Campo de Criptana prepares its most distinctive December marathon

Plan your race pace

Campo de Criptana has a distinctive running date on its calendar: a new edition of its unofficial marathon is scheduled for December 20, 2026, retaining the spirit of a gathering among runners. The event offers four distances, from 10.5 kilometres to 42.195, and is not designed as a conventional race with a competitive ranking.

The defining feature is not just the name. The event began as an initiative among friends and keeps a flexible format in which participants can choose how far to run and at what pace. The announced distances are 10.5 kilometres, a half marathon, 32 kilometres and a marathon; the date and town appear in the available information, while no start time, entry fee or official registration domain has been published.

A popular event outside the federated calendar

The word clandestine does not describe a secret activity or a race operating outside safety rules. It refers to the informal origins of a gathering that was not created as an official competition. The event is attributed to Raimundo Luis Naranjo Martín de la Sierra, known as Ray, and references place its beginnings in 2015. The original idea was to share a long run with fellow runners, without turning it into a race for times and places.

That background helps explain how the event differs from major city marathons. In a large race, start corrals, clocks and results shape much of the experience. Here, the appeal lies elsewhere: meeting up, covering a demanding distance together and adapting the challenge to each person’s ability. Its non-competitive character is therefore central to its identity, not an incidental detail.

The word marathon can suggest an accredited event with official times and certified results. The available information, however, defines this event as an unofficial, non-competitive marathon. Runners looking for an accredited time, a federated ranking or an officially measured course should not assume those services are part of the event.

Four distances for different ways of running

The announced 2026 edition offers four options: 10.5 kilometres, a half marathon, 32 kilometres and a marathon. The variety allows people to share the atmosphere without everyone having to tackle 42.195 kilometres. The longest option is the classic marathon distance; a half marathon covers about 21.1 kilometres, while the other two choices offer a shorter outing or an intermediate challenge.

The 32-kilometre distance occupies a particular place. It is not as widely recognised as a standard distance such as a 10K, half marathon or marathon, but it still represents a substantial workload and can be a goal in its own right for runners used to long runs. Several distance options make it possible to bring together different abilities and aims, although the technical details for each 2026 route have not appeared in the information reviewed.

For an event like this, choosing a distance should not depend only on which number seems most appealing. Recent experience, training volume, recovery time and familiarity with prolonged effort all matter. The word marathon often draws the most attention, but a shorter distance may be a more sensible choice for someone who wants to take part without turning December into a challenge their body has not been prepared for.

The windmills as a backdrop

Campo de Criptana is known for its group of windmills, set in the open landscape of La Mancha. Accounts of previous editions describe a route that takes in the surrounding area and combines country paths with sections through the town. The image of runners moving with the windmills outlined against the horizon helps explain the event’s local appeal, although it does not confirm that the 2026 route will be identical.

References to 10.5-kilometre loops appear in accounts of a previous edition, in which four loops made up the marathon distance. Those accounts also mention the option of completing fewer loops and an alternative shorter route. This background helps explain the event’s flexible format, but it should not be mistaken for an official map or route description for the next edition. Until updated details are released, the announced distances alone do not establish the elevation, surface or exact start and finish locations.

Terrain and surface can greatly change how a long run feels. A path may demand more attention than asphalt, and a sustained climb can weigh on the legs when repeated several times. Anyone considering taking part should therefore wait for the route details before estimating pace or equipment needs. The scenery is part of the appeal, but technical route information is still needed to prepare sensibly for the day.

What is known and what remains unconfirmed

The date listed for the 2026 edition is Sunday, December 20, and the venue is Campo de Criptana, in Ciudad Real province. The four distances and the event’s non-competitive nature are also listed. These details identify the event, but they do not yet amount to a complete guide for those who need to arrange travel or plan the day precisely.

The available information does not specify the start time, exact meeting point, entry fee, registration deadlines, refreshment stations or participation conditions. It also does not identify an official website. It is not possible to say that registration is open or give a price without a verifiable announcement from the organisers. The absence of those details in the sources reviewed does not prove that they do not exist; it means they should not be presented as confirmed.

