MoralTrail Race 2026: dates, start times, distances and prices

Plan your race pace

The 13th edition of the MoralTrail Race will take place on Saturday, Nov. 14, 2026, in Moralzarzal, starting and finishing at Plaza de Los Caños. The event offers two routes around Cerro del Telégrafo: one measuring 9.5 kilometers and another covering 16.46 kilometers, both with substantial elevation gain for their distance.

The shorter race starts at 10 a.m. and includes 560 meters of elevation gain; the longer race starts at 10:30 a.m. and climbs 940 meters. Registration fees vary by federation status and purchase period: published prices range from 16 to 32 euros, excluding management fees. The entry includes a community meal, T-shirt, chip timing and finish-line services.

A mountain race on the November calendar

Moralzarzal lies on the Madrid side of the Sierra de Guadarrama, and the course uses paths and trails on the elevations near town. The race runs around Cabeza Mediana, also known as Cerro del Telégrafo, an isolated hill at the foot of the sierra’s southern slopes. This is not an urban race with a dirt section added: mountain terrain defines the character of the day.

Organizers describe this as the 13th edition and offer two distances with different profiles. The shorter route may appeal to runners who already run on trails and want to try a course with elevation; the longer one calls for more experience, given both its distance and its 940 meters of accumulated climbing. Actual difficulty will also depend on chosen pace, trail conditions and mid-November weather.

Available information describes a mix of trails, tracks, firebreaks and a brief stretch of pavement. The reference information does not include a detailed route map, so it is not possible to pinpoint every climb or descent here. The elevation is, however, significant relative to the distances: the long course climbs nearly 57 meters per kilometer and the short one about 59.

Two distances, two effort profiles

The shorter event, called MORALSPEED Race, covers 9.5 kilometers and gains 560 meters. That figure changes how the distance should be understood: it is not equivalent to a flat 10K, where effort is distributed differently. Climbs call for a more measured pace, while descents require attention, especially on uneven or damp ground.

Its more modest distance may attract runners new to trail running, but the elevation is a reminder not to mistake it for an easy outing. Regular road running does not necessarily prepare the body for slopes, changing footing or the muscular strain of downhill sections. The short course is accessible in mileage, but it remains a mountain race.

The longer race, called MORALZIGZAG Race, covers 16.46 kilometers and gains 940 meters. Its demands come from the combined duration, climbing and terrain, rather than from any single figure. For runners used to mountain trails, it can be a chance to test themselves over a middle distance; for those with less experience, the step up from road running calls for an honest assessment of elevation and technique.

Both routes have aid stations along the course and at the finish. Information provided places the long-course stations at kilometers 6.2 and 11.1, as well as the finish; the short course has one at kilometer 6.2 and another at the finish. Organizers ask runners to bring their own drinking container, as cups or other vessels will not be provided at hydration points.

Start times, race bib pickup and schedule

The day begins with race-bib pickup at 8:30 a.m. at Polideportivo El Raso, next to the start area. Bib distribution is scheduled to continue until 10 a.m., so participants in the short race should pay close attention to the timing: its start control begins at 9:50 a.m., and the official start is set for 10 a.m.

For the long distance, start control takes place at 10:20 a.m., with the race scheduled to begin at 10:30. The half-hour gap between races helps organize the starts, but arriving with time to spare is still sensible so participants can find race administration and prepare without rushing. Bib pickup takes place at the sports center, not in the plaza, although both locations are in the same area.

The schedule estimates that the first short-course runner will finish from 10:50 a.m., while the first long-course finisher is expected around noon. These are estimates, not individual guarantees: pace, course profile and race conditions affect finishing times. Awards for the shorter distance are scheduled for 11:30 a.m. and for the longer one at 1:30 p.m.

The community meal will be served from noon to 2 p.m. and includes a drink and dessert, according to race information. The meal extends the day beyond the clock and means the gathering does not end when the last participants cross the finish. Companions need to purchase their own meal ticket during registration, since the meal included with entry is for the runner.

Entry fees and included services

Published fees differ for participants with and without a FEDME federation license. During the promotional period, from May 1 to June 30, the listed prices are 16 euros for licensed runners and 19 euros for nonlicensed runners. For the standard period, from July 1 to Oct. 27, fees are 21 and 24 euros, respectively. During the final period, from Oct. 28 to Nov. 14, they rise to 25 and 28 euros.

Registration information also says that if places remain after the deadline, a 32-euro fee could apply to both groups. Management fees are not included in the published amounts. Because registration dates and prices may be updated on the platform, these figures should be treated as the announced rates for each period, not as a guaranteed total at the final payment step.

The entry includes a T-shirt, chip timing and live split-time tracking through LiveYouEvent. It also covers liquid and solid refreshments on the course and at the finish, accident and liability insurance, a baggage service and access to showers. The participant’s community meal is also included in the entry fee, a feature that makes the event more than a race focused solely on competition.

The published cancellation policy allows runners to request a withdrawal through Sunday, Nov. 8, with 5 euros deducted for management costs. No cancellations would be processed after that date, according to the terms provided. When registering, runners should review the current conditions and final amount shown on the platform, particularly because fees can change from one period to the next.

Start and finish at Plaza de Los Caños

The race meeting point is Plaza de Los Caños, next to the Church of San Miguel Arcángel. Both the start and finish will be there, while race-bib pickup will take place at Polideportivo El Raso, adjoining the plaza. This proximity concentrates much of the logistics in a compact area, but participants should distinguish between the competition venue and the bib-pickup location.

