Terra de Gigantes

Event Overview

Course & Terrain

Linear, non-stop and GPS-navigated, from Torre via support bases at Piódão, Fajão, Góis, Vale Nogueira, Ansião, Olival and Porto de Mós to Nazaré. The route uses trails, paths, unpaved forest roads and long stretches of asphalt, on public roads that stay open to traffic. Entries are solo only.

Key course features to know before comparing this race:

• Start at Torre, the highest point of mainland Portugal
• Piódão, the first support base at 50.1 km
• Serra do Açor and the Schist Villages
• Paths of faith near the Sanctuary of Fátima
• Porto de Mós, the last support base at 277.7 km
• Finish in Nazaré on the Atlantic coast

The course is not marked. A GPS that can record 10,000 points and take replacement batteries is mandatory, and runners who leave the route must rejoin it at the same point. Other mandatory kit: ID, an emergency sleeping bag, a thermal blanket, a whistle, front and rear lights, and a phone with emergency numbers saved.

The organizer warns that January is traditionally very cold and wet, and that starting at the highest point in Portugal can mean sub-zero temperatures and possibly snow. In bad weather the start can be delayed by up to two hours and the cutoffs changed.

Entry & Logistics

Why This Race Matters

Terra de Gigantes crosses mainland Portugal from east to west, from Torre, the highest point of the mainland at the top of Serra da Estrela, to Nazaré on the Atlantic coast. The course is not waymarked: runners follow the organizer’s GPS track through the Serra do Açor, the Schist Villages and Historical Villages, and paths of faith near the Sanctuary of Fátima, semi-self-sufficient between eight support bases. Horizontes Turismo Desportivo e Viagens co-organizes it with Associação Interior Convida, and DUV lists the January 2027 race as the 5th edition. In 2026, 30 of the 60 runners on the official results list finished.

Historical benchmark notes in the directory record (verify current records with the linked official sources):

• Fastest time: David Phillips (Great Britain), 40:51:33 in 2026.
• Women: Rebecca Hormann (Switzerland), 46:13:55 in 2026, third overall.
• Pirin Galov (Bulgaria) won the first two editions DUV lists, in 49:33:00 (2023) and 48:48:00 (2024).
• 2026: 30 of the 60 runners on the official results list finished.

Preparing for a Race Like Terra de Gigantes

The fixed-distance race guide covers the format as a whole. These guides go deeper:

• Walking strategy for ultramarathons: When and how to walk by terrain, effort and cutoffs.
• Crew and aid-station strategy: Crew tables, aid stops, drop bags and runner preferences.
• Hydration and sodium for ultramarathons: Fluid, sodium, thirst, sweat rate and hyponatremia risk.
• Tapering for ultramarathons: Plan the taper and race week around your own recovery.

Best Fit

• Runners with multiday experience at 100 km or more
• Confident GPS navigators who do not need course markings
• Runners who want a winter crossing of Portugal from mountain to sea

Planning Notes

• Prepare for sleep decisions, weather swings, and aid-station discipline. The distance is only one part of a multi-day fixed-distance race.
• The directory does not mark this as having simpler logistics. Confirm qualification, terrain, support, registration, medical, and withdrawal requirements before planning around it.
• No waymarks: navigation depends entirely on the GPS track
• A January start at Portugal’s highest point can bring sub-zero temperatures and snow
• Missing a support base or leaving one after its cutoff means disqualification
• Missing mandatory kit: a 4-hour penalty in one section of the regulations, disqualification in another
• No refunds from December 1, 2026

Event FAQs

Related Preparation

• Open the Fixed-Distance format guide
• Compare all race formats
• Use the timed-race pace calculator
• Plan checkpoint arrivals and cutoff buffers
• Build a crew and drop-bag plan
• Build a race-specific gear checklist