[Author’s Note: This is the final article in an 11-part series in AJW’s Taproom celebrating under-the-radar races. Thanks for following along on this series!]
Deep in the Andalusian region of southern Spain lies the small town of Algatocín. Each November, the historic town welcomes runners from all over Europe and the world to the Gran Vuelta Valle del Genal (Grand Tour of the Genal Valley.) Featuring two distances, 130 kilometers and 53 kilometers, as well as a three-person relay, this event is an absolute gem of a race.
I recently caught up with event director, Ildefonzo Cozar, to learn more about the event.
Runners enjoy leafy trails on the route of the Gran Vuelta Valle del Genal. All photos courtesy of Gran Vuelta Valle del Genal.
He said, “For all of us who put on the race, we believe it is made special by the villages and the people. Our race passes through 15 small Andalusian villages, where the townspeople treat all the participants like family.”
The races are spread over two weekends in mid-November, welcoming 1,200 participants to the region. The courses, not surprisingly, are quite difficult, with the 130k featuring 6,715 meters of climbing, and the 53k offering up 2,813 meters. The landscape is rocky, and the weather can be a challenge, but it is the warmth of the Andalusian people that keeps runners returning year after year.
Cozar notes that he and his team faces challenges in putting on the event: “Our race takes place in a rural environment with small villages, so we have to have a low limit of participants. We have not yet managed to find a private sponsorship that can help us launch the race and put it at the level we believe it should be. We hope that in the future some brand will want to accompany us, but until then we are doing the best we can to produce a memorable event.”
The committed team of volunteers that put on the event are simply that, volunteers, and they are driven by the desire to showcase their special corner of the world. As Cozar put it, “We are just a group of neighbors from the villages, who work to make our territory known throughout the world through sport. We try to make all athletes find in our race what we would like to find. I think these two things are what give the race its soul. We work so that the important thing for the participant is the experience lived with unforgettable moments.”
When I asked Cozar what he looks forward to most of race day, he answered:
“Without a doubt, it is the start of the 130k and the relay. For all of us, it is the most important moment and for the participants, it is a whole spectacle of music and lights at midnight that make it very exciting.”
Headlamps light the way at the start of the Gran Vuelta Valle del Genal.
Perhaps one of the most unique things about this event, is that the course remains open and available year-round and athletes are encouraged to take on the challenge of the course any day of the year, not just on race day. As Cozar proudly states, “There is the possibility of completing the race course any day of the year with the GENAL 365 modality, the route of the race is permanently marked and we can provide four refreshment points at any time to whoever wants to do the course whenever they want, thanks to a system of ticket offices located in the towns and villages along the way.”
Bottoms up!
AJW’s Beer of the Week
This week’s beer of the week comes from Texas, where I am enjoying a few days engrossed in the running industry at The Running Event. Lone Star Beer from Fort Worth, Texas, is a classic American style lager. Their tagline, “The National Beer of Texas,” just about says it all.
Call for Comments
- Have you run the Gran Vuelta Valle del Genal?
- What other under-the-radar races do you love?
Technical terrain on the route of the Gran Vuelta Valle del Genal.
