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Gran
Canaria trail running 2024 
Winter
sun trail running on sections of the
Trans Gran Canaria route |
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Course
overview
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Usually
more associated with beach holidays, Gran
Canaria is a great choice for winter trail
running as you can escape the UK rain or Alpine
snow during the winter months. With average
annual temperatures ranging from 18 to 25
C, Gran Canaria has a mild climate for the
majority of the year, making it perfect for
running. |
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Our
Gran Canaria running week is based in the
beautiful and peaceful coastal resort of Agaete
on the west side of the island which gives
you the perfect combination of being able
to easily access hundreds of kilometres of
trails, whilst also being able to enjoy the
famous Playa de Las Nieves beach to relax
on afterwards. |
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These
training camps are open to anyone, but we
suggest that you will get the most out of
them if you are happy running up to 10km,
or even a half marathon. We try to offer a great balance of running,
coaching, and trail running advice, preparation
and top tips. |
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The
comfortable hotel is just 200 yards from the
beach which is
the start line for the famous Ultra Trail
Transgrancanaria. The
hotel features a large terrace with loungers
and views of the surrounding mountains, and
there are beautiful volcanic rock pools in the nearby
quaint fishing village of Puerto de las Nieves. |
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Dates: these
are listed in the column on the right, and
they show the live availability from our secure
online booking system. When you book online,
you receive immediate confirmation, a receipt,
trip dossier, and a course specific kit list. |
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Trail
running and coaching
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Don't
worry if you have never run on trails before, as
you will pick up the skills quickly with expert
coaching and guidance. All you need is to be fit
for regular running, to have a sense of humour,
and to love the outdoors. We will teach you the
rest, and our aim is for you to have great holiday
that you will remember. |
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You
are led and coached by a finisher
of the Trans Gran Canaria (or other major ultra
race) with a wealth of previous running experience.
Most importantly they will be a passionate trail
runner who has competed in plenty of ultra running
races. You are led by a genuine expert in ultra-trail
running. |
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Gran
Canaria is a continent in miniature, with a dramatic
variation of terrain ranging from the green and
leafy North, the volcanic mountainous interior,
and the desert South. This variety of terrain offers
unique training opportunities for all trail runners. |
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This
trail running week will give you an excellent fitness
boost and platform in which to prepare for the forth
coming months if you have races booked, or should
you be looking to take that step to book your first
one. |
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Ultra
Trail - Trans Gran Canaria (TGC) events |
• If
you book on our March running week of early
March, you have the amazing opportunity
to watch the start of the Ultra Trail Trangrancanaria
running race which is 125km long around
the island. The event is usually run over
the first weekend in March, with
the main TGC set off on the Friday evening.
• The
atmosphere in Agaete this week is electric!
We always try and ensure that this week
you are led by a TGC finisher, so they can
give you all the race gossip.
Click on the race website link for details. |
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Brief
Course Itinerary
Gran
Canaria is blessed with hundreds of kilometers of trails
over all types of terrain, from forest or coastal tracks
to rocky mountain trails in the centre of the island.
The itinerary is flexible throughout the week to take
account of the weather and conditions, to ensure that
you sample the best trails on offer. The itinerary below
is to provide you with a taster of what you could achieve,
and isn't fixed in stone. As far as the distances run
each day, we advertise c. 15 - 20km each day. We just
want you to join the trip with a spirit of loving running
in the mountains, and wanting to give anything a go. Speed
is nothing. Enjoyment is everything!
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Sunday
Travel to Las Palmas airport to arrive for the 17.30
airport transfer to the hotel in Agaete. The transfer
takes c.50 minutes. At 19.00 there is a group meeting
and itinerary briefing with your guide at the hotel.
Here you can discuss kit and previous experience,
and also your aspirations for training and route
choices during the week. Briefings are over by 20:00
and the group usually goes out for drinks and dinner
to explore the town. Night in Agaete. |
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Monday
After
the long day travelling yesterday, you start off
with a classic warm up trail, usually along the
mountainous coastline. It will stretch your legs,
and develop your trail skills. You can even start
from the hotel door, just 200m from the beach where
the Trans Gran Canaria Ultra Trail actually starts,
and run along the famous black sands, before heading
south along the remote and rugged coastline. Night
in Agaete. |
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Tuesday
Today
a longer day to focus on key skills for trail running,
with a focus on navigation techniques. In the region
of Tamadaba, you pass lakes and huts through the
Llanos di Mimbre, so there are plenty of opportunities
for a brief refreshment on route. After
each day of running you return to Agaete, and can
take the opportunity for a visit to the beach for
a cooling dip in the sea to soothe and relax your
muscles. Night in Agaete. |
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Wednesday
The
aim for today is typically a great circular run
with the focus to develop different
running techniques for varied terrain types. Leaving the Crus de Arjaeda today
is a circular run at roughly 1400m altitude. Largely
on trails you pass through the dense forests of the
Montana de Artenara, over the rough Barranco Hondo
de Arriba, and over
the Montana de Capitan. The
steep sides of the barranco walls create stunning
scenery. Night in Agaete. |
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Thursday
Often
a day running in the Pico de la Nieves area, where
you run through the Hoya del Gamonal to reach the
summit, before descending via Campanario anf Llanos
de la Pez to complete the circuit to return to the
roadhead. During the days you can also focus on
learning extra skills including route planning,
using poles for train running, pacing and navigation.
The week is very deliberately flexible to meet your
needs . Night
in Agaete. |
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Friday
A
longer trail run, to really put all the elements
together that you have learnt over the week. Typically
the route taken would make the circuit of the iconic
rock tower of Roque Nublo, and you spend the day
running in the national park above the stunning
village of Tejeda which clings to the mountainside.
