Tercer Maratón de Aguas Abiertas Epatlán

The water of San Juan Epatlán holds a stillness that belies the tectonic restlessness of the Puebla region. As you push off from the shoreline, the surface often mirrors the surrounding highlands, a stark contrast to the seismic history that pulses through this basin. While the 2017 Puebla earthquake left its mark on nearby communities like San Juan Raboso, the lake remains a quiet witness to the shifting earth. Swimming here feels like traversing a submerged history; the basin itself is a product of this complex landscape, where the water levels fluctuate with the seasons, demanding a fluid approach to your stroke rhythm. As you navigate the course, your gaze naturally drifts toward the Totoltepec bird hill, an avian-rich highland that dominates the horizon. Translating to 'in the hill of the birds', this landmark acts as a constant navigation point, guiding your path across the lake's expanse.

Race day and historical context

Participating in the Maratón Aguas Abiertas San Juan Epatlán, scheduled for November 22, 2026, is an exercise in endurance within a region steeped in Mesoamerican legacy. The event, organized by Furia México, offers distances of 500m, 1250m, and 5000m, catering to those who appreciate testing themselves in inland waters. If you are looking for a different rhythm earlier in the season, you might consider Furia Bajo la Luna held in these same waters in August. As you swim, you are effectively passing over a landscape that once supported early Olmec groups, whose influence stretches to the nearby Las Bocas site in Izúcar de Matamoros. While the site is known today for the tragic looting of its ancient figurines in the 1960s, its presence looms in the collective memory of the valley. The area's past is as layered as the clay of its banks, with the town itself named after the 'epazote de zorrillo' plant, a nod to the pungent flora that defines the shoreline. Whether you are aiming for the 5km or the shorter sprints, the experience is defined by the unique interplay between the tranquil surface and the volatile, historic geography that surrounds it.