Carrebirras Mil Palmeras 2026

The Carrebirras Mil Palmeras isn't your typical race: it's a nighttime popular festival disguised as a 6,000-meter run, organized by Club de Atletismo Correbirras in collaboration with the Pilar de la Horadada City Council — recognized as "European Town of Sport 2026." The 2026 edition, the 4th in its history, takes place on Saturday, August 8th at 8:00 pm, in the height of summer and the cool of the evening, on an urban circuit through the streets of the coastal resort of Mil Palmeras, with start and finish on Avenida de Francia, next to La Taberna del Pirata.The race's name doesn't lie: after the athletic effort comes the real celebration. Runners who cross the finish line receive a second runner's bag with tickets for a snack and a beer, plus a mega aid station of water, soft drinks, and nibbles courtesy of the sponsors. It's essentially a race designed to be enjoyed as much as a community gathering as a competition: registration is capped at 500 public spots (plus 100 reserved for protocol and emergencies, not for public sale), with a flat fee of €12 that includes insurance, bib, timing chip, official t-shirt, runner's bag, and refreshments. Registration opens on June 1st and closes on August 5th, 2026, or sooner if spots sell out; it's worth signing up early, since from July 1st onward your preferred t-shirt size is no longer guaranteed.The course, though urban and entirely paved, isn't completely flat: it includes two or three gentle climbs, balanced out by their corresponding descents, with no real technical difficulty. The race closing is strict: 45 minutes after the starting gun, marked by a sweeper runner pacing at 7:30 min/km, after which no lagging participant will be counted. There's a water station at km 3, and to cool off after the effort, runners can choose between free showers at the Municipal Sports Center (4 km from the finish) or, even more convenient, a dip in the crystal-clear waters of the Mediterranean, right next to the start/finish area.Beyond the sport itself, the Carrebirras Mil Palmeras stands out for the generosity and variety of its prizes: trophies for the top three finishers in every category (from Under-23 to Master 60, plus local and overall categories), a special trophy for whoever crosses the finish line in 40th place overall — in tribute to the 40th anniversary of the municipality's secession — a whole ham for the club or group with the most runners finishing the race (with smaller prizes for second and third place), recognition for the oldest runner to finish, and bottles of wine for those registering in specific symbolic spots (1st, 50th, 100th, and so on every 50 spots up to the 500th). After the trophy ceremony, at 9:00 pm, there are also raffles of various products among all finishers. Bib pickup happens on race day itself, at La Taberna del Pirata, in two time slots (10:00 am-1:00 pm and 5:00-7:15 pm), with ID required. All in all, it's an ideal date for anyone looking for a nighttime, summery, festive, and deeply local race experience on the Costa Blanca.