Fonelas sets the date for its major trail race in 2026

Plan your race pace

Fonelas will host a new mountain race on Sunday, Nov. 22, 2026, with the start scheduled for 9:45 a.m. from Plaza de España. Registration is listed as open, and the published window runs until 10 a.m. on Nov. 20. The key information for anyone considering taking part is clear: the date, location and start time are confirmed, but the distances for this edition and the full route details have not yet been released.

The race, organized by Club de Montaña Fonelas Vertical, takes place in the Geopark of Granada, a landscape where the terrain and geological history are part of the experience. The 2025 edition included 21-kilometer and 12-kilometer options, but those distances should not be treated as confirmed for 2026 until organizers publish this year’s program. That distinction matters: in a mountain race, a few kilometers can significantly affect elevation gain, expected time and the preparation required.

Confirmed race date, start and event details

The second edition is scheduled for Sunday, Nov. 22, 2026. The runners’ start is set for 9:45 a.m., with Plaza de España in Fonelas named as the location. Fonelas is in Granada province. The 2026 announcement does not list a separate start time for a hiking option, so times from previous editions should not automatically be carried over.

The available information identifies the event as a trail race and names Club de Montaña Fonelas Vertical as the organizer. The start location gives participants a specific point for finding the beginning of race day, although other practical details have not yet been published, including the precise finish location, access to start corrals or how participant services will be arranged. For now, the firmest details are the date, time and Plaza de España.

The published registration calendar lists Sept. 8, 2026, as the opening date and 10 a.m. on Nov. 20 as the closing time. The event platform showed places available when the information was published, but that status may change as race day approaches. No verifiable price has been provided, so the entry cost cannot be anticipated or compared by category. The price from another edition should not be used to fill that gap.

Registration and details worth checking

Registration is listed as being handled through the RockTheSport platform, with Yomury identified as the registration manager in the event listing. That channel brings together administrative information that may change during the registration period, such as availability or participation terms. The announced closing time is 10 a.m. on Nov. 20, two days before the start; that does not necessarily guarantee places will remain available until then if capacity is reached sooner.

No entry fee or full category breakdown appears in the available reference information. It also does not specify whether prices differ by distance, whether age discounts apply, what services are included or what rules govern transferring a registration. These details are commonly set out in the regulations or registration listing and help show the real cost beyond the basic fee. Until they are published, the price and financial conditions remain unconfirmed.

The organizers have announced a technical guide for the event. Such a document is especially useful for a mountain race because it can set out the route, elevation gain, aid stations, time limits and safety rules. The brief event listing does not yet include those details, so a previous edition’s distance or a general description of the landscape cannot substitute for the official course. The information that will matter most for judging the challenge is what organizers publish for the 2026 race.

The 2025 distances do not confirm the 2026 course

The inaugural edition, held in 2025, featured a 21-kilometer race and a 12-kilometer option, as well as a hiking route of a similar distance. Those details describe that event, not the race taking place a year later. The listing for the second edition confirms a trail event, but does not specify how many kilometers each 2026 option will cover. There is therefore not enough information to present 21 or 12 kilometers as this year’s official distances.

The distinction matters even if the event name and town remain the same. Organizers may adjust a route for safety, permits, ground conditions or logistics, and the available course options can also change. A shorter route does not always mean an easier race: elevation gain, gradient, surface and technical sections all affect effort and duration. Until the official profile is released, the 2026 distance and elevation gain remain unknown.

In the previous edition, running and hiking options offered different ways to experience the area and take part at different paces. If the 2026 program retains a noncompetitive option, it could broaden participation, but that has not been confirmed. Maximum times, aid-station locations and rules for each route have also not been published. These details help participants judge which option suits their experience; without them, comparisons between categories would be premature.

Once the route is announced, it is worth reading the elevation profile alongside the distance rather than on its own. A chart can distinguish one long climb from a series of short rises, while a map helps show the balance of tracks, paths and trails. The technical guide may also clarify shared sections, crossings or points where the route changes direction. In a mountain race, the profile tells an essential part of the story that distance alone cannot explain.

A course shaped by the landscape of the Geopark of Granada

Fonelas lies in a region where open landscapes and geological formations are a visible part of the surroundings. The race is linked to the Geopark of Granada, an area recognized for its geological heritage and terrain that offers a very different experience from an urban circuit. For runners, the landscape is not just a backdrop: it can affect navigation, sun exposure, surface conditions and the ability to maintain a steady pace. Even so, the exact 2026 route has not yet been detailed.

