Albanchez hosts its popular race on Dec. 13

Plan your race pace

Albanchez will host a sports day on Sunday, Dec. 13, 2026, featuring children’s races, an 8-kilometer adult event and a hiking route along the same course. The adult race is scheduled to start at noon from Plaza de España in the Almería municipality; the program also includes services for runners and hikers and a meal planned for 2 p.m. at the municipal sports hall.

The race follows a loop course combining streets, dirt tracks and a dry riverbed, with about 150 meters of positive elevation gain. The stated entry fee for adults and hikers is 10 euros per person, while children up to age 11 can take part free, according to the available information. The morning schedule begins before noon, with several children’s starts between 11 and 11:40 a.m.

A December event in the heart of Albanchez

The announced seventh edition places the event’s center in Plaza de España, where the day’s sporting activities will unfold. The schedule sets Sunday, Dec. 13, 2026, as the event date and reserves noon for the adult race and other categories. Bib pickup is scheduled from 10 to 11:45 a.m., so participants should arrive with enough time before their respective starts.

The program is not limited to a running competition: it combines races for different ages, a noncompetitive hike and shared activities afterward. That variety gives the day several different paces, from the shortest events for younger children to the eight-kilometer course. Plaza de España serves as the main reference point, although the meal and some services are located at the municipal sports hall and municipal gym.

The published times are described as approximate, an important detail for anyone accompanying children or hoping to take part in more than one activity. The adult awards ceremony is scheduled for 1:30 p.m. in the town square; the meal for participants and companions is planned for 2 p.m. at the sports hall. A morning with several categories may require small adjustments, so the overall sequence matters more than treating each time as exact to the minute.

Event times and race distances

The first activity listed on the schedule is the hiking route, which starts at 11 a.m. The chupetín category, for the youngest children, starts at the same time and covers 100 meters; the prebenjamín race is scheduled for 11:10 and covers 200 meters. The benjamín event covers 400 meters at 11:20, followed by the 1,000-meter alevín race at 11:30.

The infantil category is assigned 4,000 meters and a scheduled start at 11:40. The adult race and remaining categories begin at noon, with eight kilometers for the main course. The staggered starts separate children’s events by age and distance, but the available material does not list additional age groups or explain the entry criteria for each category.

The schedule puts the shortest distances first and leaves the longer events until later. For families, that means the children’s races take place within a compact time window, although each group’s start may depend on how the day unfolds. Bib pickup is planned from 10 to 11:45 a.m.; pickup closes before the adult start, so arriving at the last minute is unwise if participants still need to complete that step.

An eight-kilometer mixed-surface course

The adult race will follow a loop through an urban area, dirt tracks and a dry riverbed. The course gains about 150 meters, a moderate elevation change that, together with the mix of surfaces, distinguishes it from an entirely paved circuit. The available information does not include a map, GPS track or turn-by-turn description, so it is not possible to say where the climbs are concentrated or how much of the route uses each surface.

On a mixed course, moving from streets to dirt can change the perceived pace even without steep hills. A track and a dry riverbed do not feel like pavement underfoot, and the loop brings runners back to the start and finish area after completing the distance. The 150-meter elevation figure is a useful reference, not a detailed course profile: it helps indicate the effort involved but cannot by itself reveal how difficult each section will be.

The adult race and hiking event share the same eight-kilometer route and stated elevation gain. Their main difference is the nature of the activity: the race is competitive, while the hike is planned as noncompetitive. The route through the municipality’s surroundings offers varied surfaces, but the published details do not mention course markings, checkpoints or access restrictions.

The hiking route, a noncompetitive option

The hike starts at 11 a.m. and follows the same loop as the adult event: eight kilometers and about 150 meters of positive elevation gain. It is planned as a noncompetitive activity, so participants are not ranked by time. It offers an option for people who want to cover the route at a different pace and take part in the day without starting the race.

Because it shares the main course, the hike crosses the same types of terrain: streets, dirt tracks and a dry riverbed. That mix makes suitable footwear and comfortable clothing sensible choices, particularly in December. Organizers announce a giveaway for registered hikers, as well as a full liquid and solid refreshment station at the finish, according to the information provided.

The available details do not state a time limit for completing the hike or say whether participants will be accompanied along the route. Nor is there a mapped itinerary from which to estimate duration precisely at different walking paces. The information does confirm that hikers and runners share the distance and that the activity is part of the morning program, with a meal planned afterward at the municipal sports hall.

Children’s races and categories

The children’s program staggers starts for five groups: chupetín, prebenjamín, benjamín, alevín and infantil. Distances range from 100 meters for the youngest category to 4,000 meters for infantil. The progression is not linear —the alevín race covers 1,000 meters and the infantil race four kilometers— so each distance should be understood as the one assigned to its category, not as an identical age-based scale.

The children’s races use a different awards approach from the adult event: every participant receives a medal. The program also says children up to age 11 can take part free; the available information does not explain how children’s entries are processed or whether additional conditions apply. Exact ages and categories should be checked against the current event notice, since the available summary does not specify detailed age limits for each group.

