regarding the race.

I apparently did NO research on this course. I was pretty surprised to learn the exact elevation levels and inclines/declines. I also had no idea that a majority of the course was going to be "steps" (and I use that term VERY loosely) and how difficult the terrain would be to navigate. Good times.

We then headed to another restaurant near the hotel where we had fancy food and yet another show. Somewhere there is a video of me getting dragged "on stage" and dancing. Not sure who took it, but I imagine it will turn up some day.