Alhaurín el Grande mountain race 2026: date and tribute to El Mori

Plan your race pace

The mountain race in Alhaurín el Grande dedicated to Antonio Morales, known as El Mori, is scheduled for December 13, 2026. The date and town are included in the available information; confirmed details about the route, distances, start times and entry fee have not been provided.

The event brings the memory of a much-loved local resident, a pastry chef with a passion for the mountains, into a sporting setting. Morales belonged to Club Deportivo Fuente del Acebuche and shared that passion with his friend Francisco Zea. The tribute therefore connects a mountain race with the personal and sporting memories of two local men, although the available information does not explain how the tribute will be presented on race day.

A confirmed date for the mountain event

The calendar places the race in Alhaurín el Grande on Sunday, December 13, 2026. This identifies the event and distinguishes it from similarly named races, but it is not enough to establish the full programme. The information provided does not specify the start location, course, elevation gain or start time, all essential details for potential participants and visitors.

The term CxM refers to a mountain race, but it does not by itself establish an official distance or the technical demands of the course. Some events in this discipline use tracks and trails; others include rougher sections, steep climbs or several race formats. Without an official course sheet in the reference material, assigning distances, categories or a difficulty level would be speculation.

The date does provide a clear framework: a December mountain event in the Málaga town, linked to a tribute to El Mori. Details that often shape the race experience — bib collection, cut-off times, aid stations and safety rules — are not confirmed. This does not mean they do not exist; rather, they are not substantiated by the information available for this article.

Remembering Antonio Morales, El Mori

Antonio Morales was known in Alhaurín el Grande for working at a family pastry shop and ice cream parlour, a popular business with more than three decades of history according to the reporting provided. Away from the bakery, the mountains played an important part in his life. His involvement with Club Deportivo Fuente del Acebuche and his enthusiasm for trail running explain the link between his memory and a race in this discipline.

The nickname El Mori was part of the identity by which many residents knew him. Accounts published after his death describe him as a friendly man, committed to sport and closely connected to his town. The 2026 race is framed as a commemoration: not only as an athletic event, but also as a way to connect mountain effort with a particular person.

The reference information places his death during a period of heavy rain, when he and Francisco Zea were returning in a van and were caught by the swollen Fahala River. They had been friends for years and shared sporting interests. The material does not give the year of the tragedy, so no date that is absent from the available sources is added here.

A shared passion with Francisco Zea

The tribute also has a shared dimension. Francisco Zea, a secondary-school teacher and head of studies at IES Los Montecillos in Coín, was Morales’ friend and, like him, had links to sport. The reporting provided describes the shock caused by his death in Alhaurín el Grande and the educational community in Coín, where former students and colleagues publicly expressed their grief.

In El Mori’s case, the Fuente del Acebuche club highlighted his camaraderie and kindness. A mountain adventure in the Dolomites during the summer before the events described was also recalled. That trip helps show that trail running was not an occasional activity: the mountains were part of how he experienced sport, alongside the friendships he built with fellow runners and club members.

The December race is named as a tribute to Morales, but the available documentation does not clarify whether Zea will also feature formally in the event, whether there will be a dedicated ceremony or whether the tribute will be limited to the race name. It is important to separate confirmed facts from interpretation: both men’s connection to sport is documented; the specific form of the tribute has not been detailed.

Alhaurín el Grande and mountain sport

Alhaurín el Grande lies inland in Málaga province, in the Guadalhorce Valley area. Its proximity to rural landscapes and mountain terrain helps explain the place of outdoor activities in local life. Without knowing this race’s route, however, it is not possible to say which paths it will follow or which landscapes will form part of the event.

This distinction matters in a mountain race. The town’s name does not reveal whether the course uses trails, farm tracks, forest roads or urban sections, nor does it indicate how demanding it will be. Total elevation gain and terrain can dramatically change the difficulty of a given distance, so the official course sheet will be needed to assess the level and suitable equipment.

The town also gives the event a community dimension. Runners, volunteers, clubs and residents often come together around this type of race, although no information has been provided about the organisers or expected participation for this edition. The available details identify Alhaurín el Grande as the location, but do not give a venue, start point or street address.

