Erjos prepares for a major trail-running day in Tenerife

Plan your race pace

Erjos will host both the start and finish of the 18th edition of Trail El Tanque, scheduled for November 8, 2026, in the Tenerife municipality of El Tanque. The event features two mountain races: Chinyero-Echeyde, covering 20.85 kilometres, and Puerto de Erjos, covering 11.20. The first starts at 9 a.m. and the second at 9:30 a.m., on terrain where volcanic ground and rural paths shape the character of the race.

Registration for this edition is closed: the deadline was October 4, and the combined field was capped at 600 participants. Published entry fees were 30 euros for Chinyero-Echeyde and 20 euros for Puerto de Erjos. The start and finish are in the village of Erjos, and the courses cross protected landscapes on a mix of tracks, footpaths and technical sections.

Two distances with different profiles

The two formats let runners choose between a shorter race and a more demanding one, although both take place on mountain terrain. Puerto de Erjos covers 11.20 kilometres with 378 metres of positive elevation gain; Chinyero-Echeyde stretches to 20.85 kilometres and accumulates 691 metres of climbing. The difference is not only distance: prolonged effort and cumulative elevation affect pace and how each runner manages the race.

Puerto de Erjos is scheduled to start at 9:30 a.m., half an hour after the longer event, which gets underway at 9 a.m. The staggered starts create two separate schedules for the same day and allow participants to focus on their chosen distance. Both courses include trails and tracks with technical sections, so road-racing speed is not a useful direct benchmark.

An 11.20-kilometre distance may look manageable on paper, but elevation and surface completely change the picture. On mountain terrain, a sustained climb can slow progress, while an uneven descent demands attention even when the legs still feel strong. The longer race adds more time exposed to those conditions: its 20.85 kilometres and 691 metres of ascent call for managing effort from the start, rather than being swept along by the opening pace.

Erjos, the start and finish of the event

The race takes place in Erjos, a village within the municipality of El Tanque in northwest Tenerife. Both the start and finish will be there, making the finish area a reference point for spectators as well as runners. The setting connects the event to a landscape of uplands and mountains, far removed from the uniform urban course of a road race.

When a race is based in a small village, the sporting event shares space with local life and access routes to the natural environment. The confirmed start location is Erjos, but the available information does not specify a street address or the name of a particular square. It is therefore important to distinguish the municipality and village hosting the race from a precise street address: Erjos is the confirmed reference for the start and finish.

The location also helps explain why the course cannot be summed up by kilometres alone. The routes link mountain paths and tracks across volcanic terrain, where the surface can change over a short distance. Wider tracks and narrow footpaths call for constant adjustments; the landscape becomes an active part of the effort, not merely a backdrop.

A route through protected natural areas

The courses cross an area of high natural value associated with the Chinyero Special Nature Reserve, Teno Rural Park and Corona Forestal Natural Park. These protected areas make the race especially sensitive to environmental impact, as recreation must coexist with the protection of plants, wildlife and designated paths. The course is not an invitation to explore independently: runners should follow the route established for the event.

The organisers require participants to follow the marked route and respect authorised footpaths. That instruction is essential in a mountain race, because leaving the markings can cause runners to lose their way and can increase damage to fragile areas. On narrow trails, a step off the path can harm vegetation that takes a long time to recover; staying on course concentrates the passage of hundreds of participants on the sections prepared for the event.

Protecting the surroundings is not solely the organisers’ responsibility. Runners also play a part by keeping waste until they reach an appropriate disposal point, not cutting corners and avoiding any interaction with wildlife. In a race through protected areas, respecting the course markings is part of both safety and the sporting experience.

Elevation, surface and managing effort

Positive elevation gain is the total of all climbs, not the difference between the course’s lowest and highest points. The 378 metres on Puerto de Erjos and 691 metres on Chinyero-Echeyde describe the cumulative ascent, but do not explain the steepness, the length of each climb or the nature of the descents. The figures help compare the two formats, although they cannot replace a detailed course profile.

A combination of tracks, footpaths and technical trails can change running cadence from one section to the next. A track generally allows a more regular stride; a narrow path may require shorter steps, while uneven ground demands careful foot placement. Descents also call for restraint: running too fast without control increases the chance of slipping and can tire the quadriceps before the race is over.

That is why comparing the 20.85-kilometre long course with a road race of a similar distance can lead to misleading conclusions. Surface, elevation and changes in terrain affect both effort duration and muscular load. Runners reach the finish after negotiating a sequence of conditions, rather than maintaining a constant pace on uniform ground. On a mountain course, consistency is often more useful than chasing a fixed speed.

Start times, registration and published entry fees

The 2026 edition has two start times: Chinyero-Echeyde begins at 9 a.m. and Puerto de Erjos at 9:30 a.m. The event is scheduled for Sunday, November 8. Registration information states that the deadline was Sunday, October 4, 2026, at 11:59 p.m., so new entries are no longer being accepted for this edition.

Published entry fees were 30 euros for Chinyero-Echeyde and 20 euros for Puerto de Erjos. The difference corresponds to the two available formats, but should not be treated as a standard price for future editions: these are the fees listed for the 2026 event. The field for both races was capped at 600 participants in total, according to information released about the event.

The event is organised by El Tanque Town Council and the Asociación Cultural Deportiva Amigos de Trail El Tanque. With registration closed, the information on fees and places describes a completed entry process, not a current opportunity to sign up. For any last-minute operational changes, such as schedule adjustments or logistical instructions, the organisers’ announcements would take precedence.

A mountain event with a distinctly Tenerife identity

The appeal of the race comes from the meeting of sport and landscape. Chinyero-Echeyde and Puerto de Erjos cross a region where forest, volcanic terrain and rural tracks accompany the effort. This is not a race designed solely to measure speed: the route calls for reading the ground, pacing climbs and staying focused when the trail narrows or its surface changes.

The range of distances broadens the event’s appeal, although both formats require preparation suited to mountain running. The shorter race still has significant elevation and is not equivalent to an easy outing on flat ground. In the longer event, the extra distance and 691 metres of climbing increase the demands. On both routes, respecting one’s own pace and following course instructions can reduce risk and help runners enjoy the surroundings.

The setting in protected natural areas gives the event a dimension beyond the clock. Every participant passes through places whose value depends on races and other activities being conducted with care. Following the markings, staying on the designated paths and leaving no litter are simple actions, but they matter if sporting use is not to become a burden on the landscape.

The landscape is part of the finish line

On November 8, Erjos will host the start and finish of an event that combines two distances, different levels of challenge and a mountain course with technical sections. The key details for the 18th edition are set: 11.20 and 20.85 kilometres, 378 and 691 metres of positive elevation gain, starts at 9:30 and 9 a.m., and a field whose registration has already closed.

Beyond the numbers, the event’s defining feature is its direct connection to Tenerife’s natural environment. The paths linking the Erjos area with Chinyero, Teno and Corona Forestal demand attention and respect, as well as endurance. In a mountain race, completing the course also means accepting its limits: following the marked route and caring for the landscape are inseparable parts of the event.