Agaete mountain race: routes, start times and prices

Plan your race pace

Agaete’s mountain race will hold its 15th edition on Saturday, November 28, 2026, with three routes of 12, 22 and 42 kilometres across trails, tracks and local-road sections in northwest Gran Canaria. Two distances start and finish in Agaete, while the middle-distance race takes runners from the village of San Pedro to the coastal municipality.

Elevation accounts for much of the challenge: the short route gains about 500 metres, the half marathon around 1,400 metres, and the marathon 2,400 metres. Starts are scheduled between 7:30 a.m. and 10 a.m., and the published entry fees range from 30 to 60 euros depending on distance and registration period. The Tamadaba Natural Park and Agaete’s uplands make this a mountain race, not an urban event with a few hills added in.

Date, venue and character of the race

The 15th edition is scheduled for November 28, 2026, in Agaete, a municipality in northwest Gran Canaria. The event is organised by Club Deportivo Rungosay, and its routes use mountain paths, tracks and short links on local roads. The scenery changes with elevation: built-up and agricultural areas give way to slopes, ravines and pine forest, with the Tamadaba massif among the course’s defining settings.

The event combines three distances with very different profiles. The short route concentrates much of its climbing in an early ascent and is the least lengthy option, although it still requires preparation for uneven ground. On the 22- and 42-kilometre courses, distance combines with prolonged climbs and technical descents, making previous mountain-running experience more important than a runner’s usual road pace.

The race also has a local and charitable element: event information says that one euro from each entry goes to a charitable cause. It is a small contribution within a demanding race, but it connects the event with the territory crossed by its routes and the community that makes race day possible.

Three distances, three levels of effort

The short course is presented as 12 kilometres in the general event information and listed as 12.3 kilometres in the detailed route information. In either case, it gains about 500 metres. The start is at Puerto de Las Nieves, and the route climbs via Lomo del Manco; much of the vertical effort comes in the first half before runners return towards Agaete.

The middle distance covers 22 kilometres and about 1,400 metres of elevation gain. It starts in San Pedro, in the Agaete Valley, and finishes in Agaete. The route climbs towards the Tamadaba pine forest via the Presa de los Pérez area, then descends along the Camino de los Romeros. That descent is described as technical, an important detail for estimating race time: losing elevation can be as hard on the legs as climbing, especially on loose or damp ground.

The marathon covers 42 kilometres and gains 2,400 metres, starting and finishing in Agaete. It is the most demanding option and is classified in the available information as very difficult. Road-marathon training alone does not translate directly to the mountains: climbs, terrain-driven changes of pace and long hours on trails mean that muscular endurance and pacing are essential.

Distance and elevation figures provide a useful first comparison, but they do not tell the whole story. Two routes with the same mileage can feel very different depending on the surface, gradient and length of each climb. Here, the mountain profile requires runners to save energy for the descents and adapt their stride rather than chase a uniform pace.

Start times and cutoffs

The marathon is scheduled to start at 7:30 a.m., with a race cutoff at 4:30 p.m. The half marathon starts in San Pedro at 9:30 a.m. and has a 2:30 p.m. cutoff. The short race starts at 10 a.m. from the beach-square area in Agaete and has a 1 p.m. cutoff. These are separate time windows, set according to the length and conditions of each course.

Time cutoffs are part of race safety and course management. The short course has a stated cutoff at the heliport, around kilometre 5, at 11 a.m. The marathon’s first cutoff is in San Pedro, near kilometre 8, at 9:15 a.m. Runners who do not reach those checkpoints within the permitted time may be withdrawn; the early start of the longest distance is therefore part of the challenge, not an administrative detail.

The locations of the starts need attention, especially for the 22-kilometre route, which begins somewhere different from the other two. The organisers provide free bus transport from Agaete to San Pedro for participants in that distance. Runners should check the current race-day logistics, since transport and bib collection times can affect when they need to reach the start area.

Entry fees, places and registration

Published fees vary by distance and registration period. In the first period, from August 1 through September 30, the listed fees are 30 euros for the short route, 40 for the half marathon and 57 for the marathon. For entries from October 1 through October 31, they rise to 35, 45 and 60 euros, respectively. The increase is five euros for the two shorter distances and three euros for the marathon.

The available information gives October 31, 2026, as the registration deadline and lists a total capacity of 800 bibs. The planned allocation is 325 places for the short route, 300 for the half marathon and 175 for the marathon. Fees and availability may change if the organisers issue an update, so these prices should be read in the context of the registration calendar described rather than as a guarantee that places will remain available.

The published terms also allow changes, transfers and cancellations until October 31 at 11:59 p.m. A cancellation is subject to a refund minus a two-euro administration fee. After that date, options may be limited by the event rules. Registration includes participation, a race pack, food and drink stations, a safety operation and accident insurance, according to the event information.

