Valencia Against Cancer 2026: route, times and registration

The charity event organized by the Spanish Association Against Cancer in Valencia will return on Sunday, October 18, 2026, with a six-kilometer route along Paseo de la Alameda. The race will start at 8:30 a.m., between the Exhibition Bridge, popularly known as the Peineta Bridge, and the Flowers Bridge. The same setting will later host a skating event, a Nordic walking event and a popular walk.

The race number will cost 5 euros, and all proceeds from the RunCáncer events will be allocated in full to oncology research projects. Registration will be available online, while the non-competitive events will also offer in-person registration. The morning combines physical activity, family participation and a charity cause that brings thousands of people together in Valencia’s capital.

A morning to fill Paseo de la Alameda with color

Valencia will once again turn one of its best-known urban spaces into a meeting point for runners, walkers and skaters. Paseo de la Alameda is broad, tree-lined and almost entirely flat, making it suitable for very different audiences rather than only for people who train regularly. The competitive race will share the spotlight with gentler formats designed for those who prefer to move at another pace.

The 2026 event will be the eleventh edition of the Valencia race, which forms part of the RunCáncer circuit organized by the Valencia branch of the Spanish Association Against Cancer. It is not simply a six-kilometer popular race. The program allows people to take part running, walking, using Nordic walking poles or skating, while those who do not join the route can still enjoy activities and an atmosphere around the finish area.

The event’s collective scale is easier to understand through its recent figures. In 2025, 20,304 people took part and 101,520 euros were raised, equivalent to five euros per race number. The figures show the reach of a simple formula: an affordable contribution, an accessible urban route and a sporting celebration capable of bringing together people with very different levels of experience.

Date, start and six-kilometer route

The event will take place on October 18, 2026, in Valencia. The start and finish areas will be located on Paseo de la Alameda, between the Exhibition Bridge and the Flowers Bridge. The course will cover six kilometers, a common distance for participatory popular races and one that is manageable for beginners or for people who prefer to alternate running and walking.

The urban route makes it possible to plan the morning without the logistical demands of a long-distance event. Even so, participants should arrive with time to spare, identify the access points and check possible traffic restrictions before Sunday. The surrounding area may experience temporary changes, so municipal information released during the previous days will be the most reliable reference for reaching the Alameda.

At this distance, pace matters less than effort management. Runners can begin cautiously and save energy for the second half, while less experienced participants can complete the course walking. The flat profile and popular nature of the event make it feel more like an open sporting celebration for the whole city than a competition focused only on personal records.

Times and participation options

The race will start at 8:30 a.m. The skating event is scheduled for 9:45, followed by Nordic walking at 10:00 and the popular walk at 10:05. Each format has its own start so that participant flows can be organized and the route can be completed more comfortably.

The race is the competitive option, while skating, Nordic walking and the popular walk are non-competitive. This difference matters when completing registration and choosing the appropriate race number. The race can only be registered for online, whereas race numbers for the non-competitive events can also be purchased in person.

The staggered timetable gives the morning a progressive rhythm. Runners set off first, followed by skaters and then participants using poles or walking. This avoids concentrating every start at the same time and allows families, friends and associations to organize their participation without having to compete against one another.

Registration, charity race number and official shirt

The race number for each event will cost 5 euros. Organizers describe the numbers as 100 percent charitable because all proceeds go toward cancer research and support for oncology projects. The payment is not a fee linked to the distance, but a shared contribution that supports the social purpose of the circuit.

Online registration will be available for the different events according to the conditions of the call. The race cannot be entered in person. Race numbers for the walk, Nordic walking event and skating event can also be purchased at the Valencia branch of the Spanish Association Against Cancer, at 13 Avenida del Puerto, and at the Sports departments of El Corte Inglés in Pintor Sorolla, Nuevo Centro, Avenida de Francia and Hipercor Ademuz.

During online registration, participants can add the official 2026 RunCáncer shirt for 7 euros. The shirt will be collected together with the race number if it was selected beforehand. There is also a Zero Race Number for people who want to contribute without attending the event. This option allows a charitable donation even when someone cannot take part physically.

The choice of format depends on each participant’s goal. The race offers a competitive setting and a dedicated start; the walk allows a relaxed experience; Nordic walking adds the technical use of poles, and skating requires confident control on wheels. In every case, the value of the race number lies in where the money goes rather than in the sporting differences between events.

