Madrid’s Three Kings race: schedule and course details

Plan your race pace

Madrid will host a family obstacle race on Sunday, Jan. 3, 2027, at Parque Deportivo Puerta de Hierro. The event, which covers about 3 kilometers and is noncompetitive, starts at 10 a.m. and will be organized in four waves, with scheduled starts every hour through 1 p.m. It is open to women and men ages 5 and older, with challenges adapted to different age groups.

The event offers more than completing the course: each wave will have a Zumba warm-up, while finishers will be offered hot chocolate and roscón de Reyes, a traditional ring-shaped cake. The Three Kings are also expected to attend so participants can meet them, take a photo and hand over a letter. Registration is announced for December, with a maximum of 1,400 places split into groups of up to 350 people.

A family morning of obstacles at Puerta de Hierro

The event offers a different way to begin the sporting year. Rather than focusing on the clock or standings, it sets out a shared course where the goal is to keep moving, tackle the obstacles and enjoy the experience together. Organizers present it as an activity for the whole family, from children ages 5 and up to adults.

The approximate distance is 3 kilometers, a manageable length for people new to popular races and for those who prefer a relaxed pace. This is not a competition: the available information explicitly describes it as a noncompetitive event. The course is therefore designed to combine movement and play, not to measure personal bests or rank finishers.

The route will include themed features and challenges, among them The Christmas Maze, The Great Snowfall and The Mountain of Gifts. The description says the obstacles will be adapted to different ages, but does not specify their height, materials or difficulty. That adaptation is central to the plan: the appeal lies in taking part together, with room for each person to tackle every section according to their abilities.

The Christmas atmosphere also comes through in the activities around the race. The Zumba warm-up before each wave offers a lively shared start, while hot chocolate and roscón await at the finish. The finish becomes a festive gathering, not just the end of a race, giving the morning something to offer even to relatives who come along without running.

Date, start times and wave format

The event is scheduled for Sunday, Jan. 3, 2027, on the eve of Three Kings Day. Activities begin at 10 a.m., but there will not be one mass start. Participants will be split into four waves, starting at 10 a.m., 11 a.m., noon and 1 p.m.

Each group will have a maximum of 350 participants. With four starts and that cap for each wave, the announced capacity is 1,400 registrations. Participants choose their time during registration, so availability for each slot will depend on how many places remain when they sign up. The published information does not specify how long each wave will take or the maximum time allowed to finish the course.

The staggered format spreads attendance across the morning and gives participants some separation as they arrive. It also makes choosing a wave a practical part of registration: each family can decide which time suits them, factoring in travel and the time needed to collect bibs. The selected time is the assigned start, not a flexible arrival time for the course.

Bib pickup is scheduled for race day at the information point set up at Parque Deportivo Puerta de Hierro. The stated pickup window begins at 9 a.m. and closes 15 minutes before the relevant wave. For example, people starting at 10 a.m. should leave enough time to collect their bib by 9:45 a.m.; the same rule sets 10:45, 11:45 and 12:45 a.m. as the reference times for later waves.

Registration, capacity and T-shirt

The announced registration period runs from Monday, Dec. 7, through Thursday, Dec. 31, 2026, until 11:59 p.m., or until places sell out. The closing date does not guarantee that spots will remain until the final day: the limit of 1,400 participants could be reached sooner. Organizers say registrations will be strictly personal and nontransferable.

The information provided says registration will open soon and lists the expected dates for sign-ups. It also says prices will be affordable and family packages will be available, but gives no specific amount. Without a confirmed fee, it is not possible to calculate the individual or family cost; the price will need to be checked when the registration form opens.

Bibs and T-shirts will be collected on race day at the information point. The shirt will be given out with the bib, and sizes will be assigned in the order requested, so availability for each size will depend on earlier requests. The available information does not state which sizes will be offered or whether exchanges will be possible after selection.

Organizers say the price will include VAT and insurance, but do not provide the amount or explain the specific coverage. Other registration conditions, such as refund rules, requirements for signing up minors or the documents needed to collect someone else’s bib, are also not detailed. Those points should be checked in the official form once it is published, rather than assuming conditions that have not yet been stated.

What the event includes and what remains unspecified

The event combines a run, obstacles and activities associated with the season. A Zumba warm-up takes place before each wave; finishers will be offered hot chocolate and roscón. Participants are also expected to meet the Three Kings, take a photo and hand over a letter. These are features included in the event description, although the available information does not give the length of each activity or the exact order in which they will take place.

The names of some obstacles suggest a themed course, with features such as The Christmas Maze, The Great Snowfall and The Mountain of Gifts. No detailed map or section-by-section description has been published, so their placement along the 3 kilometers cannot be anticipated. The information does say there will be multiple challenges adapted to the ages of participants.

