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The Maya Mountain Adventure Challenge (MMAC ) has taken on a life of its own. What started as a typical adventure race production has developed into a testament of one of the last truly unspoiled corners of the world. On our first trip to Belize in February 2012, we were introduced to the beauty of the Maya Mountains and its people. When we returned in November of 2012, Friends of Conservation and Development (FCD) director, Rafael Manzanero, unlocked for us the secrets of the Chiquibul and the Mountain Pine Ridge and, with them, the possibilities they contained for epic adventure races highlighting the great Maya Mountains and Central America. Join us in 2016 as the course takes participants in uncharted and unseen territory as part of the North American Adventure Racing Series.

The Maya Mountain Adventure Challenge will be held on February 14th of 2013. Please check out the website to learn more about registration.

http://www.mayamountainadventurechallenge.com

There is a 46 minute video that can be purchased as a rental for $2.99US, or as a purchase for $9.99US. Here is their description:

Experience a 300 mile journey into the depths of a historic civilization. The Maya Mountain Adventure Challenge (MMAC) has taken on a life of its own. What started as a typical adventure race production has developed into a testament of one of the last truly unspoiled corners of the world. On our first trip to Belize in February 2012, we were introduced to the beauty of the Maya Mountains and its people. When we returned, Friends of Conservation and Development (FCD) director, Rafael Manzanero, unlocked for us the secrets of the Chiquibul and the Mountain Pine Ridge and, with them, the possibilities they contained for epic adventure races highlighting the great Maya Mountains and Central America. The MMAC will take the 16 teams through a 200 mile journey across various types of terrain including the Maya Mountains and the Chiquibul National Park. 50 participants from around the globe will put to test their stamina, survival skills and endurance over a course of three days in a non-stop competition. The racers will bike, rappel, canoe and trek utilizing their orienteering skills with the limited use of a compass and a map to finish the race.

Here's the link for the video

MMAC 2016 Begins

The Maya Mountain Adventure Challenge started to day, from Cahal Pech. A run to Benque, canoe to Xunantunich, climb El Castillo, and then canoe to Branch Mouth, and that's just the first half of today.

You can follow the teams here

Meet the 2016 Maya Mountain Adventure Challenge Teams

Still going!

You can follow the teams here

Team Adventure Medical Kits - Pre-Race MMAC Belize 2016 from Aaron Johnson on Vimeo.

Team Adventure Medical Kits - Day 1 Highlights MMAC Belize 2016 from Aaron Johnson on Vimeo.

Team Adventure Medical Kits - Day 2 Highlights MMAC Belize 2016 from Aaron Johnson on Vimeo.

Cape man cycles 13 miles after shoulder injury during Belize race
Forty-eight athletes from nine countries convened Saturday on San Ignacio in Belize to participate in the Maya Mountain Adventure Challenge. The biannual four-day endurance race takes athletes through about 320 miles of terrain, cycling across pine ridges and jungles, rappelling down large cave systems and paddling down rivers, according to the race website. Bryan Greaser, a lawyer in Cape Girardeau, was one of those athletes. "I became interested in this race because it is part of the Adventure Racing World Series," Greaser said. "With some of the best teams in the world coming here, you knew the race course and organization would be epic." But the race didn't go as he, or the rest of his team, had planned. Three men and one woman began the race that morning, but before the end of the day, the first member dropped out because of "major hip flexor issues," Greaser said. "So the three men continued on as we transitioned from a 24-mile whitewater canoe paddle to bikes," he said. Greaser recounted what happened next on his Facebook page. On Saturday evening, with only bicycle lights to guide them, Greaser went down a hill into a thick sludge rutted by the tires of vehicles that passed previously. His bicycle hit the ruts, and he crashed violently, hitting his head against the ground so hard, he nearly passed out. He also partly dislocated his shoulder. Though his pain was extreme, he could not stop. The crash occurred hours after the team transitioned to bikes. "Due to the remoteness of this country and lack of cell service, we had to ride our bikes back to race headquarters for about 13 miles with my dislocated shoulder," Greaser said. The next morning, Greaser went to the emergency room, where he was told he had a partially dislocated shoulder, bruising of muscles, tendons and ligaments and a small hairline fracture around the shoulder socket. He could not continue the race.

Team Adventure Medical Kits - Day 3 Highlights MMAC Belize 2016

Highlights from Day 3 at the Maya Mountain Adventure Challenge.

Team Adventure Medical Kits - Day 4 Highlights MMAC Belize 2016

Highlights from Day 4 of the Maya Mountain Adventure Challenge in Belize.

And after the ultimate Belize adventures, the Maya Mountain Adventure Challenge 2016 has come to an end. Throughout this experience, we witnessed first-hand the unexplored beauty that makes our Belize a "one-of-a-kind" Jewel. Above all, there were loads of inspirational teamwork to help each person get to the finish line!

From the beginning of the race…

…to canoeing through the rapids on the Macal and Mopan Rivers

Photo courtesy of Legendary Randy Ericksen Films

…trekking at Xunantunich Maya ruin

Photo courtesy of Legendary Randy Ericksen Films

…to San Ignacio Town

Photo courtesy of Legendary Randy Ericksen Films

…even bike riding in the Mountain Pine Ridge Forest Reserve

Photo courtesy of Legendary Randy Ericksen Films

Photo courtesy of Legendary Randy Ericksen Films

The teams muscled energy to pack raft after days of trekking, biking and canoeing

Photo courtesy of Legendary Randy Ericksen Films

Photo courtesy of Legendary Randy Ericksen Films

Participants from Belize, Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, France, Spain, United States, Norway, and Sweden all delved into the unchartered adventurous wonders of “mother nature’s best kept secret”. Big congratulations to all who participated and especially Team SANIGNACIOBELIZE.COM for overcoming all obstacles and finishing the race in style and fourth overall. Here’s the official race results: