The week from May 5 to May 10, 2026 left a familiar feeling for anyone who follows running closely: over these days, the sport once again revolved around races, results, hierarchy and the rhythm of the calendar. It was not a week dominated by a new shoe launch or a lab-driven debate. It was a week shaped by the mountains of La Palma, the youth championships in Makarska and a spring racing block that keeps reminding us why May remains one of the liveliest months of the year for running.
From top-level trail running to mass-participation road racing, and with major upcoming events already looming on the horizon, this was the real map of the week.
Transvulcania 2026: a historic edition that put La Palma back at the centre of world trail running
The biggest story of the week came from La Palma. Transvulcania 2026, which SnapRace had already covered when explaining why this edition had brought the race back to the centre of world trail running and when previewing the key sporting storylines of the Ultramarathon, ended up delivering something even more impressive than the pre-race build-up: all eight competitive course records were broken.
In the Ultramarathon, David Sinclair won in 6:32:24 and Blandine L’Hirondel claimed victory in 7:43:47, both in record time. In the Marathon, Fran Anguita and Ikram Rharsalla also produced record-level performances. And in the Half Marathon, Philemon Kiriago and Ruth Gitonga reinforced the sense that the 2026 edition had genuine international depth across multiple distances.
The important takeaway is not only who won. What really matters is what kind of race Transvulcania became again. It no longer looked like a major event sustained mainly by mythology, scenery or inherited prestige. It looked like a race that had regained real competitive relevance in the present moment of trail running. For an event with that much history, that says a lot.
Makarska confirmed that Spain’s mountain-running pipeline is not just an abstract promise
While La Palma absorbed most of the spotlight, the 2026 Youth Skyrunning World Championships produced another of the week’s major stories. Before the competition, SnapRace had already covered Spain’s squad announcement for Makarska. The final outcome confirmed there had been every reason to pay attention: Spain won the nations ranking with 2,022 points and topped the medal table with 30 medals.
Names such as Laia Calzada, Emma Méndez, Lluís Puigvert, Lucas Gámez, Marc Font, Biel Sagués and Valeria Hernández helped build a team performance that means far more than one successful championship. What emerged in Croatia was real competitive depth across multiple categories, not simply one outstanding age group carried by two or three athletes.
In a week where senior trail running took most of the headlines, Makarska served as a useful reminder of where the sport may be heading over the next few years. Spain’s response there was extremely strong.
Spanish road running also showed strength: Pamplona and Vitoria kept May moving
The week was not driven by trail running alone. On the roads, the 2026 Pamplona Half Marathon once again highlighted the kind of event that sustains the grassroots energy of Spanish running. SnapRace had already prepared a practical guide to the race, and its place on this weekend’s calendar fit perfectly into a spring block where the half marathon remains one of the healthiest and most popular formats for recreational runners.
Further west, the Martín Fiz Marathon in Vitoria-Gasteiz reached Sunday, May 10 with more than 5,000 registered runners and growth of close to 20% compared with the previous year, according to a preview published by Mundo Deportivo. That is not a minor detail. In a week where Transvulcania delivered the epic narrative and Makarska pointed toward the future, Vitoria reminded everyone that road running in Spain continues to attract participation, identity and audience.
That balance between the major international event, the cult race and the well-organised mass-participation weekend is also part of the real value of a week like this.
Zegama is already on the horizon, and that shapes the trail conversation too
Another interesting signal from these days is that Zegama-Aizkorri 2026 is already beginning to dominate the atmosphere around trail running. The race has not happened yet, but its 25th anniversary and its role as the Golden Trail World Series opener on May 17 mean that much of the European trail-running narrative is already looking in that direction. SnapRace had already explained why this edition carries special significance, and what happened in Transvulcania only raises the intensity around the mountain-running block leading into the second half of May.
That also helps frame the week more accurately: not as an isolated episode, but as part of a calendar stretch in which European trail running is beginning to stack races with historical weight, elite fields and strong community attention.
What this week leaves for your training
- Recover with intent: if you raced this weekend, recovery now matters more than rushing into the next May objective.
- Climbing and descending both matter: weeks like Transvulcania are reminders that mountain races are shaped as much by downhill skill as by uphill strength.
- Spring requires adaptation: May mixes half marathons, marathons, trail races and rising temperatures, so pacing, hydration and expectations all need adjusting.
- The calendar matters: following the major races can also help you understand when to push, when to absorb training and how to place your own goals more intelligently.
The final takeaway from the week
If these days had to be reduced to a single idea, it would be this: running turned back toward what happens in competition. Transvulcania regained centrality through its results, Makarska showed that Spain’s mountain-running base is deeper than it sometimes appears, and the national calendar reminded everyone that spring road running is still very much alive. There was no need to inflate the week with artificial narratives. It already had one of its own.