
CORRIDA
ENDURANCE 281KM
JULY 16 to 19, 2026
Beira Baixa, Portugal

July 16-19, 2026
Beira Baixa, Portugal
CORRIDA ENDURANCE 281KM
“If you ever want to talk to God, this is the race…”
Victor Rodrigues.
It’s a race where temperatures soar past 40ºC. The heat is suffocating and many of the participants classify it as the hardest they have ever done.
These are mandatory conditions for being happy, and being one of the finalists in this race, to have a real capacity for autonomy, to be self-sufficient and to know how to navigate the entire route using GPS equipment.
With the PT281 Ultramarathon we cross an entire region of inland Portugal: Beira Baixa. It's a region with a moderate climate for most of the year, but especially in July, is characterized by intense and torrid heat.
281 km
66h
6500 D +
GPS
self-sufficiency
Belmonte > Proença-a-Nova
Gallery
Map and Altimetry
What the athletes say…
A PT281 It’s “that proof”. The spirit of ultramarathonism is somewhat the essence of this race. Self-sufficiency beyond food and drink is above all the ability to be alone, completely isolated from the world. We spent hours isolated, in a depopulated Beira Baixa, somewhere between Spain and the other Portugal, and in which we found everything that is possible to find in ultramarathon running.
And then, in the middle of this whole trip, life examples appear that we pick up and read, copying what we can, which are some veterans of the race, and especially the veterans of conquest, those who conquered themselves with ultramarathon running. And it's funny that these people come to PT281 as if they were coming for a spiritual retreat, trying to understand if they still have the capacity to be so alone, so dependent on themselves, but at the same time knowing that, when they least expect it, they will find a helping hand. This is what continues to bring me and many of those here here.
Each year is different, from the 1st edition to this, the 8th edition. The test is slightly different, but also the sensations we bring and the people with whom we share the experience are going through different things! Being with these people and sharing this adventure with them makes us grow together. I know we all leave here different people. On Sunday we are no longer the same people we were on Thursday, when we left. I love this in PT281, it's what keeps me coming back.
I came here to challenge myself, not to compete. I wanted to do something different than usual, like facing extreme heat, for example. I like to challenge myself to face the worst possible conditions, it's what motivates me. The harder it is, the better it is for me.
The most complicated moments were on the second and third nights, because I can't manage sleep deprivation well and they were very long nights. I ended up sleeping somewhere, I had hallucinations, I saw a lot of things, a lot of people, giants, monsters. A kind of dream where I saw myself saying hello to people and things that didn't exist, it was crazy!
It exceeded all my expectations!
(Nuno) Our limits are in our heads and we came here to prove that it is possible to break them. (Serginho) Nothing is easy, in life nothing is easy, people are the ones who impose certain limits on themselves. A PT281 it just proves that people, with or without physical limitations, can overcome these challenges. What a wonderful opportunity that Paulo and Sandra gave us to make a difference!
It's difficult for me to talk about PT. Some may want to come and race against someone, but for me that's not the approach. The challenge is with me! After having made so many edits, the goal is always to try to find the best of myself in the test.
There are so many hours, so much time alone, that I think we leave here different, regardless of the result.
I ran this race 7 times and was a Finisher 6 times. What makes this competition great is the territory where it takes place, Beira Baixa. Its people, its landscapes and above all the high quality of the corridors that we find here. I was lucky to run with them and make great friends, both among the athletes and with the organization.
While passing through the “Valley of Death” I saw and heard things that didn't exist, I didn't lose track of myself because I knew it was something that could happen. Basically, I kept moving forward until I reached the last gas station, where I had the real idea that I could win and break the race record.” It's one of those events where you should come if you really want to challenge yourself!
