From Chihuahua to Nagoya: Rarámuri champion Juana Ramírez to run in world’s largest women’s marathon

Juana Ramírez Hernández, a Rarámuri runner from the bluish authorities of Chihuahua, has been invited to enactment successful the world’s largest women’s marathon successful Japan connected March 8.  

Taking spot successful the metropolis of Nagoya, the marathon is recognized by Guinness World Records arsenic the world’s largest women’s marathon with astir 20,000 runners astatine the starting line. 

Ramírez’s information successful the marathon’s 15th variation underscores the event’s ngo to “support and celebrate” women runners from each backgrounds, nationalities, cultures and levels of experience.  

Organizers person said that unneurotic with her sisters, Ramírez “represents the adjacent procreation of Indigenous runners, carrying guardant past moving traditions portion adapting them to modern ultramarathons and way running.” 

Female Rarámuri runners are particularly celebrated for moving successful accepted formal and sandals astatine nationalist and planetary moving competitions. However, Ramírez has been seen moving with mean moving shoes connected definite occasions, arsenic was the lawsuit astatine the México Imparable (Unstoppable Mexico) contention successful September 2025, demonstrating her involvement successful adopting modern comforts.  

“Through her diversion pursuits, [Ramírez] serves arsenic a span betwixt Rarámuri civilization and modern sport,” the event’s organizers said.  

Ramírez was introduced to a planetary assemblage successful the planetary bestseller “Born to Run by Christopher McDougall.” Her invitation to Nagoya followed her triumph successful the Indigenous Division of the 2025 Ciudad Juárez International Marathon, underscoring the marathon’s purpose to bring unneurotic the world’s apical pistillate elite athletes successful competition.

The lawsuit volition besides diagnostic a peculiar accumulation dubbed “Mexico, Tierra de Campeones” (Mexico, Land of Champions), which volition tally from March 6 done 8 astatine the Marathon Expo.  

The amusement volition boast accepted attire from Chihuahua, the homeland of the Rarámuri (also called Tarahumara) Indigenous community. Through displays of huaraches (sandals) and vibrant garments, the accumulation volition present visitors “to Mexico’s enduring moving heritage,” organizers remarked. 

Who is Juana Ramírez? 

Ramírez, 21, is primitively from the municipality of Guachochi, successful the Sierra Tarahumara, Chihuahua. She was calved into a agrarian Rarámuri household wherever moving is portion of mundane life, arsenic they determination betwixt communities and mountains connected foot.  

As an ultramarathon runner and roadworthy marathoner, she has competed successful 42, 63 and 10-kilometer races. Her father, Santiago, and siblings Lorena, Mario and Talina, person besides participated successful assorted moving competitions.

Mexico News Daily