The information also does not specify whether there will be a bag drop, mid-course refreshments, restrooms, covered waiting areas or dedicated parking for the race. The promise of chocolate and cake at the finish does not imply that other services will be available during the course. For families with young children or anyone requiring specific assistance, these details may affect the morning’s plans and are not addressed in the available information.

The noncompetitive format and moderate distance suggest a recreational event. That does not remove the need to respect individual pace or follow staff instructions, particularly around the obstacles. The stated adaptations are not a complete accessibility description: it is not specified whether every section is wheelchair accessible or what specific support will be available.

Getting to Parque Deportivo Puerta de Hierro

The venue is Parque Deportivo Puerta de Hierro, at kilometer 7 of the Carretera de La Coruña, postal code 28040, in Madrid’s Fuencarral-El Pardo district. This is the address listed for the event and bib collection. The information also identifies EMT buses 83 and 133 as public transportation options for reaching the venue.

Because activities run from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., it is worth allowing time for the trip and factoring in the bib pickup window. The selected start time does not replace that step: participants must go to the information point within the window before their wave. Organizers say pickup begins at 9 a.m. and closes 15 minutes before each start.

The postal address helps locate the complex, but the information provided does not identify a specific entrance or parking area for participants. It also does not mention traffic changes, road closures or special transit services for the event. Anyone relying on a car or a particular bus connection will need to check current conditions closer to the date, as logistical details may change.

The venue brings the course together in a Madrid sports complex, away from the central streets where other holiday events are often concentrated. That location allows the morning to take place within the grounds, although no map identifies the exact start and finish points. The park is the event’s main location; details about access within the site have not been provided.

A race where the clock is not the main attraction

In popular races, the word race often brings to mind bibs, times and a finish line that sorts participants. This event takes a different approach: its obstacle course aims to involve families and turn exercise into a shared activity. Its noncompetitive status matters because it means the event is not designed to compete for places.

The approximate 3-kilometer distance may make it easier for people with different levels of experience to join, but each participant should consider their own abilities and those of any children accompanying them. The reference information sets the minimum age at 5 but gives no further detail about adult supervision, permissions or specific rules for children. Those requirements should be made clear in the event rules or registration form.

Obstacles add a different dimension to a conventional road race. There may be changes of pace, opportunities to walk and sections where balance or coordination matter more than speed, although the exact layout has not been published. The stated range of challenges suggests variety, but does not confirm what each participant will encounter or how demanding each feature will be.

This format also gives space to people who prefer to accompany rather than run. Activities around the start and finish, a meeting with the Three Kings and the family atmosphere make the event a morning outing, with exercise at its center but not as its only attraction. Participation can be measured by sharing the course, not by a time, a distinction that defines the event’s tone.

What still needs confirmation before race day

The available information establishes the date, location, approximate distance and start times, but leaves some questions open. The exact fee, registration link or website domain, course map and full rules are not included in the reference material. Contact phone numbers and procedures for requesting specific accommodations are also absent.

Registration is scheduled to open on Dec. 7, 2026, and close at 11:59 p.m. on Dec. 31, or earlier if all 1,400 places are filled. Since the registration period will not yet have started when these details are published, the notice that registration is coming soon is consistent with the expected schedule. Price and availability should be confirmed when registration opens, rather than inferred from the phrase affordable prices.

The precise procedure for choosing or changing a wave, the rules for collecting a child’s bib and the final availability of T-shirt sizes also remain unclear. The information says participants choose a wave during sign-up and sizes are handled in request order, but does not explain whether either selection can be changed. To avoid confusion, these details should appear in the event conditions.

The fourth edition is announced as the Three Kings race of the Community of Madrid. The reference information links organization to Sport Life Ibérica’s Events Department and names the Community of Madrid as sponsor. Beyond those details, it does not provide a complete list of partner organizations, so other names should not be added without confirmation.

The first Sunday of January, between play and tradition

The event brings together two customs often associated with the holidays: physical activity and the festive atmosphere of Three Kings Day. Scheduled for Jan. 3, it takes place before the eve of Epiphany and offers an outdoor morning where movement mixes with themed obstacles, music and a sweet stop at the finish.

Its scale, with waves of up to 350 people, points to a broadly accessible event organized in groups. The approximate 3-kilometer distance means the challenge does not depend solely on endurance, while the range of obstacles adds a playful element. The format may appeal to families looking for an active shared experience, without measuring the result in seconds.

Some important details remain unpublished, particularly the fee, full rules and course description. Even so, the confirmed information already outlines the essentials: date, venue, minimum age, start times and announced activities. The event trades the pressure of the clock for a shared morning, with the park as its setting and Three Kings celebrations as its theme.