Video
Regulation
Programme
2025 results
| Dorsal | Position | Name | Last Name | Dorsal | Nat. | M / F | Test Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 153 | 1 | Luca | Popes | 153 | ITA | M | 40:54:30 |
| 350 | 2 | Paulo | Moreira | 350 | POR | M | 41:51:39 |
| 361 | 3 | Nuno | Barbosa | 361 | POR | M | 44:24:07 |
| 370 | 4 | Jorge | James | 370 | POR | M | 45:01:42 |
| 369 | 5 | Angel | Peñalver | 369 | ESP | M | 46:24:50 |
| 357 | 6 | Hermenegildo | Mendes | 357 | POR | M | 48:41:28 |
| 304 | 7 | Vitor | Diniz | 304 | POR | M | 49:03:46 |
| 371 | 8 | Luis | Santos | 371 | POR | M | 49:33:05 |
| 73 | 9 | Daniel | Santos | 73 | From | M | 50:46:14 |
| 15 | 10 | David | Faustino | 15 | POR | M | 51:49:00 |
| 378 | 11 | Carlos | Lamb | 378 | POR | M | 51:59:30 |
| 3 | 12 | Rui | Luz | 3 | POR | M | 53:27:51 |
| 366 | 13 | Nicola | Rice | 366 | POR | M | 53:33:05 |
| 367 | 14 | Michael | Rice | 367 | POR | M | 53:33:08 |
| 355 | 15 | Andrew | Douglas | 355 | GBR | M | 54:08:03 |
| 132 | 16 | Vitor | Hare | 132 | POR | M | 54:28:18 |
| 354 | 17 | Vitor | Rite | 354 | POR | M | 54:45:13 |
| 374 | 18 | António | Aires | 374 | POR | M | 55:03:42 |
| 353 | 19 | Christopher | Rice | 353 | USA | M | 56:17:08 |
| 7 | 20 | Rui | Rocha | 7 | POR | M | 56:17:11 |
| 266 | 21 | Joao | Spike | 266 | POR | M | 56:22:22 |
| 379 | 22 | Kind | Kind | 379 | POR | M | 56:42:03 |
| 326 | 23 | Pedro | Voga | 326 | POR | M | 56:42:32 |
| 356 | 24 | Pedro | Rib | 356 | POR | M | 56:42:39 |
| 352 | 25 | Milton | Cabral | 352 | POR | M | 56:42:46 |
| 38 | 26 | Miguel | Lara | 38 | ESP | M | 57:00:40 |
| 313 | 27 | Paulo | fencing | 313 | POR | M | 57:00:55 |
| 372 | 28 | David | Rabbit | 372 | POR | M | 57:00:58 |
| 382 | 29 | Fernando | García | 382 | ESP | M | 57:02:46 |
| 383 | 30 | Alejandro | Uceda | 383 | ESP | M | 57:02:49 |
| 359 | 31 | Pedro | Brands | 359 | POR | M | 58:42:54 |
| 351 | 32 | Artur | Olive tree | 351 | POR | M | 58:42:59 |
| 267 | 33 | Nuno | Gaspar | 267 | POR | M | 58:43:03 |
| 265 | 34 | Yannick | Sol | 265 | From | M | 58:51:18 |
| 6 | 35 | Levi | Rizk | 6 | USA | M | 58:51:21 |
| 309 | 36 | Pedro | Silva | 309 | POR | M | 58:57:39 |
| 375 | 37 | Manuel | Viezzi | 375 | ITA | M | 59:00:58 |
| 360 | 38 | Piergiuseppe | Monegato | 360 | ITA | M | 59:01:00 |
| 175 | 39 | David | Sapinho | 175 | From | M | 60:06:15 |
| 248 | 40 | Marco | Duarte | 248 | POR | M | 60:16:19 |
| 308 | 41 | Olga | Caiado | 308 | POR | F | 62:26:34 |
| 377 | 42 | Patrick | Beneschi | 377 | From | M | 62:29:47 |
| 325 | 43 | José | Silva | 325 | POR | M | 64:55:32 |
| 362 | 44 | Juan | Doormat | 362 | URU | M | 65:03:01 |
| 310 | 45 | Teodoro | Trinity | 310 | POR | M | 65:11:19 |
| 384 | 46 | Silvia | Dias | 384 | POR | F | 65:11:21 |
| 282 | 47 | Luiz | Ramos | 282 | POR | M | 65:11:23 |
| 12 | Jorge | Andrade | 12 | POR | M | DNF | |
| 13 | Rui | Pine | 13 | POR | M | DNF | |
| 64 | Sergio | Melo | 64 | BRA | M | DNF | |
| 85 | Jan | Laet | 85 | BEL | M | DNF | |
| 115 | Eddy | Lion | 115 | BEL | M | DNF | |
| 150 | Helium | Rib | 150 | POR | M | DNF | |
| 176 | Nelson | Saucer | 176 | POR | M | DNF | |
| 214 | Jorge | Bastos | 214 | POR | M | DNF | |
| 241 | António | Pinto | 241 | POR | M | DNF | |
| 263 | Hugo | Alves | 263 | POR | M | DNF | |
| 329 | Armando | dryland | 329 | POR | M | DNF | |
| 340 | Luiz | Mendes | 340 | POR | M | DNF | |
| 342 | Philippe | Lesceux | 342 | From | M | DNF | |
| 364 | Buckskin | Konate | 364 | CIV | F | DNF | |
| 365 | Marion | Ezzedine | 365 | CIV | F | DNF | |
| 368 | Nelson | Santos | 368 | POR | M | DNF | |
| 376 | Neves | Miguel | 376 | From | M | DNF | |
| 380 | Gabriel | Guimarães | 380 | POR | M | DNF | |
| 385 | Jamie | Rock | 385 | GBR | M | DNF | |
| 386 | Jamie | McCulloch | 386 | USA | M | DNF |
Results from previous years
FAQs
Is the route marked?
