The Legend of La Llorona (The Weeping Woman)

La Llorona is one of the scariest stories almost every Mexican child grows up hearing—usually told by parents as a way to keep us from wandering outside or getting into trouble. But beyond the fear, it’s also a deeply sad tale. According to the legend, La Llorona is a woman who, consumed by grief and guilt after drowning her children, is condemned to wander the earth crying out, “¡Ay, mis hijos!” (“Oh, my children!”). It’s said that on nights with a full moon, the wind carries her cries—desperate, sorrowful, and chilling. As a child, even the softest howl of the wind would send me hiding under the covers, convinced she was nearby.


These kinds of legends are what I miss most from my childhood—the mystery, the emotion, the connection to our roots. It's this nostalgia, and the love I feel for my culture, that inspired me to organize a 10K Trail Run. In my mind, the trail becomes a journey through memory and myth.

I also see a powerful connection between La Llorona and another iconic, often misunderstood figure: La Malinche. She was the interpreter and companion of Hernán Cortés, and history has painted her in many ways—some call her a traitor, others see her as a survivor who made impossible choices. To me, La Malinche becomes La Llorona: a woman burdened with sorrow, crying out not just for her own children, but for all the children she may have betrayed. Through both women, I see strength, complexity, pain, and resilience. Their stories inspire this run—not just as a physical challenge, but as a tribute to the voices, legends, and memories that shaped us.

. - Ceci Iñiguez