Running Baja from Coast to Coast

What does it feel like to run from one ocean to another—across deserts, through canyons, over the spine of Baja California Sur? In this episode, Nick sits with Hope Zak, an endurance athlete who decided that the only way to truly understand Baja was to cross it on foot.Hope takes us inside De Mar a Mar, a three-day ultramarathon that begins on the quiet shoreline of the Sea of Cortez and ends on the raw, open Pacific. She talks about waking up in Los Barriles and realizing the mountains behind her home weren’t a backdrop—they were an invitation. From the first step into loose Baja rock to the final mile on unforgiving Pacific sand, she faced exhaustion, elevation, and the kind of silence that strips everything down to willpower.Her story isn’t just about running. It’s about building a life between two countries, working as a nurse practitioner in the U.S., training in Mexico, and choosing a lifestyle that prizes freedom over routine. It’s about what happens when you push past comfort and discover the version of yourself waiting on the other side of effort.Whether you’re an athlete, a traveler drawn to Baja, or someone curious about what humans can really endure, Hope’s journey delivers a perspective that stays with you long after the episode ends.Press play and cross Baja with us—step by step.