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In 1988, Rodrigo was invited to participate in the third-ever organized marathon in Chile by his former company, Hoechst. This was a monumental challenge for him, as he hadn't participated in a competition since his days as an athlete at the "Liceo Francés" in the 1970s and 1980s.
But the reward was well worth it. He realized that not only was his body capable of it, but his mind was eager for it. With a time of 3:53:15, this race marked the start of Rodrigo's passion for running, which later spread to the rest of the family like a virus.
Rodrigo's passion for running continued to grow, and in 2001, he decided to take his training to the next level. He joined Santiago's premier running team, the Santiago Runners, and decided to compete on an international level by participating in the New York Marathon, one of the world's largest and a part of the prestigious Abbott World Marathon Majors.
On November of that year, Rodrigo crossed the finish line with a personal record time of 3:11:51. Despite the recent terror attacks in New York, the mood was changing for the better and the joy of the runners and the cheers of the crowds were a testament to this.
At the end of the race, Rodrigo realized that the experience was too good to be kept to himself. He wanted to share it with those closest to him and so, upon his return to Santiago, he purchased new running shoes for his 5 sons, marking the beginning of the Wolfpack.
Over the decade since the New York Marathon, Rodrigo encouraged his sons to develop a passion for sports. He supported outdoor activities by providing his sons with bicycles and running gear to enjoy the beautiful trails of the Los Andes mountain range.
However, getting all of his sons to participate in races became increasingly difficult as they entered their teenage years. To change this, Rodrigo offered a generous reward for a great accomplishment. The prize: a two-week trip anywhere in the world. The challenge: run a full marathon.
The incentive was enough to motivate the three eldest sons to run a full marathon and the younger two to tackle a half marathon. Amsterdam was the destination of choice, though the reason why remains a mystery.
Organizing the family's first trip to Europe was a challenge, as tourism was on the rise and everything had to be booked months in advance. Nevertheless, the family trained for six months leading up to the marathon, eager for the exciting adventure ahead.
The Wolfpack finally made headlines on September 25th, 2016. With cheers ringing out, each of the six members completed the Berlin Marathon: Agustín (4:34:51), Rodrigo (4:29:20), Tomás (4:18:28), Raimundo (4:11:55), Rodrigo Jr. (3:51:25), and Santiago (3:39:01). This marked the beginning of the family's long-awaited quest for the World Major Marathons.
Deutsche Welle took notice of their story and sent reporter Hecko Flores to cover the event, resulting in a well-crafted 4-minute documentary. The love and support of the family matriarch, Paulina, was instrumental to their success. Although she didn't run the marathon herself, she proudly took pictures at the finish line and quipped, "I may not run in the streets of the marathon, but raising all the little wolfs has been my own race."
The Wolfpack went on to conquer the New York Marathon in 2017 and the Chicago Marathon in 2018, bringing them halfway to their goal of completing all six World Major Marathons and breaking the Guinness World Record. Despite the challenges ahead, they are more motivated than ever to continue their epic journey of effort and family strength. Follow the team as they chase glory and prove the power of a determined father's vision. Here's to the Wolfpack!
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