This route really is a great climax to the week,
and all your efforts are rewarded with great views
at every turn. Night
in Agaete. |
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Saturday
Breakfast
then the accommodation check out is by 10:00. The
arranged airport transfer departs for the airport
at 09.00. This is scheduled for flights departing
Las Palmas airport that leave after midday (although
there are other airlines that also offer flights
departing c.21:00 if you want to take advantage
of an extra day in the sun, and additional airport
transfers can be arranged and paid for direct in
resort). Depart for
home.
ITINERARY NOTES: Where possible we follow itineraries.
Mountain adventures are weather and conditions dependant,
so occasionally we are forced to alter the plans.
If this is the case, suitable alternative itineraries
are offered. Please use this outline itinerary as
a guide to the types of route / activity that you
will attempt. |
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Prices |
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Standard
course |
5
full days running guiding, 1:6 max ratio
7 days holiday in total, Sunday-Saturday |
£899 |
Live
availability |
Click
on the planner logo to the right to
see the real time live course availability
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Secure
online booking system |
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| Inclusions:
1) Experienced running guide for five days, 2) Six
nights B&B accommodation in central Agaete (two
people sharing, inc. buffet breakfast, bedding &
towels), 3) Icicle pre-trip information dossier,
4) Equipment discount voucher for UK shop, 5) Free
36 page technical Course Instruction Booklet, 6)
Private group road transport around Gran Canaria
during the five guided days, 6) One scheduled group
airport transfer to and from hotel on arrival and
departure days, 7) Logistics support from our UK
office with 24 hour support number. |
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| Exclusions:
1) Travel to and from Las Palmas airport in Gran
Canaria, 2) Personal laundry, telephone calls, lunches,
evening meals, & any purchases in mountain or
valley huts / hotels / restaurants, 3) Activities
insurance, & excess baggage charges. |
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Notes:
As well as our scheduled dates, we can operate
bespoke trips for private groups, either following
our itinerary, or for shorter breaks. There are
upgrade options of single rooms, or for a more
luxury hotel. Just let us know your requirements,
and we will quote for you. Our scheduled course
requires a minimum number of 2 people to operate
without a suppliment, and there are a maximum
of 6 people on the trip. |
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Current
course availability
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| Location
data for this trip |
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| This
trip is based in Agaete which is the coastal town of Gran
Canaria, the largest of the Spanish Canary Islands located
off the coast of Morocco. This region of Gran Canaria
offers great coastal running from the door, or within
an hours drive you can access trails in the more mountainous
central part of the island. There is a great choice of
trail running venues in all the diverse regions of Gran
Canaria. |
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Time
Difference
GMT +0hr |
Local
Currency
€ Euros |
Travel
from UK
4h30 flight |
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| Free
resources |
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FREE
Podcast
Getting into trail running...
Trail
running is a fastgrowing sport, and
this podcast explains what it involves,
how to get into it, and also goes through
all of the equipment that is required. |
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FREE
Resource
Alps
trail running kit list...
If you are planning on attending one
of our trail running courses, you can
see a kit check list of the clothing
and equipment that we recommend you
take. |
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| Travel
notes for this trip |
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| Budget
airline flights from London Stansted to Las Palmas are
available on a Sunday through Ryanair to Las Palmas airport.
The flights take c. 4hrs 30 mins (including time difference).
Most flights land around 16.45 so there is time to collect
bags before catching the airport transfer at 17.30 to
the hotel (c. 45 minutes) and time to unpack before the
19.00 briefing. |
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airport transfer is included in the trip price at 17.30
on the arrival day from Las Palmas airport, and it leaves
the hotel at 09.00 on the departure Saturday (in time
for check-in for the Ryanair flights departing after midday).
Other times or days (as the Easyjet flight from London
Gatwick arrives on a Saturday) for the transfer can be
arranged to be paid in resort please ask for quote / availability.
Extra nights in the hotel can be booked and added to your
invoice on request. |
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| Suggested
reading and kit |
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| Why
choose our trips? |
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The
photo above sums it up. All of these finisher jackets
of the UTMB race series belong to our head running
leader. We genuinely think that there is no other
operator out there who is more credible! |
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There
are several other operators who also offer trail
running camps, and we aren't afraid to advertise
that fact. Please look at their itineraries to see
how they differ from ours. |
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We
don't offer talks from 'celebrity' runners, or go
in for the chardonnay in a hot tub 'lifestyle',
or quasi-scientific courses. Ours are run by people
who do it, not talk the talk. |
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The
effect on our prices is that we can offer you great
value. We genuinely believe that you'll spend more
time actually running than with anyone else. |
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Anyone
who is leading you will be a finisher of one of
the iconic trail races, such as the Trans Gran Canaria,
UTMB Ultra Trail du Mont Blanc, or the Tor du Geants. |
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Author
signed!
'Trail Running Chamonix &
the Mont Blanc region' link
...or the NEW book...
'Trail
and Fell Running in
the Lake District' buy
a copy
by Kingsley Jones. Cicerone
Press
£14.95 each |
 Each book has 40 trail running
routes, each with height profiles,
and full colour mapping
Features
how to adapt your
running in the mountains, and
an index of where to stay
Includes
famous races in each
region, e.g. UTMB, Langdale
Horseshoe and Chamonix VKM
To purchase
a copy, click
here |
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Icicle logo
is the registered trademark ® of Icicle Mountaineering|UK company 413 6635. VAT 770
137 933 |
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