The Best Races in Spain This October: 12 Picks by Type of Runner

October is the peak of the Spanish half-marathon season: our calendar lists 48 half marathons and half-distance trails this month. That is too many to compare on a list, so here are twelve picks, grouped by what you want from a race. Several are already full, which we note, because many runners plan a year ahead. For every race, with filters, use the October calendar.

Best for a personal best

• Valencia, 25 October. The course where the men’s world record of 57:30 was set in 2024, with 25,000 bibs allocated by ballot. Waves start from 8:25. If you missed the 2026 ballot, expect the next one shortly after this race.
• Albacete, 4 October. Two laps that produced course records of 1:00:42 and 1:09:09 in 2025, with pacers from 1:24 to 2:00.
• Gijón, 10 October. A flat Saturday-evening race at 17:30, on the national calendar. Entries are full, with a waitlist draw only.

Best big-city atmosphere

• San Sebastián Rural Kutxa, 4 October. Flat, certified, 5,000 places that sold out for 2026, with nine pacer groups. 2027 entries are already open.
• Bilbao Night, 17 October. A World Athletics Label night race starting from 19:00 next to San Mamés. Entries have closed.
• Palma, TUI Marathon weekend, 18 October. Sold out at 9,500 runners, along the seafront and past La Seu cathedral.

Best for scenery and history

• Roncesvalles–Zubiri, 4 October. About 21.3 km down the Camino de Santiago, with a net drop of around 523 m, buses from Pamplona and chistorra at the finish. Waitlist only.
• Oviedo, 11 October. The 7th edition climbs towards Monte Naranco and passes the pre-Romanesque churches of Santa María del Naranco and San Miguel de Lillo.
• Cuenca, 24 October. A Saturday 16:00 start on a new route into the Hoz del Júcar gorge, two laps on asphalt, €17 general entry.

Best for something different

• Burgos21k, 25 October. A first edition, “In the footsteps of El Cid”, on a flat single lap of the city centre, capped at 1,000 runners.
• Algeciras, 3 October. An evening start at 19:00 on the Bay of Gibraltar, limited to 400 runners (entries closed on 30 September).
• Zumaia Flysch Trail, 3 October. A 24 km trail with +1,007 m along the cliffs of the Basque Coast Geopark.

How to use this list

Most of these races have a cap and several are sold out, so check each page for the current status before you plan. If your goal is a fast time, Valencia, Albacete and Gijón are the flat options. If you want a trip, Roncesvalles–Zubiri and Oviedo give you the most to see. If you want a quieter weekend, look at Burgos and Algeciras.

For races the same weekend near you, browse the October calendar by region and date.