My marathons

Ruta de las Fortalezas

The organiser has not published a date. Cartagena
Cartagena
Cartagena. Photograph by Juan Sáez from Cartagena, España, CC BY-SA 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons

The course

The general race of the XV Ruta de las Fortalezas was 53 km from and back to Cartagena on Saturday 18 April 2026, with a maximum time of twelve hours.

The course in short 2 lines
  • 53 km around Cartagena in 12 hours53 km, a 12 hour limit, four start boxes by expected time.
  • 779 m of climbing by the Concepción castle779 m of climbing by km 27, at the Concepción castle.
Course notes 2 short reads on the course
Whole courseTactics53 km around Cartagena in 12 hours53 km, a 12 hour limit, four start boxes by expected time.

Runners started in four boxes by expected time: under 6 hours, 6 to 8 hours, 8 to 10 hours and 10 to 12 hours. The event also held a 17 km Promo race, a 17 km cadet and junior race and children’s races.

Sourced

Whole courseGradient779 m of climbing by the Concepción castle779 m of climbing by km 27, at the Concepción castle.

The organiser first named km 20.1 and 568 m of climbing as the scoring point for the league, then moved it to km 27.0 after the timing mat could not be installed at the first one. Only runners who finished the whole general race count for the league.

Sourced

Race fuel

Energy gel
An energy gel sachet
Illustration · drag to turn

2 gels for Cartagena, plus 1 spare

Finish

One every 40 minutes, by the clock:

  1. km 7.6mile 4.7
  2. km 15.1mile 9.4

Our pick: SiS BETA Fuel gel, box of 6, strawberry and lime. 40 g of carbohydrate a gel, about twice a usual gel, from two kinds of sugar your body takes up side by side.

Easy to forget on race morning: pack them with your bib the night before.

Get it on Amazon

We earn a small fee if you buy through these links. The price is the same.

In Canada the button opens GU Energy Gel, Salted Caramel, 24-pack, the best seller there.

Outside the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, Austria and Switzerland, the UK and Ireland, Spain and Portugal, Italy, the rest of the EU and Canada the button opens GU Energy Gel, Chocolate Outrage, 24-pack on Amazon.com, the best seller there.

Anti-chafe
Compeed Anti-blister stick
Photo: Compeed

Compeed

Compeed anti-blister stick, 8 ml

Best selling on Amazon amazon.nl, read 2 Nov

An invisible layer before the start keeps seams, straps and shoes from rubbing skin raw.

Put it on before you leave for the start: heels and toes, inner thighs, under a bra or heart-rate strap.

Try it on a long run first, like everything you use on race day.

Get it on Amazon

We earn a small fee if you buy through these links. The price is the same.

Number belt
A race number belt
Illustration · drag to turn

Compressport Race Belt

Holds your bib without safety pins through your top, with loops for up to 8 gels.

Clip the bib on the night before, so it goes on with your shorts in the morning.

Keep the number on the front, where officials and photographers can see it.

Get it on Amazon

We earn a small fee if you buy through these links. The price is the same.

Electrolytes
A tube of electrolyte tablets
Illustration · drag to turn

SiS Hydro electrolyte tablets, tube of 20

One tablet in a bottle puts back some of the salt you sweat out.

One tablet in 500 ml of water in the hour before the start.

Only if you have used them in training: nothing new on race day.

Get it on Amazon

We earn a small fee if you buy through these links. The price is the same.

Blister plasters
Compeed Blister plasters, medium, 6
Photo: Compeed

Compeed

Compeed blister plasters, medium, 6

Best selling on Amazon amazon.nl, read 2 Nov

One in a pocket cushions a blister if one starts.

Put it on clean, dry skin and leave it until it comes off by itself.

Give a couple to whoever comes to cheer, so they are there at the km you need them.

Get it on Amazon

We earn a small fee if you buy through these links. The price is the same.
distance
17.0 km10.6 mi
cut-off
12:00 h

Trip

Getting a place

Entry through the organiser

Entry details on the organiser’s site →

The organiser, a third party. We take no entries and have no part in the race.

Keep exploring

More races to look at after the Ruta de las Fortalezas.

Marathons people fly to

Races in Europe
  • A frame from our Malaga Marathon filmImagery: Google Earth3:50Race week

    Malaga Marathon

    Malaga, Spain

    Sun 8 Nov42.2 km63 m

    Climb summed after smoothing the heights over 1 km. The edge is this course's height profile on one scale for every race: 250 m above its lowest point fills it.
  • A frame from our Valencia Marathon filmImagery: Google Earth3:44Sold out

    Valencia Marathon

    Valencia, Spain

    Sun 6 Dec42.2 km42 m

    Climb summed after smoothing the heights over 1 km. The edge is this course's height profile on one scale for every race: 250 m above its lowest point fills it.
  • A frame from our Elche-Alicante Marathon filmImagery: Google Earth1:16Entry open

    Elche-Alicante Marathon

    Alicante, Spain

    Sun 13 Dec42.2 km41 m

    Climb summed after smoothing the heights over 1 km. The edge is this course's height profile on one scale for every race: 250 m above its lowest point fills it.
  • Plaza de España, SevilleSold out

    Seville Marathon

    Seville, Spain

    Sun 21 Feb 202742.2 km29 m

    Climb summed after smoothing the heights over 1 km. The edge is this course's height profile on one scale for every race: 250 m above its lowest point fills it. Photo: Plaza de España, by Carlos Delgado, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

Courses on film

All races on film
  • A frame from our Athens Marathon filmImagery: Google Earth3:56Race week

    Athens Marathon

    Athens, Greece

    Sun 8 Nov42.2 km281 m

    Climb summed after smoothing the heights over 1 km. The edge is this course's height profile on one scale for every race: 250 m above its lowest point fills it.
  • A frame from our Malaga Marathon filmImagery: Google Earth3:50Race week

    Malaga Marathon

    Malaga, Spain

    Sun 8 Nov42.2 km63 m

    Climb summed after smoothing the heights over 1 km. The edge is this course's height profile on one scale for every race: 250 m above its lowest point fills it.
  • A frame from our Porto Marathon filmImagery: Google Earth3:53Race week

    Porto Marathon

    Porto, Portugal

    Sun 8 Nov42.2 km133 m

    Climb summed after smoothing the heights over 1 km. The edge is this course's height profile on one scale for every race: 250 m above its lowest point fills it.
  • A frame from our Curitiba Marathon filmImagery: Google Earth3:51Entry open

    Curitiba Marathon

    Curitiba, Brazil

    Sun 15 Nov42.2 km128 m

    Climb summed after smoothing the heights over 1 km. The edge is this course's height profile on one scale for every race: 250 m above its lowest point fills it.
More races in Spain