Last week was an especially active one in Town. Alongside the excitement of three days of Guanacaste Nights, preparations were also underway for one of the most anticipated events of August: XTERRA Costa Rica 2026, which will take place on August 22 and 23.
The XTERRA team visited Las Catalinas and met with the Agroforestry Department to review the trails, course conditions, and routes that will be used throughout the weekend. The first course markings have also begun to appear along the trails, helping identify the routes for the trail running races on August 22 and the running portions of both the full and sprint triathlons on August 23.
With the event now less than a month away, athletes may begin pre-running or pre-riding the race courses during the weeks and days leading up to XTERRA. This means that trail activity is likely to increase, particularly along the sections that form part of the official competition routes.
Some of these courses may also follow the trail network in the opposite direction from the way residents and regular users normally circulate. Hikers, families, runners, and cyclists should therefore be prepared to encounter athletes approaching from either direction, especially around curves, intersections, and narrower sections of the trails.
Not every trail user may be aware that XTERRA is approaching or that athletes may already be training along the race courses. For this reason, everyone using the trails is encouraged to remain in control, reduce speed around blind corners, and always anticipate the possibility of someone coming from the opposite direction.
Families using trails shared by cyclists and hikers should also make sure that children remain behind an adult, particularly in areas with limited visibility. Headphones are best left behind during these weeks, allowing trail users to remain alert, hear approaching activity, and enjoy the sounds of the surrounding landscape. The monkeys, after all, provide a much better soundtrack.
This growing movement along the trails, together with the first route markings, is one of the clearest signs that XTERRA season is officially approaching. We are excited to welcome athletes back to Town and to see the energy continue building toward another memorable weekend of competition, community, and outdoor adventure in Las Catalinas.