Madrid Vintage Run race review: a unique, downhill 10k race

I took part in the Madrid Vintage Run which is possibly the fastest 10k race on the planet. Here’s everything you need to know about this race and my experience.

Please note that I’m talking about my own experience in 2024, some things may change in the coming years.

Madrid Vintage Run: the fastest 10k race in the world?

The Madrid Vintage Run is a relatively new event on the running calendar. The 2024 edition was only the 4th one.

This year, it took place the first Sunday of June and started at 9am.

This course is seriously fast! The course record is 26:34 and the 2024 edition was won in 26:55.

The 10k course

The Madrid Vintage Run is known for being a downhill 10k, with 141m / 462ft elevation loss and 26m / 85ft elevation gain according to the website.

The race starts on Avenida Monforte de Lemos by the roundabout. The closest tube station is Plaza de Castilla. It finishes in Parque del Oeste.

You can check the course and all the details on my Strava activity here. I ran 38:35, which is my fastest 10k to date, but the course is so downhill that I am not counting it as an official PB, I think that would be cheating.

How much does the entry cost?

I entered in February 2024 and paid the early bird fee of 19€ (3€ for the Spanish Athletics day licence).

Once 5000 entries were sold, the entry fee went up to 22€ + 3€.

It was capped at 8,000 participants and they sold out a couple weeks before race day, so don’t leave it to the last minute!

Race number collection

Race numbers need to be collected the Friday or Saturday before the race at the Mapoma Run Center (Calle Aniceto Marinas 52) between 10am and 8pm.

You’ll also be given your Vintage Run singlet which is included in the entry fee. There’s no goody bag for this event.

Is there a bag drop?

Don’t turn up to the race start expecting to drop your bag, this won’t be possible. The only bag drop is located at the finish, which requires some forward planning.

On race morning, you’ll have to drop your bag at the finish area before travelling to the start.

Alternatively, you can drop your bag at the expo and to then collect it after the race at the finish line.

What do you get at the finish?

You get your finisher’s medal and an array of snacks and refreshments.

In 2024, each runner was given a plastic bag containing water, Powerade, a ceral bar, a 226ERS protein bar and a brick of fruit juice.

You could also grab a banana before leaving the finish area.

Madrid Vintage Run 2024: my experience

You can watch some footage of the race and my experience in this vlog:

What I loved about the Madrid Vintage 10k

Here’s what I enjoyed the most about this event:

The course was a lot of fun. It was fast of course but also a little challenging with some inclines breaking up the rhythm. The final downhill was absolutely insane.
The atmosphere at the start and the finish was great, with music from the past decades to stay on the vintage theme.
It was really well organised in different wave starts and I enjoyed the fact that it wasn’t an overwhelmingly big event.
I got great race photos for the memories! You have to buy them, but the whole photo pack was only 9.95€ which is a lot cheaper than what I paid for other events.
Race T-shirts are very rarely nice enough to wear in my opinion, but as far as race tops go, the Vintage Run singlet is pretty cool and I intend on wearing it.

Check out this Reel to get an idea of what it was like!

Any downsides?

To me the biggest downside was the absence of bag drop at the start, which required some extra logistics and made the morning more stressful. As I was alone, I couldn’t give my phone and card to anyone, therefore I had to carry them during the race and was concerned about accidentally dropping my phone. I hope in the future they’d be able to arrange a bag drop at the start, then to transport the bags to the finish.
It didn’t really bother me, but if the scenery and on-course atmosphere are important to you, then you might find this one a little boring (despite the fun downhills!). There was no entertainment such as local bands and performers at all and the course itself isn’t particularly scenic.

Would I do it again?

I was originally planning on taking part in this event once, to tick it off my race bucket list. But I had so much fun that I’m considering taking part again in the future and hopefully I’ll set a new course PB!

If you’re looking for a fast and fun race in the sunshine, I’d really recommend the Madrid Vintage Run.