Los Barruecos Half Marathon 2027: date, course and schedule

Plan your race pace

Malpartida de Cáceres will host the Los Barruecos Half Marathon on Sunday, Jan. 17, 2027. The event includes a 10-kilometer race and a 21.1-kilometer half marathon, starting and finishing at Plaza de la Nora on a route that combines town streets, asphalt and paths through the surrounding natural landscape. Both distances are scheduled to start together at 11 a.m., according to the published race timetable.

The appeal goes beyond distance. The course enters the landscape of the Los Barruecos Natural Monument and passes near the Vostell Malpartida Museum, combining urban and dirt-track sections. Available information lists water stations at kilometers 5, 10.5 and 15, as well as solid refreshments at the finish. Registration details need careful attention: the organizers list places on a waiting list, with prices of 18 euros for the 10K and 20 euros for the half marathon, payable if a released race bib is assigned.

A winter race between town and protected landscape

The event is based in Malpartida de Cáceres, in the province of Cáceres, Extremadura. Plaza de la Nora serves as the start and finish point, an urban location from which runners soon move from the atmosphere of town into more open surroundings. That transition gives the race its character: it is neither entirely urban nor a mountain course, but a combination of surfaces and scenery.

Los Barruecos is known for its huge granite boulders, pools and open terrain around the museum. The course gives participants a chance to see this landscape during the race, although pace and attention to the surface affect how much can be enjoyed while running. The mix of dirt paths and asphalt sections sets the route apart from a conventional road half marathon and is a reminder that not every kilometer will feel the same.

The event is associated with the Malpartida Los Barruecos Athletics Club and Malpartida de Cáceres Town Hall. The race began in 2012, and the 2027 edition is listed as its 15th, according to information published by the organizers. Its continuity has made it an established fixture in the local calendar, with a format that brings sport, heritage and nature together without separating the course from its setting.

Date, start and scheduled times

The announced date for the next edition is Jan. 17, 2027. The timetable lists a joint 11 a.m. start for the 10K and half marathon, from the Plaza de la Nora area. Knowing the start time is only part of the day’s planning: bib collection and course cutoffs matter too.

The published program includes bib pickup in Cáceres on Saturday, Jan. 16, from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m., with the specific location still to be determined in the available information. It also provides a Sunday, Jan. 17, pickup option near the start and finish area from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. The difference between those windows makes it sensible to check the organizers’ final instructions before travelling, especially for participants coming from outside the area.

The course cutoff is set for 12:30 p.m. for the 10K and 1:30 p.m. for the half marathon. The awards ceremony is scheduled for 2:15 p.m. These times give participants a clear indication of the maximum duration for each distance, but they do not replace the full race rules or any changes the organizers may announce. The available information confirms the date and published schedule; other operational details may be settled later.

Two distances for different runners

The event offers a 10-kilometer race and a 21.1-kilometer half marathon. The shorter distance lets runners take part in the race atmosphere over a more manageable course; the half marathon requires sustained effort and careful management of pace, hydration and surface changes. Both share a start and part of the surrounding area, but distance shapes the demands and the time needed to finish.

Choosing between them depends on more than a personal best or previous experience. On a mixed route, it also matters whether a runner is comfortable moving from asphalt to dirt while staying alert on uneven sections. Sand and sandstone paths may call for a more cautious stride, particularly around bends or on descents, while asphalt allows for a more regular rhythm. The available description does not provide a detailed elevation profile, so it is best not to assume the course is completely flat.

The half marathon is a better fit for runners used to longer distances and consistent training; the 10K may suit those who prefer a shorter event. Neither distance is a walk in the park: January conditions, terrain and chosen pace all shape the experience. Rather than chasing a time at any cost, runners can set expectations around a route where the landscape and changing surfaces are part of the challenge.

A mixed course with listed refreshment stations

The start and finish are at Plaza de la Nora. From there, the route heads toward the Los Barruecos Natural Monument and crosses urban and rural sections. Race information describes a combination of asphalt and dirt, so calling it a road race does not tell the whole story. The surface changes, and the route near the Vostell Malpartida Museum adds a cultural element that is unusual in a popular race.