Race number collection at Feria Valencia

People registered online must collect their race number at Feria Valencia, Hall 6 Bis, entering through the North Forum. Collection will take place on Friday, October 16, and Saturday, October 17, from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. without interruption. The shirt will also be collected there if it was purchased during registration.

To collect the race number, participants must prove that they are registered and show their national identity card or passport. Identification confirms that the number belongs to a registered participant and helps prevent problems at an event expected to attract a large crowd. Checking registration details before arriving and keeping the relevant information on a phone can make the process easier.

Another person may collect a participant’s race number by presenting an authorization and an image of the registered participant’s identity document. Both documents can be shown on a mobile phone. Organizers do not provide ordinary collection on event day, a measure that concentrates distribution in the two previous days and reduces pressure around the start area.

There is an exception for participants traveling from outside Valencia who can properly justify their situation. In those cases, the race number may be collected at the start area from 7 a.m. This is an exceptional solution, not a general alternative schedule, so advance collection by an authorized person remains the simplest way to avoid problems.

Planning arrival and participation

The early start makes advance travel planning advisable. Paseo de la Alameda is central and connected to different parts of Valencia, but the event may cause temporary road closures or diversions. Traffic and public transport information should be checked through municipal channels during the previous days, especially by people arriving by car or traveling from another municipality.

Clothing should match the expected temperature and allow freedom of movement. In October, the first hours may feel cool, while the atmosphere becomes warmer as the morning progresses. For six kilometers, simple preparation is usually enough: comfortable shoes, breathable clothing and hydration suited to personal needs, without turning a short event into a long-distance expedition.

People running for the first time can alternate gentle running and walking from the beginning. This reduces the risk of starting too quickly because of the atmosphere at the start and helps maintain steady breathing. In Nordic walking, pole technique should be safe and considerate of others; in skating, speed control and braking are more important than pace.

The charity nature of the event does not remove basic rules of sporting coexistence. Participants should remain in their chosen format, keep a reasonable distance, follow organizers’ instructions and avoid sudden changes of direction. The experience of thousands of people depends on small gestures: keeping access points clear, making room when necessary and remembering that the route includes fast runners, families and people completing it calmly.

The meaning of RunCáncer beyond Valencia

The Valencia event is part of RunCáncer, a circuit of charity races and walks that will reach more than 100 municipalities in 2026. Its model combines popular sport with research funding, so each town adds one part to a shared fundraising effort. Small race-number contributions take on another dimension when they are repeated throughout a calendar and across very different settings.

Oncology research needs continuity, resources and projects that can progress over many years. A six-kilometer race cannot solve that challenge by itself, but it can turn a morning of physical activity into a concrete way to contribute. The event matters because it raises awareness of the cause and turns everyday participation into funds intended for scientific work.

The circuit also has a social role. The start line brings together people directly or indirectly affected by cancer, families, sports clubs, local organizations and participants who simply want to contribute. The result is a distinctive urban image: colorful shirts, Nordic walking poles, skates and running shoes moving through the same space at different speeds but toward a shared destination.

The Valencia edition preserves that mix of closeness and reach. It is a local activity because it takes place on a specific avenue and changes the city’s routine for several hours, but it also belongs to a much larger network. That dual scale explains why the event interests both residents and people arriving from elsewhere for a sporting and charitable morning.

A citywide meeting point built around participation

The October 18, 2026 event will have the Alameda as its operational and symbolic center. The six-kilometer race, the non-competitive formats, the organized race-number collection and the shared five-euro contribution create a clear program open to different profiles. That clarity is one reason the event continues to attract such broad participation.

The importance of the event is not measured only by stopwatches. It can also be seen in the number of people who find an accessible way to contribute, in the visibility given to cancer research and in the way Valencia occupies its streets for a common cause. Popular sport becomes a tool for solidarity without losing its playful nature or requiring everyone to participate in the same way.

Once registration, race-number collection and travel have been arranged, the route comes down to a simple idea: covering six kilometers alongside thousands of people. Some will run, others will walk, use poles or skate. Different paces do not weaken the meaning of the morning; they reinforce it. On the Alameda, every race number represents an individual contribution within a collective effort to keep oncology research moving forward.