XIX Ultra Maratona Caminhos do Tejo

Phased fueling strategy for 25 hours

The Ultra Caminhos do Tejo breaks into 2 day-cycle blocks. Night (km 0 to 65, ~9 to 11h of running): 60 to 80 g/h sustained, focus on gels + bars + sports drink. Maurten Drink Mix in your personal bottles. Day (km 65 to 144, ~13 to 14h): 50 to 70 g/h with real food at the aid stations (soup, sandwiches, fruit, cheese). Sodium 700 to 1000 mg/h by day, 500 to 700 mg/h at night.

Pre-start meal Friday 17:00 to 18:00 (2 to 3h before the 20:00 gun): a complete normal meal with pasta, chicken, vegetables, olive oil, extra salt. Phased caffeine: 100 mg at 23:00 to midnight (sleep onset), 100 mg at 03:00 to 04:00 (sleep peak), 200 mg at sunrise, 100 mg at the end. Real meals at the Valada (km 86) and Santos (km 118) life bases: hot soup, rice with chicken, fruit, 10 to 15 min sat down, change into dry kit. A 6 to 8 week gut training block is mandatory to tolerate 70 g/h after 15h of running.

Course: 144 km from Lisbon to Fátima along the pilgrimage routes

Mixed surfaces: tarmac, dirt tracks, rural trails. The route follows the Caminhos de Fátima and the Portuguese Way of St James. It crosses: Parque das Nações to Sacavém to Santa Iria to Vila Franca de Xira to Azambuja to Valada to Santarém to Santos to Olhos de Água to Covão do Feto to Minde to Fátima. Intermediate cut-offs: Valada (km 65) at 05:30, Olhos de Água (km 118) at 16:00, Minde (km 127) at 18:00. Iconic landmarks: the Pala do Pavilhão de Portugal (Siza Vieira) at the start, the Tagus river, the Ribatejo lezíria plains, historic Santarém, the Serras de Aire e Candeeiros Natural Park, and the Santuário de Fátima.

June day-night weather: extreme swing

Lisbon at the 20:00 start: 18 to 22C, dropping through the night to 13 to 15C. Dawn across the Ribatejo lezíria: 12 to 15C, high humidity. Morning and the next day can reach 25 to 30C on the flats (Santarém, Azambuja, Santos). A 18C swing across the race. Implications: layered kit you can shed, sodium is critical in the final 6h under the sun, and a thermal sleeve is a must for Ribatejo dawn.

Full mandatory kit: headlamp, spare batteries, phone, hydration reservoir + cup (no plastic cups are provided), rear light, reflective vest, GPS tracker (provided by the organisers), GPS, space blanket, whistle. Kit is subject to random checks on course and at the start.

Aid stations and life bases

10 aid stations along the Ultra 144: Praia dos Pescadores (km 18), Santa Iria (km 33.5), Vila Franca de Xira (km 52), Azambuja (km 65), Valada (km 86, Life Base + drop bag), Santarém (km 105, Life Base + massage), Santos (km 118, Life Base), Covão do Feto (km 124), Minde (km 127), Fátima (km 144, finish). Full food is served all the way through to the finish; no plastic cups (athletes must carry their own).

Logistics: Valada/Santos/Fátima drop bags, return transport

Start access: Oriente metro (red line) + Gare do Oriente CP. Bib pickup for the Ultra 144 km at the start from 18:30. Bib pickup for the Trail 58 km at the Santarém start. 3 tagged drop bags for Valada, Santos and Fátima. Return transport Fátima to Parque das Nações post-race (included). Family: finish at the Santuário de Fátima; pacing allowed only on the Minde-Fátima section (the final 17 km).

UTMB points and heritage

The race awards UTMB 5 points (144 km) or UTMB 2 points (58 km), plus ATRP Series 150 and 100 respectively. For an amateur Portuguese runner, finishing the Ultra banks enough points to qualify 2 years on the UTMB World Series. Unique vibe: a sporting pilgrimage, crossing Lisbon to Fátima along the historic pilgrimage routes, a night race that catches sunrise over the Ribatejo. 19th edition in 2026.