Water stations are listed at kilometers 5, 10.5 and 15, with solid refreshments at the finish line. For a half marathon, those points offer useful references for planning intake, though individual needs vary with pace, temperature and personal tolerance. The listed stations describe the planned service, not personalized nutrition advice; every participant should consider their own needs and follow official race instructions.

The setting can be particularly striking in winter, when the light and open landscape change the appearance of the pools and granite formations. It also calls for respect for the natural area: the route crosses protected land, and participants’ conduct is part of its conservation. Following the marked course and using designated waste containers helps the race coexist with the place that gives it its name, rather than treating the landscape as a mere backdrop.

Registration, waiting list and listed prices

Reference information says registration is handled online and that available places are listed through a waiting list. The published price is 18 euros for the 10-kilometer race and 20 euros for the half marathon. In both cases, payment would be due when a released race bib is assigned to a runner; that should not be read as confirmation of an immediate place or a guarantee that bibs are still available.

A waiting list changes the practical meaning of registration: submitting a form does not necessarily mean a place is confirmed. Before arranging travel, check the status shown through the official channel, the payment terms and the process for accepting a bib if one becomes available. The available information does not state how many people are on the list or how long an assignment may take, so those details cannot be treated as certain.

Organizers’ reference information mentions a T-shirt, runner’s bag, medal, drink and a sandwich among the items associated with registration. As availability and terms may depend on a bib being assigned, participants should confirm what is ultimately included in their race category. The waiting-list price does not establish earlier rates, discounts or extra costs, and there is not enough information to say that regular registration remains open.

Bib pickup and planning race day

Bib pickup is scheduled in two windows: Saturday in Cáceres, at a location still to be determined, and Sunday morning near the start and finish. Those choosing race-day pickup have a one-hour window, from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. That period ends shortly before the 11 a.m. start, so arriving in good time can prevent a logistical problem from becoming a race against the clock before the run.

The information provided does not specify every document required to collect a bib or whether someone else may collect it on a participant’s behalf. Those terms should be checked in the official edition instructions. It is also worth confirming Saturday’s precise venue, which is still listed as undetermined, and checking whether organizers announce changes to the schedule. The most reliable plan uses confirmed times while allowing for details that have yet to be published.

On a January morning, the temperature may feel different on town streets and on exposed sections of the natural area. Clothing should keep runners warm before the start without becoming cumbersome once they are moving; the mixed surface also makes familiar footwear a sensible priority. There is no information to support recommending a particular model or claiming that one shoe will suit the entire course.

A distinctive landscape beyond the clock

Los Barruecos offers a singular setting for a popular race: granite boulders, pools and open tracks change the feel of running compared with a continuous street course. The route near the Vostell Malpartida Museum adds another layer, bringing contemporary art and landscape together while keeping the race itself at the center. For first-time visitors, the event is also a chance to see a setting unlike the usual urban running routes.

The Natural Monument has featured in audiovisual productions, including Game of Thrones, a fact that has contributed to the area’s recent profile. Still, the sporting experience does not depend on recognizing a television location. What makes the course distinctive is its particular combination of paths, rock formations and cultural spaces, woven into an event that starts and finishes in the heart of Malpartida.

The day’s schedule includes an awards ceremony at 2:15 p.m., and organizers have announced refreshments at the finish. That moment completes a morning that is not defined solely by official times: it also brings runners, supporters and residents together around a local event. The race retains a popular character, where competition sits alongside community and the distinctive landscape of Extremadura.

What is confirmed and what remains to be settled

The date, municipality, Plaza de la Nora start and finish, two distances and main times appear in the available information. The mixed course, listed refreshment points and waiting-list prices are also described. These details provide a fairly clear picture of the day, but they do not replace the official rules or the organizers’ final communications.

Details still pending include the Saturday pickup location in Cáceres and actual bib availability. There is also no complete elevation profile, detailed map or comprehensive guidance here on transfers and cancellations. Distinguishing confirmed facts from pending details prevents a published plan from being mistaken for a guarantee, particularly when registration depends on a place becoming available.

With a Jan. 17, 2027, start, the event offers a route from the town center into a protected landscape, with a 10K option and a half marathon. Its identity comes from that contrast: race pace and the uneven terrain of Los Barruecos, the atmosphere of town and the broader quiet of its tracks. For those who secure a bib, the course will offer a distinctive way to begin the running year, with the Extremadura landscape inseparable from the race itself.