CorreMiTierra participant.
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Bogota is preparing to become the track for more than 15,000 runners he November 23when the race CorreMiTierra return to the capital for the third consecutive year.
The event, created by the spouses Cristina Martinez y Jorge Andrés Orozcowill close the 2025 national tour with a route that promises music, color and a community atmosphere unusual in traditional races.
“CorreMiTierra is not a competition, it is an invitation to enjoy running”said Cristina to The Spectator. That phrase sums up the spirit of an initiative that, since its first edition in 2011, has been the gateway to the world of running for thousands of people.
His bet is not on stopwatches, but on emotions: running as a life experience, not as a time challenge.
Run for pleasure, not for time
The project was born in Medellín 15 years ago, promoted by a couple who turned their own family habit of jogging into a way of celebrating life. “We started by going running with our children, teaching them to move, to celebrate each other, to enjoy. From there everything came,” Jorge recalled for this newspaper.
Today, three of their five children work with them and the two youngest collaborate on each edition. “The youngest says that she is the director of the children's area. It is something that fills us with pride, because this was born from love and is still a family issue,” she said, laughing.
That family root explains why children They are protagonists. From the earliest years, families asked for small t-shirts and medals for themselves. In this edition, children under 8 years old will be able to officially participate with their own number, shirt and medal. “We want them to live the full experience, just like adults”said Cristina.
In this environment, the word “competition” loses weight. Each shirt has a “00” on the back. It's not a coincidence. “The zero-zero means that time does not matter. Here no one measures you or pressures you. What's worth is enjoying“Jorge explained.
Symbols that tell stories
CorreMiTierra has an iconography that is already part of its identity. In Bogotá, the medal will be negrawith a león —a symbol of courage and inner strength— and a star that represents runners. On the back, the phrase: “You brought out the lion inside you.” “That lion is what each of us is: the impulse to go out, to dare, to achieve something we had never done before.”said Jorge.
Bogotá, the capital of running
Bogota It has established itself as one of the most demanding and attractive scenarios for running in Latin America. The altitude imposes a physical challenge that attracts both amateurs and experienced athletes.
“We wanted to come since 2020, but the pandemic stopped it. We arrived in 2023, we returned in 2024 and now we return for the third time with a beautiful welcome”says Cristina.
More than 35% of runners They come from other cities, which turns the event into a tourist and economic engine.
In 2024, the circuit generated more than 10 million dollars in economic benefit; So far in 2025 it already exceeds 14 million.
In 15 years, CorreMiTierra has gathered more than 300,000 runners from 40 countries and generated an estimated economic impact in 100 million dollars.
Run with conscience
Not everything is a party. The organizers insist on the security and the body care.
“Years ago we launched the campaign 'Your life is worth much more than a career'”Jorge recalled.
“We tell people: if you feel bad, walk. If you have a discomfort, slow down. No problem. The important thing is to arrive happy“he added.
That philosophy is reflected in an unusual policy: any runner can change your distance until the last minute. If someone signed up for 10K and prefers 5K, just let them know. “The essential thing is that they enjoy, not that they demand more than necessary.”added Cristina.
For both, the mind plays as important a role as the body. “When you start and see thousands of people running, your body forces you to go at the same pace. You have to train your head so as not to burn out prematurely. Breathing well, hydrating every 15 minutes, sleeping well… all of that is also part of training,” Jorge said.
Music, culture and city
The race is not conceivable without music. From its early years, CorreMiTierra had an artistic brother: My Earth Vibratesa city festival that brought together artists such as Monsieur Periné, Sebastián Yatra, 21st Floor y Timbiquí Heritage. That mix between sport and culture continues: each edition includes local groups, palenqueras and folkloric samples who accompany the runners during the course.
“The runner often stops to dance,” Cristina said with a laugh. “That's also part of the beauty: celebrating who we are.”
In Bogotá, the race has the support of IDUthe Secretary of Culture, Turismo y Economic developmentin addition to the National Armywhich is added by the sense of country that the event inspires.
“CorreMiTierra is also an act of patriotism. It reminds us that running can unite us as a nation”said Jorge.
A story that keeps running
Fifteen years after that first race, the couple retains the same enthusiasm. “What has kept us alive is love. We are not motivated by money. Sometimes we have lost money in cities, but never the illusion of seeing people happy“Jorge assured.
Today the event has hymn, poem and its own character: Lionel, the lionwhich has become an emblem. “The children love him. Some run the entire race hugging a Lionel stuffed animal until they reach the finish line and meet him in person. That's priceless”said Cristina.
In the first editions, they themselves delivered the water, bananas and medals. Today, with a team of more than one hundred people and dozens of allies, they continue to greet each runner at the start and finish line.
Run to heal
The emotional impact is also part of the story. “There are people who come because of depression, bankruptcy or loss. They find in this process a way to heal”said Cristina.
“We have almost become psychologists; People tell us that they enter as one person and leave as another. That's the most beautiful thing“Jorge added.
Therefore, they say, CorreMiTierra is not just a sporting event. It is a community of people who walk, jog or run with a shared purpose: feel alive.
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