Cycling & running events in Cuenca, 2026

Cuenca Training Notes

Running: Locals use the Tomebamba riverwalk through the historic center when they want steady base miles without drama. The riverwalk gives joggers and walkers routes from 3 to 10 kilometers, so it works for Z2, intervals, or a shakeout. Running Cuenca keeps the group rhythm going with training on Mondays and Wednesdays at 19:30, plus Tuesdays and Thursdays at 17:00. Route names like Cuenca Rio Tomebamba, River West, and To Paradise and Back are the usual spots for logging miles. Marcha contra el Cáncer Cuenca, Cross Popular Cuenca Caravaning, and Carrera del Pavo Cuenca keep the city race calendar familiar.

Cycling: Road riders use the mountain roads for rolling climbs and views. Club en Ruta is the name locals check when they want cycling information and a proper route feel. The climbs sit in the mountain roads, the páramo to the north, and the wild country toward Parque Nacional Cajas. Cajas sits 30 to 40 kilometers northwest of Cuenca and rises from roughly 3,100 to 4,400 meters, so the altitude does real work. Marcha Hermanos Herrada gives the road crowd an anchor event. Trofeo MTB Mariana and MTB San Ciro keep the MTB side alive for riders who want natural trails, asphalt, and rougher lines.

Season: June to September is the best block because the dry season makes both running and riding easier to plan. Cuenca sits at about 2,560 meters, so the city already feels cooler year-round when locals are stacking base miles. Summer still asks for respect once the ride or trail day goes higher. The air above 3,000 meters turns cooler at night, and the ground above 4,000 meters can feel freezing cold. Winter changes the mindset more than the map. Locals keep the Tomebamba, city routes, natural paths, and mountain roads in play, but altitude becomes the thing everyone checks first.