Entre Pontes Trail Cerdedo-Cotobade

The Entre Pontes Trail Cerdedo-Cotobade is the Cerdedo-Cotobade stage of the Entre Pontes circuit, a series of six trail and running events spread across the province of Pontevedra. The circuit is promoted by the sports department of the Deputación de Pontevedra and organised by the company Marmar Outdoor. What sets it apart is that entry is free: it includes a chip-timed bib, a technical T-shirt, aid stations, a finisher's medal, official photos and access to a food area at the finish. The race takes place in early November.

The start and finish are at the Cerdedo river beach in the Lérez valley, in the Terra de Montes district in the heart of inland Galicia. The 14 km trail starts at 10am and climbs around 445 m. Some 90% of the route follows forest tracks and footpaths, with the rest on stretches of tarmac or concrete linking to the village. The organisers expect finishing times from just over an hour for the fastest to 2 hours 45 minutes, which is also the time limit for reaching the finish. Trail shoes with good grip are recommended on this uneven terrain.

The format is within reach of regular runners looking to try trail running over a short distance, while still giving faster athletes room to race. The stage counts towards the circuit's overall standings, which take each runner's best four results out of six events, with points awarded on a sliding scale by finishing position. Categories run from 16 to 17-year-olds, who need parental consent, to over-60s, and the top three men and women overall receive trophies at a ceremony at the finish.

A 7 km walk, the andaina, sets off at 11am along the tracks, lanes and paths of the Cerdedo-Cotobade hills, with about 130 m of climbing and an estimated duration of an hour and a half to two hours. Rated easy to moderate, it is open to minors with consent, and under-14s must be accompanied by an adult. In the early afternoon, children's races from 100 m to 1.5 km depending on age liven up the finish area, with a medal for every child.

Bib collection and the bag drop open at 8:30am at the river beach. After the race, free food trucks, music and a family atmosphere take over by the water, and showers are available at the municipal sports hall. Headphones are banned throughout the race for safety reasons, no litter may be left outside the aid stations, and an advanced life support ambulance is stationed at the finish. With its family-friendly set-up, the morning feels as much like a social outing as a competition.