Almaraz hosts an extreme endurance backyard ultra in 2027

Plan your race pace

Almaraz will host the second edition of a backyard ultra endurance race on April 23, 2027, with the start scheduled for 8 p.m. The event sets a limit of 50 participants and requires runners to prove previous experience: at least 24 laps for men and 20 for women in another race of this format.

The competition continues as long as someone can complete a lap within each hour. There is no set overall distance or predictable finish time: the result depends on how many runners remain in the race. Entries are scheduled to run from July 1 to November 30, 2026, with tiered prices ranging from 50 to 70 euros.

A race decided one lap at a time

A backyard ultra changes the usual logic of a race. Instead of covering a total distance as quickly as possible, each participant must complete the lap and return to the starting corral before the next hour begins. The pace of each lap matters less than finishing on time and being able to start again.

The rules for the Almaraz event state that each start takes place exactly one hour after the previous one. Anyone who is not ready in the start area when that moment arrives is out; completing nearly the entire course is not enough. Only laps completed within the time limit count, and the time taken to run them does not affect the standings as long as the hourly limit is met.

The race ends when one person completes a lap alone and within 60 minutes. All other participants are recorded as DNF, short for Did Not Finish. If no one manages to complete that final lap without company, the rules allow the edition to end without a winner. Each hour is therefore both a fresh start and a test of physical and mental endurance.

Date, start time and location

Organizers have announced the race for Friday, April 23, 2027, in Almaraz, a municipality in Cáceres province. The start is scheduled for 8 p.m., so the race will begin at night and could continue into the early hours, the following day and subsequent nights if runners keep going.

The Almaraz Sports Center will host race-bib collection on race day, with the event office open from 4 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. The available information identifies the venue as the collection point but does not confirm that it is also the exact start and finish location. The final course and its precise location are still to be announced through the organizers’ channels.

The April date falls during the transition from early spring to milder days, but it cannot predict conditions on race night. An event that could last many hours has to account for changes in temperature, humidity and visibility. A useful weather forecast will be the one issued closer to the event, not an estimate made months in advance.

Entries, places and announced prices

The expected field is limited to 50 race bibs, a small number for a competition that requires resting space and logistics for many hours or days. Entries are scheduled to be available exclusively through ccnorte.es from July 1 to November 30, 2026, subject to the stated cap.

The price changes by month: 50 euros in July and August, 60 euros in September and October, and 70 euros in November. That means the published fee in October 2026 is 60 euros, while the final announced tier reaches 70 euros. Pre-registration, which ran from June 1 to June 30, required applicants to send the organizers proof that they had reached the minimum number of laps.

The entry fee includes a personalized race bib, a commemorative T-shirt, and drinks and solid food during the race, although the rules specify that these refreshments become available at particular points. Qualification for the 2028 National Championship is also announced. Published awards are a trophy and 250 euros for the winner, 100 euros for the best woman, and 150 euros for the assistant; eligibility and award conditions should be understood according to the organizers’ rules.

Entry requirements and previous experience

Participation is not designed as an open introduction for every runner. To qualify for a place, men must prove they have completed at least 24 laps in a backyard ultra, and women at least 20. According to the organizers’ information, this result must be documented during the pre-registration period.

Participants must also be at least 18 on race day and declare that they are in good physical condition for a long-distance trail race. Medical staff may withdraw anyone whose condition they consider a risk. The course will not be closed to traffic, so watching for vehicles and being aware of the surroundings are part of the safety requirements for every lap.

According to the available information, the first edition ended with José García winning after completing 40 laps. That figure helps illustrate the potential duration of the format, but it is not a performance target for 2027: every edition depends on the runners, the terrain, the weather and fatigue management. In an elimination race, reaching a limit is not compulsory; victory goes to the person who completes one more lap than everyone else.

Course details and terrain still to come

Organizers describe two separate routes: a daytime course, planned from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., and a night course, from 6 p.m. to 9 a.m. The daytime route will follow trails and paths within Almaraz. The night route will combine dirt roads and asphalt, including urban sections. The final courses will be announced later.

The available reference information does not confirm the official length of each lap. Although an external event listing labels the race as seven kilometres, the available rules do not give that distance and say the route will be published later. For that reason, seven kilometres should not be treated as an officially confirmed measurement until the organizers release the final course.

