Ondara runs against cancer again: the ninth Cursa Solidària is on 18 October

If you are looking for a way into village life here, this is one: on Sunday 18 October Ondara holds its Cursa Solidària for the ninth time, a race whose entire proceeds go to the Spanish cancer association. You do not need to be fast, because alongside the five-kilometre run there is a four-kilometre walk. Entry costs seven euros, and there is a cap.

What it is

The Cursa Solidària is organised by Club Atletisme Ondara together with the local branch of the Asociación Española Contra el Cáncer, backed by the town’s sports department. More than 150 businesses from Ondara and the surrounding area contribute financially, which explains how the entry fee can stay so low: sponsorship covers the costs, so participants’ money is not eaten up by them.

That it works was proved last year. The eighth edition drew 1,346 participants and raised 10,025 euros, back when entry was six euros. For a town this size that is a substantial sum, and it explains why the race has become a fixture of the Marina Alta’s October.

When, where and how far

It starts on Sunday 18 October at nine with a zumba session, and the starting gun goes at ten. Start and finish are on avenida General Bosch, by the Plaza de Toros at El Prado. From there the route runs through the Xebics, Mollons and Alfatares neighbourhoods and through the centre, which means that as a spectator you can see the field pass at several points without walking far.

There are two distances. Runners cover five kilometres, walkers four. That walking route is explicitly meant for all ages, so bringing children or grandparents along is perfectly doable. Afterwards the cheque is handed to the AECC and a manifesto is read out; the Festeros de la Soledat 2027 look after the drinks.

Entering: do it early

Entry costs seven euros. Registration runs until 15 October, but watch the second condition: it also closes as soon as a thousand people have signed up. Last year 1,346 stood on the start line, so that ceiling is not a theoretical limit. Leaving it to the final week is not a clever plan.

Online it goes through somesport.com. Anyone who prefers a counter can go to four shops in Ondara: Deportes Colau, Calzados Dora, La Furiona de Laura Vicens and Ópticos Ondara. That is a decent excuse to walk into the town, since those shops are all within a few minutes of each other.

Why this is a good first step

For anyone who has just moved here, or only comes over in the holidays, events like this are easier to walk into than a fiesta. Nobody blinks at a foreigner in a running shirt, everyone is doing the same thing, and the conversation starts by itself at the start line. The standard is no barrier either: over five kilometres a serious club runner leads and the rest come in at their own pace.

Also worth knowing: you do not need club membership, a medical certificate or any experience. The only thing that really counts is that the total at the end of the morning is higher than last year’s.

The cursa is not alone on the calendar that month. From the Moors and Christians in Benidorm to the craft market in Jávea: the full overview with dates and times is in our October diary.

Practicalities around it

Ondara sits inland between Dénia and the A-7, about fifteen minutes from the coast. Coming from Dénia, Xàbia or Pedreguer takes no time, and since it is a Sunday morning you still have the rest of the day. Expect closed streets in the centre between ten and around half past eleven, so park a little way from the Plaza de Toros.

Looking for more to put in the diary: our events section keeps track of what is on along this coast, from village celebrations to the bigger fiestas further down.

About the authorMilo Schuijt

Milo Schuijt is an entrepreneur and DJ on the Costa Blanca. He writes about the places where he lives, works and plays: from beach bars to the housing market.