The organizers described the 2025 edition as a day combining sport, nature and environmental education. In that event, pupils from a local school took part in creating elements related to the route. That is useful background about the initiative’s local connections, not an activity confirmed for 2026. Each edition may involve different partnerships, so past details should be kept separate from announcements for the new race.

A geopark’s name may suggest a remote setting, but the actual experience comes down to the trail: the feel of the ground beneath a shoe, dust on a dry track or a change of pace on stony terrain. Without an updated map, it is not possible to say which landscapes participants will cross or how long they will spend on each surface. The best description of the setting will come with the official course, including enough geographic references and information to explain what kind of terrain each category will encounter.

How mountain racing differs from road running

On the road, distance is usually the most visible measure and makes race times relatively easy to compare. In trail running, mileage is only one part of the picture: a short course can be more demanding than a much longer one if it has substantial climbing, technical sections or frequent surface changes. That is why a race announcement without a profile or elevation chart leaves important questions unanswered. For 2026, the difficulty cannot be reliably assessed until the course is known.

Footwear also matters differently. A shoe designed for trails generally offers more grip and protection than a road model, but the right choice depends on the surface, distance and conditions on race day. Not every path calls for aggressive tread, and deep lugs can feel less comfortable on firm ground or compact tracks. Without details of the Fonelas route, it is sensible to avoid overly specific recommendations and wait to learn about the mix of tracks, trails and elevation.

Planning for a trail event also involves exposure time, navigation and how far apart aid stations are. On a hilly race, pace per kilometer does not mean the same thing as it does on an urban course; walking a steep climb can be part of managing effort effectively. Official information on aid points, mandatory gear and cutoff times will help clarify those demands. Until then, the 2026 race is best understood as an event with a confirmed date but with sporting details still to be announced.

Race day in Fonelas and runner logistics

The scheduled 9:45 a.m. start places the race on Sunday morning. Plaza de España is the published reference point, but the organizers have not listed bib pickup times, facility opening hours or vehicle access details. There is also no information about parking, public transport or services for spectators. Those details can determine whether participants arrive with time to spare or have to sort out logistics at the last minute, so the start time should not be mistaken for a complete event schedule.

Fonelas is in Granada province, and local organizers may provide more precise access information as race day approaches. The event listing does not identify a finish location separate from the start or say whether the course ends at the same place. For visitors arriving from elsewhere, knowing where the race starts is a useful first step, but more information is needed to estimate travel and arrival times accurately.

Weather can vary during an autumn race and affect trail conditions, although the conditions on a particular day cannot be predicted months in advance. A forecast will be more useful in the days immediately before the event, considered alongside organizer guidance and trail conditions. It is also important to distinguish general recommendations from mandatory rules: any required equipment should be specified in the official information. Safety depends on both the course and the actual conditions on race day.

What organizers still need to confirm before race day

The published listing answers several basic questions: the date, town, planned start time, event type and registration deadline. Important details for deciding how to approach the race are still missing, including distances, elevation gain, course profile, categories, price and services. The announced technical guide may bring many of those details together. Until it is available, known information should be treated as a starting point, and details from the inaugural edition should not be attributed to 2026.

It is also worth checking whether organizers publish changes to the schedule or registration process. The listing gives a specific deadline, but availability can change and event terms may be updated. Regulations often clarify issues not covered in summaries, such as minimum age, cutoff times, cancellation policies or bib pickup. These are not minor details: they shape participation and the experience of race day.

Full race information will also help distinguish the categories by more than distance. A route may be competitive, recreational or designed for hikers, with different expectations for pace, marking and support. The 2025 edition combined running and hiking, but the same program should not be assumed without confirmation. Details on categories and services will make it possible to understand the scope of the second edition beyond its name and announced date.

A November event with the mountains at its heart

The Fonelas race now has a place on the calendar: Sunday, Nov. 22, 2026, with a scheduled 9:45 a.m. start at Plaza de España. Registration is also listed as open, with the published window ending at 10 a.m. on Nov. 20. Those details identify the event, but they are not enough to establish its difficulty or final sporting format. The distance and route will complete the picture.

The appeal lies in the connection between sport and place, in a town set within the landscape of the Geopark of Granada. That setting may give the event a different character from an urban race, but only the official course will show what this edition has in store. The 2025 options provide context and background, not a guarantee of the 2026 program.

Publication of the technical guide and regulations in the weeks before the event should resolve practical and sporting questions. Until then, the clearest reading is straightforward: the second edition has an announced date, start time and starting point, while distances and price remain unconfirmed. Separating what is known from what is still pending gives a more useful picture than assuming a route.