The planned course markings will combine tape and reflective elements to help runners find their way in the dark. Even so, the open-road course requires care and respect for both traffic rules and the organizers’ instructions. Slower runners must let faster runners pass, while deliberately leaving the marked route may lead to immediate disqualification.

How the rest period between starts works

The hour between starts is not a full break. The time available for rest depends on how long each runner takes to finish the lap: the sooner they return, the more minutes they have to eat, drink, change or sit down before heading back to the corral. But starting too fast can increase accumulated fatigue, while using every last minute leaves less room for a setback.

Before each lap, participants must remain in the start area. Organizers will use whistles to announce the start when three minutes, two minutes and one minute remain. These alerts structure the transition from rest to effort: preparing equipment, finishing a drink and getting into position on time are part of the format, not minor details. Punctuality becomes a competitive rule.

Support from other people is allowed only in the designated area beside the start and finish, with a maximum of two assistants per participant. Organizers reserve the right to restrict access if the area lacks sufficient capacity. Outside assistance is not allowed during a lap, and runners may leave the course only for physiological needs, after which they must return to the point where they left it.

Refreshments, equipment and support

Individual self-sufficiency matters because the race may last several days and nights. The rules state that drinks will be available from the third lap and solid food from the fifth; until then, each runner must bring what they need. Backpacks are allowed, but poles and crutches are prohibited. Toilets will be located in the start and finish area.

A headlamp will be compulsory at night. Suitable trail-running shoes and clothing are also required, while a mobile phone is listed as recommended for emergencies. Because the course may include dirt, asphalt and urban sections, shoe and clothing choices will need to suit mixed terrain as well as the actual duration of each runner’s race.

The rules do not provide a fixed equipment list for every possible number of hours, which makes sense in a race without a predetermined finish distance. Dry clothing, a backup light and an organized rest area may become important if the race continues into another night. Each participant will need to make those decisions according to their needs, while following the rules and avoiding reliance on support outside the authorized area.

What happens if the event changes or is cancelled

Transfers to another participant are allowed until March 15, 2027. The announced policy for individual withdrawals distinguishes between two periods: requests made by December 31, 2026, receive a 50% credit toward the 2028 edition; from January 1, 2027, no refund or discount is available. The announced arrangement does not describe a cash refund, but a credit toward the next edition within the stated period.

Organizers also reserve the right to alter the course, change the date or cancel the event because of force majeure, including weather, administrative or safety issues. The rules state that no refund would be due in those circumstances. This clause concerns a possible overall cancellation and is separate from the conditions for an individual giving up a place.

Registering means accepting the full rules. The document says its Portuguese version will prevail in cases of interpretation and gives the organizers authority to resolve situations not covered. Before completing an entry, it is important to review the current terms, particularly entry dates, qualification requirements and the policy that applies if arrangements change.

Safety, respect and environmental responsibility

The requirement to stay on the course comes with rules for sharing the space. Littering outside designated points is prohibited, and an environmental violation may result in disqualification. In a race that can involve many laps, small pieces of litter quickly become a problem for the surroundings, so looking after the route is part of taking part.

The rules require every runner to help anyone who is injured or in difficulty. An injured participant cannot be left without assistance or without notifying the organizers; breaking this rule may lead to expulsion. The competition does not remove the duty to help, even when fatigue and the pressure to start the next lap are intense.

Organizers announce civil liability insurance and accident insurance for participants. However, people over 70 are excluded from coverage for treatment and disability costs arising from participation, according to the stated terms. Authorization to use participants’ images is also part of registration; any specific restriction must be submitted in writing in advance.

A race with no predetermined finish line

The distinctive feature of the Almaraz event is that the clock does not mark a finish time, but the next starting point. Each lap offers another chance to continue while exposing accumulated fatigue: darkness, lack of sleep and waiting between starts can weigh as heavily as the terrain. Endurance here is measured through repeated decisions, not one sustained effort over a known distance.

The date, municipality, start time, prices and main entry requirements for 2027 have been announced. The final course and its official distance are still pending, and both details are needed to understand the race profile and plan logistics precisely. Until they are released, the most reliable information is what the rules specify, rather than provisional figures on external event listings.

With only 50 places and a previous-experience requirement, the second edition is shaping up as a demanding event with a small field. The outcome will depend on who can return to the corral hour after hour, in a competition where the final lap may matter more than all the previous ones put together. The finish is not scheduled: it is won when everyone else can no longer start.

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