Running for a good cause: the seafront promenade hosts the second Solidarity Race of the APB

PalmaThe Port Authority of the Balearic Islands is organizing a weekend on November 14th and 15th that combines sports, family activities, and solidarity. The 4 and 10-kilometer races, children's events, and the popular walk invite everyone to participate in an initiative open to the public.

There are many ways to walk along Palma's Promenade. You can do it in a rush, on your way to work; without looking at the clock, enjoying the sea; or simply strolling and observing how the city meets the port. On November 14th and 15th, however, this iconic space will become the setting for a different experience: a great meeting point for sharing sports, coexistence, and solidarity.

The Port Authority of the Balearic Islands (APB) is organizing the second edition of the APB Solidarity Race, an initiative that aims to bring physical activity to people of all ages and, at the same time, support a social cause. The program will extend throughout the entire weekend, with an entity fair, free activities, children's events, two competitive races, and a popular walk in which arriving first will not matter.

The proposal starts from a simple idea: you don't need to be an experienced athlete to take part in a sports day. There is room for those who train regularly and want to test themselves, but also for families looking for a different activity, children who want to experience the thrill of crossing a finish line, or people who prefer to walk in company.

And, above all, there is a shared goal. The proceeds from the registrations for the competitive races will be entirely donated to an NGO that the organization will determine. In this way, the individual effort of the participants will contribute to a collective purpose.

A weekend to enjoy the seafront promenade again

The APB Solidarity Race is not limited to the hours the competition will last. The organization has planned two days of activities so that the Promenade can also be a space for meeting, participation, and discovery.

The day of Saturday, November 14th will begin at 10:00 a.m. with the opening of the Exhibitors' Fair at the Plaça de la Calçada de Sant Domingo, on the seafront promenade. Entities and organizations linked to the world of sports, health, and solidarity will participate, taking advantage of the occasion to make their activity known and bring it closer to the citizens.

Throughout the day, there will also be directed recreational and sporting activities, all free of charge, with special attention given to the little ones. It will be an opportunity to spend time as a family, discover social initiatives, and enjoy the atmosphere that will precede Sunday's races.

Saturday will also be an essential day for registered participants: between 10:00 AM and 7:00 PM, race bibs and commemorative t-shirts must be collected at the space set up in the same square. The organization reminds everyone that on Sunday, there will be no in-person registrations, and neither bibs nor t-shirts will be handed out. Therefore, it is important to complete the formalities in advance and visit the collection area during the established hours.

The fair will remain open on Sunday, from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., so that both runners and their companions will be able to take part in the festive atmosphere during the morning.

10 kilometers, 4 kilometers or a walk: each person chooses their challenge

Sunday, November 15th, the most awaited moment will arrive. Before the departures, participants will be able to prepare with a warm-up and stretching session led by instructors, starting at 9:30 AM.

The sports program has been designed so that everyone can find a modality adapted to their age and physical condition. The two competitive races for adults will be the 10-kilometer and 4-kilometer ones, with start and finish at the Plaça de la Calçada de Sant Domingo.

The 10-kilometer race will start at 11:00 AM and will be open to participants aged 16 and over. It is the distance designed for runners who are looking for a more demanding sporting challenge, but also for those who want to set themselves a personal goal and prepare for it during the weeks prior.

At 12:30 p.m. it will be the turn of the 4-kilometer competitive race, in which people from 14 years of age will be able to participate. This distance offers a shorter alternative for those who want to enjoy the experience of a competition without having to face a ten-kilometer route.

Both races will be chip-timed. Runners will have access to liquid refreshments after the finish line and, in the case of the 10-kilometer race, an additional station at the Estació Marítima dels Pelaires. Upon finishing, all participants will receive a commemorative medal and fruit.

Registration for either of the two competitive events costs 10 euros, a contribution that will go to a charitable cause. The price includes the bib, the timing chip, the commemorative t-shirt, and the services provided for the runners.

However, physical activity can also be experienced without rankings or stopwatches. At the same time the 4-kilometer race begins, a popular walk will set off covering the same distance, which is free and open to people of all ages. It will be an opportunity to share the route with friends, family, or colleagues, at whatever pace each person prefers.

The walk will not be competitive and, as in the rest of the modalities, participants will receive a medal and fruit upon arrival. A way to remember that taking part in a sports day also means participating, accompanying and sharing.

Children will also have their own goal

One of the great protagonists of the APB Solidarity Race will be the children. The organization has prepared four races adapted to various age groups, all of which are free, non-competitive, and without timing.

The first children's departure is scheduled for 10:00 a.m., for boys and girls aged 12 and 13. Afterwards, at 10:20 a.m., it will be the turn of participants aged 9 to 11, with a route of 800 meters. At 10:30 a.m., children aged 5 to 8 will depart, who will cover 400 meters.

Finally, at 10:40 a.m., one of the most endearing images of the day will arrive: the 200-meter initiation race, intended for the little ones, aged 0 to 4, who will participate accompanied by their fathers, mothers, or guardians.

In these races, what will be important is not the finishing position, but the experience of participating. All children will receive a commemorative medal and fruit when they cross the finish line.

The initiative also aims to promote healthy habits among the little ones and offer schools the opportunity for collective participation. To facilitate this, the organization has enabled a specific registration procedure for schools, which will be able to submit the details of their participants before November 10th. Recognitions for the centers with the highest participation have also been planned.

Solidarity, inclusion and respect for the environment

The second edition of the race aims to go beyond sporting activity. The solidarity dimension is one of the central elements: the amounts collected from registrations for the competitive events will be donated entirely to a non-governmental organization.

It is a way to give added meaning to every kilometer traveled. The registration stops being solely participation in a race and also becomes a contribution to a social initiative.

The organization has also incorporated measures to promote inclusive participation. At the start of the adult races and the popular walk, a specific space will be reserved for people with functional diversity. Participants who require this provision must indicate it during the registration process, so that it can be properly coordinated.

The aim is also to reinforce respect for the environment. In this edition, the organization has decided to eliminate single-use plastic cups. Instead of these containers, there will be a drinking water station so that participants can refill their reusable bottles.

It is a concrete gesture, but coherent with an activity that takes place in one of the spaces most linked to the sea of Palma. The objective is to combine the enjoyment of the port environment with more responsible practices and reduce the waste generated by a massive event.

How to participate?

Registrations can now be formalized through the platform www.elitechip.net, for both competitive races and children's events as well as the popular walk.

The 10 and 4 kilometer adult races are priced at 10 euros, while the children's categories and the walk are free of charge. Minors must have the corresponding authorizations and provide the contact details of a responsible adult, in accordance with the event regulations.

The organization emphasizes especially the need to pick up the bib and the t-shirt on Saturday, November 14th, between 10:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m., at the Plaça de la Calçada de Sant Domingo. On Sunday, no registrations or pick-ups will be possible.

With this second edition, the Port Authority of the Balearic Islands invites the public to look at the Passeig Marítim in a different way: not just as a thoroughfare or a space for strolling, but as a meeting point capable of bringing together different generations, hobbies, and motivations.

Because a charity race is not measured solely by the seconds on the stopwatch or by the kilometers covered. It is also measured by the people it manages to bring together, the healthy habits it promotes, and the contribution it leaves beyond the finish line.

On November 14th and 15th, the Palma seafront promenade invites everyone to get moving. And this time, every step will also have a charitable cause.