The race pack remains available to a registered runner who ultimately does not take part, according to the published details. Free transport to the San Pedro start is another logistical provision for the half marathon. That service should not be mistaken for transport covering every distance: the special transport need applies to the 22-kilometre start.

Terrain, elevation and technical demands

The routes cross island trails, tracks and short road links. This mix requires changes in footing and pace: a track may allow a steady rhythm, while a narrow trail or uneven descent calls for runners to look ahead and choose each foot placement. The landscape is not a single backdrop but a sequence of surfaces and gradients that changes how people move.

On the middle-distance course, the climb towards the pine forest and the descent along the Camino de los Romeros form a particularly significant sequence. The ascent calls for restraint; the technical downhill demands control, balance and attention once fatigue begins to set in. On the marathon, accumulated elevation amplifies that effect over a much longer period, which is why 42 kilometres alone do not define the difficulty.

The short course may be more accessible because it is shorter and has less elevation, but it is not a flat race. The early climb works the legs, and the return over mountain terrain calls for care. For someone new to trail running, a sensible choice depends on experience on paths and the ability to hike efficiently on steep ground, not only on the number of kilometres they can cover on roads.

Downloadable route tracks are listed in the event information. Reviewing them can help runners understand the elevation changes and locate checkpoints, but it does not replace race-day instructions. A mountain route can look straightforward on a screen and feel very different under direct sun, in wind or after several hours of effort.

Aid stations and required equipment

The organisers plan liquid and solid refreshments during the race and at the finish. The published figures indicate two stations for the short distance, four for the half marathon and six for the marathon. The spacing varies by route, so each runner needs to plan what to carry between stations rather than assume water or food will be available at identical intervals on all three courses.

Required equipment listed for every distance includes a race bib, a mobile phone with battery and service, enough food and drink for the sections between stations, suitable shoes and clothing, an emergency blanket, a personal cup or hydration container, and a whistle. The minimum water requirement is 0.5 litres for the short race, one litre for the half marathon and 1.5 litres for the marathon. A technical jacket or windbreaker is also required for the 22- and 42-kilometre routes. Poles are allowed.

Whether to carry a waterproof layer depends on the weather instructions issued by the organisers. Mountain conditions can change with elevation and exposure, but carrying extra clothing without regard to the rules is not an automatic solution either: equipment needs to offer protection without restricting movement or adding unnecessary weight. Shoes should provide sufficient grip for trails and descents, not just comfort on smooth surfaces.

The personal cup or hydration container reflects the event’s aid-station requirements, while the emergency blanket, whistle and phone have a safety role if an incident occurs or a runner is delayed on course. Mandatory equipment is not a box-ticking exercise; it is part of the protection plan for an event on mountain terrain.

Age, safety and race rules

The stated minimum age is 15. Participants aged 15 to 17 may enter only the short distance and need permission from a parent or guardian. This restriction separates the introductory option from the longer races, where duration, elevation and technical difficulty increase the physical demands and the need for self-sufficiency.

The event uses time cutoffs and prohibits outside assistance. The rule prevents runners from receiving unplanned support beyond the aid stations and maintains common conditions for participants. It also means runners should follow staff instructions and not rely on someone outside the race delivering food, clothing or equipment during the course.

Safety depends on several layers: the organisers’ support operation, included accident insurance, compliance with cutoffs and each runner’s preparation for mountain conditions. A charged phone, sufficient water and an emergency blanket are part of that system. If the weather deteriorates, the ground slows progress or a problem develops, adjusting effort may matter more than holding a target pace.

What makes race day in Agaete distinctive

The appeal of the event comes from the combination of place and challenge. Agaete provides a recognisable start and finish, but the races head into upland terrain, slopes and pine forest. The routes do more than circle the municipality: they connect rural and mountain landscapes, with an alternative start in San Pedro for the half marathon and a long course that tests energy management over many hours.

The range of distances brings different runners together on the same day, from those who prefer the short route to specialists tackling a marathon with 2,400 metres of climbing. That range does not make the options interchangeable. Each has its own start time, start location, capacity, fee and physical demands, and should be assessed as a distinct race within the same event.

The landscape also calls for respect. Tracks and trails are shared spaces, and a race depends on participants behaving responsibly, following the route and leaving no litter. The mountains can offer wide views and fresh air, but they also expose runners to sun, temperature changes and fatigue that may not be obvious at the start.

A race where elevation matters as much as distance

The 2026 edition brings a confirmed date, three defined routes and staggered start times in Agaete. The short race gains about 500 metres, the half marathon 1,400 and the marathon 2,400; that progression helps explain why choosing a distance should account for elevation, terrain and previous experience, as well as the kilometres shown on the bib.

With published fees from 30 to 60 euros and places allocated across three distances, the available details make it possible to compare the options. But distance alone does not capture this race. Its defining measure is the relationship between effort and terrain. On Agaete’s trails, every climb sets up the next descent, and every section calls for a fresh assessment of pace. The mountain sets the rhythm, and arriving with enough reserve to respond is part of the challenge.

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