Trail Nocturno Buscando Sonrisas is a charity night trail race in Santander, Cantabria, organized by the Asociación Buscando Sonrisas. It starts from Avenida de Severiano Ballesteros and is presented as a popular running event, closer to a community race than a technical mountain ultra. The organizer calls it “the most beautiful urban trail in the world,” highlighting its main hook: a trail-style race within a coastal city, run in the evening instead of a standard road race.
The course connects city sections with Santander landmarks and finishes by the Faro de Mataleñas lighthouse. In the first edition, Manu Heras and Vanessa Cadavieco were the first winners, with Heras just four seconds ahead of Rafa Cobo at the finish. Alberto Herrera had been leading with Heras near the Piquio area, then fell but still secured a podium spot ten seconds behind Cobo. The men’s race was close at the front, but the field also included club runners and local athletes like triathlete Pablo Herrero and Jonatan Adan of Gofit.