Jaén Bridges Race 2026: date, route and entry prices

Plan your race pace

Jaén will host the 27th edition of its popular bridges race on Sunday, Dec. 20, 2026, a non-competitive event covering approximately 18 kilometres of asphalt and dirt tracks. The start and finish will be at the municipal sports facilities in La Salobreja, on the Ángel Cortés athletics track, and the route will pass through the areas of Puente de la Sierra and Puente Jontoya.

The event is organized by the Asociación Deportiva Maratón Jaén with support from the city’s Municipal Sports Board. The start is scheduled for 10 a.m., and the rules set a maximum of 2 hours and 30 minutes to complete the course. Registration is capped at 250 entries, with prices rising in stages: 20 euros through Oct. 15, 25 euros from Oct. 16 through Nov. 15, and 30 euros from Nov. 16 through Dec. 13.

A popular race linked by its bridges

The event’s name refers to two landmarks that help define the landscape on the outskirts of Jaén: Puente de la Sierra and Puente Jontoya. This is not a closed urban circuit or a race designed around chasing personal records. Its format combines paved sections with dirt tracks, offering a distance-running morning in surroundings different from the streets of the city centre.

The 2026 event will be the 27th edition, establishing it as a fixture in Jaén’s popular running calendar. The emphasis is on completing the route and sharing the experience rather than reaching the podium: the rules describe it as non-competitive and do not provide trophies for the leading finishers.

That character shapes both the atmosphere and how runners approach the kilometres. Participants do not need to treat the morning as a battle against the clock, but they should still consider the distance, changing surfaces and the stated time limit. At approximately 18 kilometres, the race can be demanding for anyone without recent running preparation, even though it is not a competitive event.

Date, start and route on the outskirts of Jaén

The race will take place on Sunday, Dec. 20, 2026. The start is scheduled for 10 a.m. at the municipal sports facilities in La Salobreja, with the finish at the same venue. The Ángel Cortés track is the designated reference point for both start and finish, bringing runners back to the same complex when the route is complete.

According to the published rules, the course leaves La Salobreja toward Granada Road and the southern ring road before continuing along local tracks. It heads toward the Puente Jontoya area and Otiñar Road, then returns toward the city over a mix of tracks and paved sections. The route description includes Camino de las Parejas and roads near La Guardia Road.

The mix of surfaces is one of the course’s practical features. Asphalt makes it easier to maintain a steady stride, while dirt can change footing and pace, particularly if the ground is damp. This is not an entirely mountainous race, but it should not be approached as 18 uninterrupted kilometres of even pavement either.

The organizers set a maximum time of 2 hours and 30 minutes. Spread over the approximate distance, that allowance works out to an average pace of about 8 minutes and 20 seconds per kilometre; it is only a mathematical reference, not a prediction of actual finishing times, since terrain and race-day conditions can affect pace. The available race information does not provide total elevation gain or an elevation profile, so the course’s climbs and descents cannot be specified more precisely.

Registration, prices and participant limit

Registration is scheduled to run from Sept. 8 through Sunday, Dec. 13, 2026, until midnight, or until all entries are taken. The maximum field is 250 participants. According to the race information, registration is handled through the DeporTime portal, and the fee depends on when the entry is completed.

The fee is 20 euros through Oct. 15. It increases to 25 euros from Oct. 16 through Nov. 15, and reaches 30 euros from Nov. 16 until registration closes. The rules state that registration fees are nonrefundable. During the final pricing period, the organizers also do not guarantee T-shirt sizes or delivery dates, a detail that may matter to those signing up close to the deadline.

Registration includes a race bib and a runner’s bag, although the bag is given only to participants who take part and cross the finish line. The commemorative T-shirt is collected with the bib. These are separate conditions: some race items are handed out before the event, while the bag is tied to completing the course, according to the published rules.

The cost of the post-race meal is not included in registration. Those who wish to attend the gathering must pay 40 euros for an adult menu; the rules also allow people to attend the meal only and pay the corresponding menu price. The gathering is scheduled at the Casería de Cristóbal restaurant in Jaén after the race.

Bib collection and participation rules

Advance bib collection is scheduled at Decathlon Jaén on Dec. 17 and 18, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. and from 5 to 8 p.m. Bibs can also be collected on race day near the start from 8:30 a.m. That option leaves less time before the 10 a.m. start, so participants should account for travel, parking and the time needed to get ready.

The race rules state that participants must have turned 18 on race day. Although some event listings may show different age recommendations, the specific race regulations are the reference for eligibility. According to the published conditions, registration includes a declaration that the participant is physically fit to run and is taking part at their own risk.

The event will have an ambulance, insurance, volunteers and Civil Protection support. The rules also provide for authorized vehicles and escorts at the front and rear of the race, along with traffic-control measures. These arrangements are part of managing an event that uses roads and tracks; runners still need to follow instructions from event staff along the route.

Refreshment stations will be placed at kilometres 8 and 13, and race information also mentions support in the post-finish area. For a distance close to 18 kilometres, these stops help distribute hydration during the effort, although individual needs vary with pace, temperature and the runner. The available listing does not specify which products will be offered at each station.

What it means to be a non-competitive event

The race does not award trophies to the leading finishers and is not centred on a sporting ranking. Some event descriptions also say there will be no competitive timing. In practice, that distinguishes the day from an event where every second determines a placing: the shared objective is to cover the route within the set time and return to La Salobreja.

That does not make 18 kilometres a short jog. The distance calls for a sufficient running base, and mixed terrain can feel different from a flat asphalt training run. For people who usually run shorter distances, the challenge is not just adding kilometres; it is sustaining an effort for longer and adapting to changes in the surface.

The organizers plan to provide a runner’s bag to those who complete the event, in addition to the commemorative T-shirt collected with the bib. No category prizes or awards for top finishers are listed. The social side continues afterward with a group meal, during which the Correcaminos and Maratón Jaén awards are also scheduled to be presented, followed by a prize draw for attendees.

A December fixture on Jaén’s running calendar

The date places the race a few weeks before the Carrera Urbana Internacional Noche de San Antón, another major event in Jaén’s sporting calendar. The bridges race may fit as a long run or endurance outing for runners already accustomed to this distance, but it does not replace appropriate preparation or guarantee an easy course simply because the event is non-competitive.

Its appeal lies in a particular combination: an endurance distance, dirt tracks and asphalt, two locations linked to the event’s name, and a start and finish at the same sports complex. For visitors, La Salobreja also offers a straightforward logistical reference: the bib collection, start time and finish all converge around the municipal facilities.

Before registering, participants should read the full conditions and check for any changes announced by the organizers, particularly to the schedule, route, entry limit and bib collection. The rules state that some details may change for organizational reasons. Based on the information published for 2026, Sunday, Dec. 20, is set for 18 popular running kilometres along Jaén’s tracks and bridges, with less emphasis on the podium and more on sharing the race.