The sequence allows children’s races to take place before the adult event, although it overlaps with the start of the hiking route. For families, the morning offers several distances and a shared finish around the square and sports hall. No minimum times, children’s rankings or specific technical rules for each course are published, so conditions not listed in the program should not be assumed.

Entry fee, registration and planned services

The stated price is 10 euros per person for the adult race and hiking activity. Children up to age 11 can take part free, according to the available information. The entry deadline, registration method, capacity and refund policy are not provided; it is also unclear whether the meal is included in the price. The 10-euro figure should therefore be read as the published fee to take part in the race or hike, without attributing benefits that are not explicitly specified.

Announced services include a technical T-shirt for adult runners and hikers, medical assistance and an ambulance, third-party liability and accident insurance, ample parking and separate men’s and women’s showers at the municipal gym. A full liquid and solid refreshment station is also listed at the finish at kilometer eight. The services cover practical aspects of a sports day, although the information does not specify shower hours, parking capacity or the contents of the refreshments.

The program schedules a meal at 2 p.m. at the municipal sports hall for participants and companions. It does not say whether companions pay a separate amount or whether the meal is included with registration, so the mention should not be taken to mean that it is free for everyone. Bib pickup, from 10 to 11:45 a.m., is the only detailed administrative time provided.

Awards, giveaways and a shared meal

The top three finishers in the men’s and women’s adult categories will receive awards. Organizers say prizes cannot be combined, a condition that prevents one person from collecting multiple awards when eligible for more than one. The ceremony is scheduled for 1:30 p.m. in the town square, after the main race, although the overall schedule is described as approximate.

Children’s races do not use the same podium system: every participant receives a medal. A special award is also planned for the two clubs with the most participants, with each receiving a ham. The day combines competitive recognition with group participation, using different incentives for leading finishers, clubs and children. The criteria for breaking a tie in club numbers and the process for confirming club membership are not specified.

A technical T-shirt is offered to participants in the adult race and the hiking event. The program thus adds a tangible keepsake to the awards and medals, along with the meal planned for 2 p.m. The awards ceremony and gathering afterward make the end of the sporting activity a central part of the event, although the menu and access arrangements for companions are not detailed.

Planning the morning in Albanchez

Plaza de España is the reference point for the race and awards ceremony; the municipal sports hall will host the meal, and the municipal gym has showers. The program announces ample parking for runners and companions but does not provide a separate address, an exact number of spaces or access directions. Because several starts take place in succession, arriving early leaves time to collect a bib and find the facilities without rushing.

The published recommendation is to wear comfortable clothing suited to the season, along with appropriate footwear. A December morning can involve waiting, running and walking; dressing in layers makes it easier to adjust without turning preparation into a technical exercise. For the mixed course, footwear with enough grip for dirt and the dry riverbed is more relevant than choosing it only for the urban section, although organizers do not prescribe a model or specific specification.

Those accompanying children should note that the children’s starts are scheduled between 11 and 11:40 a.m., while the adult race begins at noon. The hiking route also starts at 11. The program brings together activities happening at the same time, so it is worth checking the correct category and start time before going to the relevant area. No venue map or alternative schedule for possible changes appears in the reference information.

What is known and what remains to be confirmed

The available information confirms the essentials: date, location, adult distance, approximate elevation gain, planned times, price and announced services. It also identifies the course as a loop on mixed surfaces and lists children’s distances by category. However, it does not include a map, full regulations, a registration link, a deadline, a participant limit or details on bib distribution beyond the stated time window.

Some search results also mix current information about the 2026 edition with references from earlier years. For this event, the information provided gives Dec. 13, 2026, as the date and describes a seventh edition; an old reference to the second edition in 2019 does not replace or correct the current schedule. The 2026 date and program should take precedence over historical pages when planning to participate.

There is also an isolated mention of a sixth edition in a regulations section, which conflicts with the heading that presents the seventh edition. Since no updated regulations are provided to resolve the discrepancy, the most consistent designation in the main information is the seventh edition, while that administrative detail remains to be confirmed. The lack of registration information and meal arrangements also means those points should not be treated as settled based on what has been published so far.

A day bringing sport and local life together

The program offers more than an eight-kilometer race: it brings together an adult competition, children’s distances, hiking and a meal afterward. The mixed loop crosses urban spaces and dirt tracks, while Plaza de España and the municipal sports hall anchor the main moments of the day. That close-knit scale gives the event a different character from a major city race, although the information does not support claims about a specific turnout or crowd size.

For runners, the eight kilometers and 150 meters of elevation gain provide a manageable distance in terms of length, but the varied terrain deserves attention when pacing. Families have staggered children’s races and medals for all participants. Those who prefer walking can take the same route without a ranking. The program’s variety gives each activity its own place within a shared morning.

The Dec. 13 schedule, noon adult start and 10-euro fee are the most useful details for understanding the event. The announced technical T-shirt, medical service, insurance, parking and showers add to the finish-line refreshments. Registration details, a course map and some logistical arrangements remain unclear, but the day’s structure already outlines a local sports event with options to run, walk and take part as a family.

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