Moralzarzal is in the Community of Madrid, and the race area combines town streets with access routes to mountain trails. The plaza itself is the stated reference point for reaching the start; Calle Saliente 36 appears in an event listing associated with the race, but organizers identify Plaza de Los Caños as the start and finish location. The plaza is therefore the clearest reference for finding the race hub.

Those arriving by car should allow time to park and walk to the shared start and finish area. The reference information mentions a parking map but does not detail streets, available spaces or specific restrictions. It is therefore unwise to assume that parking beside the plaza is guaranteed: nearby spaces may be in greater demand on race morning, and local instructions may affect access.

It is also useful to account for the walk between the car, sports center and plaza before the start. Bib pickup ends at 10 a.m., exactly when the short race begins, so participants in that distance should not leave arrival until the last minute. Allowing a reasonable buffer reduces logistical surprises and makes it easier to complete start control without turning race morning into a race against the clock before the event even begins.

Cerro del Telégrafo and the race landscape

Cerro del Telégrafo, also called Cabeza Mediana, rises to 1,331 meters and sits within the municipal boundaries of Moralzarzal, Alpedrete and Collado Mediano. Geologically it belongs to the Sierra de Guadarrama, although a plain separates it from the range’s slopes. This setting helps explain the area’s visual appeal: a distinct hill overlooking its surroundings without blending into the main line of peaks.

The race uses trails winding through this landscape, where shifts between tracks, paths and firebreaks can repeatedly alter the pace. In the mountains, the profile is more than an abstract number: a sustained climb changes breathing, while a technical descent calls for looking a few meters ahead and adjusting each step. The accumulated elevation points to a demanding, undulating course, although it cannot reveal every section on its own.

The hill’s name recalls the old optical telegraph tower, built in 1841 as part of a chain of stations that sent messages using signals visible from one tower to the next. Other towers from the system stood near Moralzarzal, connecting different locations before the spread of electrical communications. That historic remnant adds another layer to the sporting setting: the landscape runners cross was once a communications network.

The municipality is also home to the Fuente de los Cuatro Caños, built in 1885 and supplied by springs from Robledo through a system of channels connected to earlier works. These landmarks are not necessarily on the race route, but they help place the event in a town with its own history rather than a backdrop that could be anywhere. The mountain and town share the spotlight in a day that begins and ends in the center of Moralzarzal.

What a 9.5- or 16.46-kilometer trail race demands

In a mountain race, distance alone gives an incomplete picture of the effort. Two events with the same mileage can feel very different if one has more climbing, more technical descents or changing surfaces. In this edition, the short course’s 560 meters of elevation gain and the long course’s 940 meters are central to setting expectations; road-race pace is not a direct comparison.

A mix of trails and tracks often requires changes in stride and cadence. On climbs, brisk hiking may be more efficient than trying to run at a pace that raises effort too sharply. On descents, uncontrolled speed strains the quadriceps and ankles; stable footing and looking ahead help maintain balance. Effort management matters as much as speed, especially when climbing is concentrated over a short distance.

The short course may suit newcomers to mountain running who already have a fitness base and understand that the terrain calls for different skills. The longer one is aimed at runners with more experience on elevation and enough preparation to sustain the effort for longer. That does not make one distance easy and the other exclusive; it gives runners a basis for assessing their experience, current fitness and familiarity with descents.

November can bring cool temperatures, rain or rapidly changing conditions in the mountains, although the specific weather on race day cannot be predicted from the available information. Ground conditions affect grip and clothing choices; a dry track and a wet trail create different demands. Checking the forecast and following organizers’ instructions are sensible parts of preparing for a mountain race, without assuming that conditions will be the same each year.

A race day that brings competition and community together

The MoralTrail program extends beyond its two starts. Live music, a community meal and awards are part of the planned atmosphere around the race. For runners, these features create a place to recover after the effort; for companions and local residents, they make the plaza and nearby streets the center of an event that lasts several hours.

The entry includes the runner’s meal, while companions can buy a ticket during registration. The meal window, from noon to 2 p.m., overlaps with the arrival of many long-course runners and the awards ceremony. The social side is built into the schedule, rather than added as an activity separate from the race.

Organizers announce awards for different categories in both distances, including overall and age-group classifications in the long race, as well as senior, youth and local categories in the short one. A ham is also offered to the club with the most participants, a team-based incentive that briefly shifts attention away from individual results. The range of awards reflects an event with different kinds of participants, from those racing for position to those aiming to finish.

The long race is expected to award overall women’s and men’s winners, along with senior and veteran categories; the short race includes senior and youth podiums, as well as local recognition. The exact category names and conditions should be checked in the current race rules. Awards do not replace the importance of choosing an appropriate distance, but they show an effort to make room for different levels of participation.

A Sierra race with two ways to experience the mountains

On Nov. 14, Moralzarzal will bring mountain runners together for two courses that share a landscape but not the same workload. The 9.5 kilometers with 560 meters of climbing offer a concentrated challenge; the 16.46 kilometers and 940 meters of elevation extend the effort and terrain demands. In both cases, the start at Plaza de Los Caños brings the race close to the center of town.

The mix of trails, tracks and firebreaks, aid stations and finish-line services shape an event designed both to test performance and to support a full day in town. Fees depend on registration date and federation status, while bringing a personal drinking container is a practical requirement stated by organizers. The key measure is not only how many kilometers are run, but how much climbing comes with each one.

Cerro del Telégrafo provides the backdrop for a race where the landscape sets its own pace and the plaza serves as a meeting point before and after the trails. With staggered start times, a choice of distance and activities around the finish, the 2026 edition brings sport and local life together without losing sight of the route’s mountain character. Choosing between the two races will depend above all on each runner’s experience and comfort with climbs and descents.