What is missing about the route and entry

The information provided does not state how many kilometres the race will cover or whether more than one distance will be offered. Nor does it specify elevation gain, surface, participant limit or age categories. Without those figures, it would be irresponsible to describe the event as short, long or especially technical, or to compare it with other mountain races in the area.

The entry fee is also unknown. In popular races, prices can vary according to distance, registration period and included services, but there is no basis for estimating a specific fee for this event. The same applies to whether registration is open or closed: a confirmed race date does not mean registration is open, and the reference material gives no information about bib availability.

Practical details that often determine the day’s plans are also missing: start time, bib collection, parking, transport, aid stations and access restrictions. The start should not be assumed to be in the town centre or at a particular venue. Until those details are published, the most accurate event listing is limited to the date, location and commemorative nature of the race.

How to understand a mountain race

The CxM label identifies a discipline in which terrain and elevation matter as much as distance. Compared with a road race, pace is more variable: a sustained climb may require walking, while a technical descent calls for attention, control and steady footing. This does not establish the characteristics of the Alhaurín race, but it explains why its official course information will be important.

Before taking part in a mountain race, runners typically check the distance, elevation gain, surface and safety conditions. A course with mud or loose stones calls for a different response from a compact track. Water and clothing plans also change when runners are exposed to wind or shifts in temperature. Preparation should match the actual course profile, not merely the name of the discipline.

Based on the documentation received, the material requirements, rules on poles and cut-off times for this edition are not known. Possible safety guidance and assistance points are also not detailed. Presenting those conditions as facts would confuse general mountain-running practices with the specific rules of an event for which the available information contains no technical sheet.

The local significance of a sporting tribute

A race dedicated to someone from the town turns remembrance into a shared experience. A tribute is not expressed only in a name: it may also involve a club, local participation or a gathering of runners who share a passion. In this case, the documented connection between Morales, Fuente del Acebuche and trail running provides a recognisable sporting context for the commemoration.

El Mori’s memory is also tied to his work and family life. Reports about his death describe the affection his pastry shop inspired and the condolences received by those close to him. This helps explain why the tribute reaches beyond competition: it recalls a figure present in different parts of everyday life in Alhaurín el Grande.

The local nature of a race also carries an informational responsibility. A tragedy should not be turned into a promotional device, and activities or gestures should not be attributed to the organisers unless they have been announced. For now, the available evidence supports describing a race scheduled for December 13 and dedicated to Morales; it does not support a detailed programme of commemorative events.

What to check before travelling

Travel plans will depend on details that are not yet included in the information provided. The start address can affect parking, access and arrival time. In a mountain race, the forecast and trail conditions may also affect logistics, although specific measures will depend on the organisers’ rules and official updates.

It will also be important to check whether the event has one distance or several formats, who is eligible to take part and what documents are needed to collect a bib. A confirmed date does not clarify whether there will be children’s categories, non-competitive routes or participation limits. These details should not be taken for granted before a full event listing is published.

The available information does not identify an official website or registration channel either. For that reason, no club, municipal body or company is named as the organiser. The mention of a sports club in reports about El Mori confirms his connection to trail running, but does not establish who is organising the 2026 race. Keeping those distinctions clear prevents the honouree’s biography from being confused with the event’s administrative details.

December, mountains and memory in one event

December 13, 2026, brings together three defining elements: a specific date, a town setting and a tribute to a runner connected with the mountains. The combination may appeal both to people who know Morales’ story and to participants interested in trail races. The event’s sporting demands, however, can only be assessed once its distance, elevation and route are known.

The memory of El Mori has local roots: his work, his club and the passion he shared with Francisco Zea. That story gives the race its commemorative meaning without embellishment or unconfirmed details. In a discipline where every climb calls for its own pace and every descent demands attention to the ground, the tribute has a particular resonance in the connection between effort, friendship and belonging.

For now, the confirmed information is limited but clear: the event is scheduled for December 13, 2026, in Alhaurín el Grande and is linked to the memory of Antonio Morales, El Mori. Technical and logistical details remain absent from the material consulted. Distinguishing what is confirmed from what is unknown matters to runners and visitors alike: it preserves the meaning of the event without turning unanswered questions into facts.