The same caution applies to results. A race directory may show results as pending or mark an event as non-competitive, but that is not the same as an official timing table for a future edition. At an event conceived as a popular gathering, the experience may centre on sharing the route rather than finishing position. Results will only make sense after the event has taken place and the organisers state what, if any, records they will publish.

A format built around runners’ own pace

In many races, competition defines the story: people talk about times, podiums and places. This La Mancha gathering offers a different relationship with distance. Participants can cover kilometres together and adjust their effort to their own goals, without making the clock the centre of the morning. That freedom does not remove the physical demands of running for hours, but it changes how the challenge is experienced.

Flexibility can also help different groups take part in the same event. One runner may choose the full distance, while another stops after a shorter route, without either pursuing the same challenge. Accounts of previous editions describe runners completing different numbers of loops and companions joining for sections. This shared element explains much of the event’s character, although the specific participation conditions need to be confirmed each year.

A race being non-competitive does not mean it lacks organisation or that every format is automatically suitable for everyone. A 32- or 42-kilometre effort places a significant physical load on the body, even at an easy pace. Duration, cold and terrain can add difficulty. A sensible approach is to match the challenge to one’s training rather than interpret the absence of a ranking as an absence of effort.

December in La Mancha: a winter running day

The date places the event in the middle of winter, a season that can transform a morning run. Temperature, wind and humidity cannot be predicted accurately months in advance, and actual conditions will depend on the weather that week. On a route combining open spaces and streets, the perceived temperature may change as the group moves. Layered clothing and the ability to adjust effort to the cold are reasonable general considerations, not a forecast for race day.

On long distances, fuelling and hydration matter even when the pace is social. The information reviewed does not confirm what refreshment stations will be available in 2026, so it would be unwise to assume specific locations or products. Before setting off, participants should check the conditions published by the organisers and consider their own needs, especially if they expect to be moving for several hours.

The windmills may feel especially evocative in winter, when the light is low and the La Mancha horizon opens around the course. But visual appeal does not replace preparation: the terrain, duration and weather may call for sensible decisions during the day. A conservative start is usually more compatible with enjoying a long distance than setting off at a pace that does not match one’s ability, particularly when the goal is not competition.

The story of a race that grew out of friendship

Accounts of the marathon describe an initiative that has become better known without entirely leaving behind its close-knit format. What began as a long run among friends went on to attract more runners; reports from a previous edition mention a sizeable group at the start. Growth made it necessary to coordinate some aspects more carefully, but the event is still described as an informal gathering at heart, rather than a large commercial event.

A 2023 account describes an edition in which a runner celebrated his 150th marathon in Campo de Criptana. It recounts four 10.5-kilometre loops, a friendly atmosphere and a route beside the windmills. It is a personal account, useful for conveying the event’s human dimension, but it does not guarantee that the design, turnout or services will be repeated in 2026. Each edition may include changes.

There is also a reference to a clandestine marathon held in Gandia in 2024, with a similar concept of an unofficial route and a small field. It should not be confused with the Campo de Criptana event or treated as evidence that both share an organiser. The name points to an informal way of running, but each event has its own edition and its own details, which should be checked separately.

A different way to end the year running

The December event offers an unusual combination: a marathon distance, shorter alternatives and a non-competitive approach in a town known for its windmills. It may not suit someone looking for a certified race and an official ranking. For runners who value a shared outing and an adaptable challenge, the concept has its own identity. The difference lies as much in how people take part as in the kilometres they cover.

For now, the most reliable information places the event in Campo de Criptana on December 20, 2026, and confirms distances of 10.5, 21, 32 and 42 kilometres. Important practical details remain unknown, including the start time, final route, registration and available services. Separating confirmed information from details that have not yet been published avoids creating false expectations and makes it easier to understand what the day actually offers.

The La Mancha windmills provide a recognisable silhouette, but the event’s defining feature is its origin: running together without letting the result dictate the experience. If the format continues in 2026, its appeal will come from that blend of distance, landscape and companionship. A marathon can be an individual challenge and, at the same time, a morning shaped by running together; that is the idea that has carried the gathering through its early editions.