Wow: Two-time NYC champ Germán Silva just ran diagonally all the way across Mexico at age 54

"cartel checkpoints ..."

It's unfortunate that parts of Mexico are basically like Afghanistan, in the sense that gangs run it.

I say "unfortunately" because a large percentage of Mexicans want a stable government, unlike a large percentage of afghans. But there is such an ungodly amount of money that the gangs make off of the Americans' insatiable desire for drugs that the cartels are as well funded as the government, or even better. So despite most people being on the side of the government, there is just too much corruption and money behind the cartels.

So you end up with things like cartel checkpoints operating in the open.

The only real solution is to just legalize everything in the US and set up systems to tax and regulate it. Take the money away from the cartels and they'll wither away to a shadow of what they are right now.

Good way to get murdered.

They said he had to run with a .380 compact . if anyone gets the details post what he was carrying on the running with handguns thread.

Running diagonally twists the spine and hips, often leading to injury.

Yeah, the Afghans practically begged the Pentagon to use their country for target practice.

It should've been 3,000, but he made a wrong turn near the end. ;-)

Too lazy to read the whole story carefully, but did it explain why they drove east across Baja? Looks weird to run across the country, but not run that section. I hate WaPo picture stories like this one, in case Jeff Bezos is reading the boards today.

I didn't see any explanation and also found that weird. You are going to run for thousands of miles but skip a few at the beginning? The only idea that popped into my head is, "Wow is it so much of a desert and desolate down there that they couldn't get food/water/gas to support the run?"

But if that's the case why not just head directly east at the start? Maybe their is a security issue somewhere?

Wow.

So it looks like they were stopped right at the state line. My guess is that there was some border check there and they didn't let him through so they just drove to the ferry.

Another report with more pics:

GermanSilvaRun-CdnRunningMag

I noticed that too.

My best guess is, they had a scheduled ferry ride they couldn't change.
What it tells me, that this is a no BS run. He didn't have to pretend he ran the whole thing like so many Transcon people do.

You people need to get out more.

Baja California is one of the most beautiful desert landscapes of the planet. I was there twice and I would love to go back.

Great article. I too am interested in why he skipped the one part of baja. And how do we know he ran with a gun? Seems like it might be less safe to run with one in the sense the cartel won't view you as a threat. A gun isn't goin gto stop the cartel.

There is no mention of running with a gun so I assume that he ran without one. Also, the article mentions convincing the cartels that he is not a threat which is obviously easier to do if you aren't carrying a gun.

No mention of a gun. Go watch Fox News if you're into fabricated facts.