Carrera Popular San Rafael 2026: two starts, two times and a deadline that falls at noon

The Carrera Popular San Rafael is run on Saturday 24 October in Villa de Teguise, inside the patron saint fiestas, and it is organised by Chimia Trail. Two courses through La Vega de San José and the high ground of Chimida: a trail of about 14 kilometres and a 5 km race, plus the Chinijos races for children.

Twelve days to run it, nine to enter. Here is what you need settled, with the entry platform and the official regulations read on 12 October.

Entries close at 12:00 noon on Wednesday 21

This is the detail most worth writing down, because it does not behave like almost any other race on the island: it closes at midday, not at midnight. The platform spells it out word for word, and it still said so today: «FIN DE INSCRIPCIONES: miércoles, 21 de octubre de 2026, 12:00 hora de Europa occidental (Canarias)», with a countdown clock running beside it. The event table repeats the same hour in another format: «Plazo de inscripción: Del 24 ago. 2026 a las 08:00 (GMT+01:00) al 21 oct. 2026 a las 12:00 (GMT+01:00)».

In practice the last full day to enter is Tuesday the 20th. Wednesday leaves four hours of morning.

Places are capped too, and the regulations put a number on it: «un total de 150 corredores para cada distancia, siendo el total de plazas 300», 150 runners per distance, 300 in all. How many are left is not published. The platform shows no places counter and no sold-out notice, checked on 12 October, so the only sign that it is still open is that the countdown is still running.

Two starts, half an hour apart

Article 6 of the regulations splits the morning: «El horario de Salida será a las 10.00h para la prueba de 14km y a las 10.30h para la prueba de 5km», 10:00 for the 14 km and 10:30 for the 5 km.

The platform announces a single start time, «sábado, 24 de octubre de 2026, 10:00 hora de Europa occidental (Canarias)», and that hour belongs to the 14 km. Anyone entered in the 5 km starts half an hour later, at 10:30.

The clock goes at its hour whether the field is on the line or not, and anyone not at the start is out.

The cut-offs are generous but real, and they are published: 3:30 for the 14 km, 10:00 to 13:30, and 2 hours for the 5 km, 10:30 to 12:30. After that you are automatically out of the race, and carrying on is on you.

The Chinijos races have three age bands, 250 metres for 6 to 7 year olds, 350 for 8 to 9 and 500 for 10 to 11, and no start time is published in either source, checked on 12 October. If you are bringing a child, ask when you collect the race number.

Prices and what the fee covers

Read on the platform on 12 October, the same as on 3 October:

• 14 km: 22.00 euros
• 5 km: 15.00 euros
• Chinijos: 0.00 euros

A flat price from one end of the entry window to the other. Neither source publishes date tiers or discounts, so entering today or on Tuesday the 20th costs the same. Article 3.1 of the regulations matches the platform: «La inscripción será de 15€ para la prueba de 5km y de 22€ para la prueba de 14km».

The fee covers the race number, a timing chip, the race shirt, a meal afterwards following the prize-giving, and accident insurance for the day, which article 15 treats as included.

Read article 3.1 in full before paying, because the entry is final: «En caso de anulación de la inscripción, la organización no devolverá el importe de la misma, ni podrá cambiar el nombre por otro corredor, dejando abierto este criterio a la organización por causas especiales», no refunds and no name changes. If the race is called off for reasons beyond anyone’s control, article 10 warns that there is no refund either.

Race numbers: Friday 23, 16:30 to 18:30

It is the only window published, and it is two hours long: «La entrega de dorsales se realizará el viernes 23 de octubre, en horario de 16:30 a 18:30 en la Carpa instalada junto al Pabellón Deportivo de Teguise», in the marquee next to the Teguise sports hall. The regulations open no race-day collection, checked on 12 October, so Friday afternoon means being in Teguise.

Bring «el Documento Nacional de Identidad o cualquier otro que acredite fehacientemente la identidad de la persona», an ID card or equivalent proof of identity. If you cannot go, someone else can collect it with a signed authorisation and copies of both people’s documents. And if the runner is a minor, Annex II of the regulations, the parent or guardian authorisation, is handed over right there, at the number collection.

The cup is not on the compulsory list, but you need one

Two articles have to be read together. Article 9 keeps compulsory kit down to «Dorsal y chip de la competición», race number and timing chip, and files a water container under recommended. Article 7, the one on aid stations, says «NO SE DISPONDRÁ DE VASOS DE PLÁSTICO, utilizando únicamente los envases portados por cada participante, en ningún caso se podrá beber agua directamente del surtidor», no plastic cups, only the containers each runner carries, and never drinking straight from the tap.

On the 14 km there is a single aid station, halfway round, with liquid. Turn up without your own cup or flask and you drink nothing until the finish.

Also recommended: phone, cap, sun protection, mountain shoes and clothing to suit the day, and photo ID. Poles are allowed, although the organisers reserve the right to restrict them in some sections.

Who can run which distance

Minors run the 5 km only, «únicamente con autorización del padre/madre/tutor legal», with Annex II signed and handed in at number collection.

No medical certificate is needed: article 14 is explicit, «No es necesaria la presentación de certificado médico para la realización de prueba». No federation licence or club is asked for either, checked on 12 October. What you do sign on entering is the waiver in Annex I.

No minimum age is published for the 14 km in either source. The nearest thing is the prize table, which starts at under-23 from 18 in the 14 km and from 16 in the 5 km, but that orders the trophies, not the start line.

Planning the day

Teguise is the island’s old capital and the race moves through its surroundings of dirt tracks and loose stone, which is why the long one is framed as a trail. The fiesta sets the atmosphere, and it is also what complicates parking: arrive early because of the crowds, not because of road closures, since the regulations make clear that the organisation closes no roads at any point and the race runs with the streets and roads open.

With a 10:00 start and a 13:30 cut-off, the 14 km runs through the middle of the day, which in October and inland still bites. Cap and water from kilometre zero.

The published address for the event is Calle Gadifer de la Salle 17, Teguise, and it is the only one there is: neither source marks the start arch and the finish separately, checked on 12 October.

That same Saturday, in Puerto del Carmen, the Ocean Lava Lanzarote swims, rides and runs, so on 24 October the island has a triathlon on the coast and a fiesta trail inland.

The full listing, with the course, the prices and the official links, is at Carrera Popular San Rafael. The whole month, weekend by weekend, is in Lanzarote in October 2026. To enter you have to go to the organiser’s platform, because the payment is theirs.