Dear runners, volunteers, friends, partners and sponsors of ehunmilak,
It’s normally around this time of year that we announce the 3 races in the ehunmilak project and the registration period usually begins.
However, taking into account the recommendation made by the medical team that advises us, the group of people who sit on the Management and Organising Committee of the ehunmilak Ultra-Trail, goierriko2haundiak Trail and marimurumendi Marathon events has agreed not to hold the three races in 2021. We will use this announcement to try to explain the reasons that have led to this.
Since it was created, the safety of the runners and volunteers and the quality of the competition have been the core principles of the ehunmilak project.Sadly, the current scenario and foreseeable situation are making it difficult to fulfil both of these principles.
A difficult year
In March this year, we made the difficult decision to suspend the event in 2020. Back then, as now, the level of uncertainty caused by COVID-19 was huge.Subsequent events have shown that this was the right decision.
We now find ourselves in the same situation.We have had to think hard about the 2021 event. The pandemic is still here, with all of its ups and downs, and everything suggests that it will be with us for a while.
Collective responsibility
For a moment, we have put on hold our huge enthusiasm and desire to hold another event and we have seriously considered the situation that we are in.Out of our responsibility to the society of which we are part, we honestly believe that ehunmilak should not be held. Due to the pandemic itself, the memory of the people who it has taken from us and our solidarity with everyone who is fighting every day to ensure that it does not affect us more than it already has,
we have to be responsible and not take unnecessary risks.
During times like this we have to do our bit and avoid creating problems where they don’t exist.We are approaching a period in which we will have to enjoy the mountains in a different way, without the motivation, heat and excitement offered by a competition like ehunmilak.
Uncertainty
The ehunmilak project is not a sporting event that can be organised and then left to luck or chance.In other words, we cannot open up registration, get everyone excited and put in motion all of the organisational mechanisms of a project when we won’t even know if it is going to be held until the last minute.We prefer not to create false expectations for the runners or affect their plans for 2021.
It does not look like the current pandemic will be resolved in the short or medium term.Therefore, we believe that it is preferable not to organise a project than to organise it and then finally have to suspend it, with all of the consequences that this would have for the organisation and the runners.
Safety comes first
We mustn’t forget that the ehunmilak project involves thousands of people, including fans, runners, their family members, volunteers, healthcare workers and all kinds of technicians who provide their support for the three races.And add to that a vast territory and very long route. It is easy to imagine how difficult and complex it would be to effectively identify and control all of the variables that could affect the health of all of these people.It is very difficult to guarantee
their safety, especially since that safety is also the organisation’s responsibility.
The essence of ehunmilak
Organising an event with the level of care and detail to which we have become accustomed with ehunmilak is hard work in itself.On top of that, the current pandemic requires us to make changes and adopt preventive measures that are so stringent that they would make it very difficult to hold it.
If we were able to hold ehunmilak, it wouldn’t have the true essence of the ehunmilak project.So we are not willing to abandon our values and organise a simple race.
See you in 2022!
No matter how long the storm may last, the sun always shines through the clouds again. So we hope to have the continued support of our volunteers, partners and sponsors in future years. We would love to see you, safe and sound, in the 2022 edition!
The organising committee of ehunmilak