No. The only way to get your bearings and know, and to know that you followed the route correctly, is through the GPS.
It's much easier than you imagine!
Will I walk many kilometers alone?
Yes. In some parts of the route the isolation is total. The feeling of isolation will increase as the night progresses.
The Organization will have teams with 4×4 vehicles along the route to help in situations of greater discomfort.
What type of route do I find?
The route is essentially off-road. For the most part, it is possible to run without any major problems. Technical sections exist and require special care. There footpaths and water crossings, that may or may not have water.
The route follows roads, and mainly, in the vicinity, in and out of towns. None of them will be closed to traffic. To avoid accidents, as required by the regulations, you must comply with all the rules of the highway code.
Can I be assisted on the route?
No. Support outside the Aid Stations (AS) is penalized with disqualification. Assistance outside the AS is only allowed to the Organization and for medical help. Any other type of help takes away the possibility of being a finisher.
What are the temperatures like at this time of year?
Very hot. Temperatures easily go above 40ºC. Exposed to the sun we have already recorded temperatures of 47ºC. Exposure to the sun is greater in the first two thirds of the race. The passage through Penamacor, Idanha-a-Nova and the territory of Castelo Branco is along trails that are almost always covered in low vegetation and without shadows.
The humidity percentages are also very low. In some cases they may be below 20%.
What are Aid Stations?
These are places where all participants can eat, drink, rest and/or bathe, and where silence and harmony must prevail.
How many aid stations are there?
Eight (8), including the Finish line. All of them have food and drinks.
What kind of supplies will I find?
At the AS, The organization will also make sure to provide food suitable for the type of effort you’re putting in. The Organization will also take care to make available food suitable for the type of effort you are expending.
Do I have medical support?
Yes. We will have a medical team on standby to help anyone who asks.
Are there supplies along the way?
However, the race must be carried out in self-sufficiency, between support bases. Deliberate support outside the AS, is not permitted and results in immediate disqualification.
Can I sleep outside the Aid Stations?
You shouldn’t. Rest, outside the AS, require special attention, such as getting out of the trails/roads, which are mostly used by cars. These breaks must be communicated to the organization.
What do I need to participate?
Be in good physical condition and prepared for the difficulties of the race. It’s also necessary not to suffer from any health problems that limit the practice of ultra-endurance sports.
Is there mandatory equipment?
Yes, there is. It will be indicated in the Participant’s Guide.
You can certainly expect to leave the support bases (AS) with a minimum of 1.5 liters of water. The organizers may require more if the temperatures so require.
If I don't have a support team, can I participate?
Yes. Support teams are not mandatory, but highly recommended. Although the Organization's support exists, the comfort and encouragement that a team of friends brings is priceless.
What's the maximum race time?
66 hours.
Is GPS mandatory?
Yes.
The markings on the ground, placed by the Organization, will help guide you to the finish.
GPS is the safest way to follow your route.
Do I have to take batteries?
We recommend that you do so. Bring batteries so that your equipment records your entire route, otherwise you will be penalized.
What settings should I have on the GPS?
Before the race, we will send you a manual on how you should configure your equipment. It’s too easy.
What GPS model do you recommend?
We recommend Garmin models because they are the ones we work with. However, there are many other pieces of equipment of enormous quality, precision and autonomy.
To keep in mind:
If you bring a GPS from a different brand, you will need to bring the connection cables and respective software with you.
What are the minimum GPS requirements to complete the race?
The GPS must be capable of recording at least 10.000 points. It must be possible to change the batteries at any time or have external power supplies. You don't need a map of Portugal to take part in the race. In some cases, some people even give up the map, in order to be guided solely by the line shown on the GPS screen.
I have never “navigated” with a GPS. How do I know I'm on the correct route?
A line with a different color will appear on the device. On top of this line there’s a cursor indicating where to turn, to continue your race along the drawn route.
Guiding yourself using GPS is much easier than you might imagine. There is equipment on the market, that can be configured to warn you that you’re about to change direction, using an audible signal.
Are there cut times?
The cut times between AS, will be indicated in the Participant’s Guide, that will be sent days before the race.
Download the Race Pack
Discover everything you need to know about PT281 Ultramarathon, download free Race Pack with information about the race. Includes all route details, checkpoints and some tips from the experts.
ATTENTION: DETAILED EVENT INFORMATION WILL BE SENT TO REGISTRANTS VIA THE PARTICIPANT GUIDE.

































