This year, alongside the popular roots of Canfranc, we\u2019ll also welcome the world\u2019s top mountain and trail runners as special guests for the World Championships. All together in Canfranc, but not mixed: each event has its own schedule and course. Let\u2019s break down the how and why.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Canfranc-Canfranc was created by and for grassroots runners\u2014everyday heroes without capes, who over the years have proven they never back down from the challenges Canfranc throws at them, be it snow, steep gradients, or the ticking clock. They’ve braved editions with up to 30\u202fcm of fresh snow on the course, facing it all with mountain wisdom and grit. They, along with the volunteers who have cared for them for over a decade, are the living soul of this event\u2014the heartbeat the organization reveres.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
When Canfranc was officially announced as the host for the 2025 World Mountain & Trail Running Championships\u2014welcoming more than 80 countries across five disciplines at the closing ceremony of Innsbruck 2023\u2014the organization took a deep breath and made a firm decision: The mountain runners who have supported Canfranc from the beginning still reign supreme. Their priority remains absolute. So much so that triple world ultra champion Luis Alberto Hernando is also registered to run as a regular participant in Canfranc-Canfranc 2025.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Of course, the World Championships will have their own path, designed to coexist harmoniously with the popular races. New dates and new routes shape a dual event, crafted to be 100% sustainable. To bring this vision to life, the major elite showdowns in the Uphill, Classic, Marathon, and Ultra categories have been scheduled three weeks apart<\/strong> from the popular races. The approach is cosmopolitan, welcoming runners from cultures that may not have deep alpine traditions. This way, both local mountain runners and international pioneers feel right at home.<\/p>\n\n\n\n At the center of it all remains the Canfranc Mountain Marathon. This is where it all began\u2014the original beacon that lit the flame of this collective passion. That first \u201cfour-thousander\u201d among Spanish mountain marathons remains iconic to this day. Its course stays unchanged for everyone\u2014elites and popular runners alike. A timeless legend that continues to inspire.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Perhaps in 2025, Oihana Kortazar\u2019s monumental record (6:17:41) will finally fall to Grayson Murphy, who already holds the Canfranc 16K record. Or perhaps not. But one thing is certain: the last runner to cross the marathon finish line will have faced the exact same challenges as the 2025 World Champion<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Few names embody the spirit of the Canfranc-Canfranc like veteran Catalan runner Jacinto Gonz\u00e1lez<\/strong>, who has completed every single edition<\/strong> of the Canfranc Ultra 100K. At over 60 years of age, he will once again toe the line in 2025 to celebrate a decade of battling and conquering the ten Pyrenean peaks that make up the most technically demanding and alpine course in Spain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n When it was created in 2015, I heard about it and saw that the route was something truly special. I committed to it from day one, and even joined the pre-race training camp. From that very first moment\u2014even before I had a bib\u2014I was hooked by the atmosphere, the people, and the mountains. And that\u2019s never changed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Over the years, my goals have shifted. I no longer care about the clock\u2014what matters is the experience and what I feel during the race. So, I start much slower than I could, with the goal of ticking off summits at my own pace. If I get cramps, I slow down, eat, drink, and recover. But I never stop.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Everything required as mandatory gear\u2026 and then some. I know the aid stations here have everything I need, so I don\u2019t carry too much food or water. But when it comes to the weather, I always bring extra. Over the years, we\u2019ve been hit with thunder, rain, snow, and freezing temperatures. Since the very first edition, showing these mountains the respect they deserve has probably been one of my secrets to always finishing. Even if my pack weighs a kilo more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n SERGIO MAYAYO | Press Office Manager, WMTRC 2025<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" This year, alongside the popular roots of Canfranc, we\u2019ll also welcome the world\u2019s top mountain and trail runners as special.. 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\u201cThe World Championships are welcome, but our popular mountain races are not to be touched.\u201d<\/strong>
Not a single date or course was changed.<\/p>\n\n\n\nCanfranc Mountain Marathon: Unique. Popular and Elite Together.<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
JACINTO GONZ\u00c1LEZ: Canfranc\u2019s Iron Man<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Jacinto, how did your passion for the Canfranc 100K begin?<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n
What\u2019s your strategy to always finish the Canfranc Ultra 100K?<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n
What gear do you carry during the race?<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n