La Clásica Gollo Sol y Arena will celebrate its 30 years with a party full of 4850 officially registered runners and a 10 kilometer course 100% on sand that is not easy to conquer.
The start this year will be right on the beach, unlike the last editions when it started from the alley that leads to Calle La China. The change is important because it will avoid the bottleneck that formed when entering the alley, where athletes converged from three different directions. Manuel Sosa, event organizer, explained that the change was made precisely with athlete safety in mind.
The official start area will be fenced and only properly registered athletes with their race number will be able to access it. There will be no corrals, first come first served for the best spot. Be careful and avoid exposing yourself to the sun for too long before the race, as you will dehydrate and overheat without even having started the race. We recommend you read the tips for running in heat and surviving the attempt.
The route is not complicated: 10k completely flat and 100% on sand. Try to run on the harder sand, close to the water but without getting wet. This will give you firmer support and save you valuable energy. Low tide is calculated for 4:15, when most runners will be racing. On the route there will be 150,000 water bottles distributed at four hydration stations (approximately at kilometers 2, 4, 6 and 8), so there should be no water problems. Still, go prepared, well hydrated before the event and if you can bring your own hydration... you never know.
The finish is famous for the last 400 meters which are on soft sand and feel endless. More than one has collapsed on that stretch where despite the effort it seems like you're slipping on the sand and not making progress. Well, this year the soft sand stretch was shortened to avoid that deadly finish and you'll run just a few meters of those that feel endless. At the finish you'll be waiting for good hydration provided by Powerade, plus a little milk with extra protein from Dos Pinos, called Power Milk. They will also give Jacks cereal bars and other products to help you recover from the effort.
A very important issue is trash. PLEASE DO NOT THROW WATER BOTTLES ON THE BEACH. The organization will have 100 bins on the route so you can deposit the empty bags there. If you don't have a chance to throw them there, please keep them in your shorts, in your cap or carry them in your hand. Paying the registration fee does not give us the right to fill the beach with trash and then blame the organizer; it is each person's responsibility to do their part and keep the beach and sea clean.
We recommend you read: Seven and a half tips for running Sol y Arena and Don't mind the pier!
