Huellas que Protegen: Run Through the Place of the Turtles

In a town whose Maya name means place of the turtles, it makes sense that a new race here is named for tracks. Huellas que Protegen, Tracks That Protect, is a new Akumal race organized by Centro Ecológico Akumal (CEA). The first edition is a 5.5 km run on Sunday, December 20, 2026, at 7:30 am.

Huellas means footprints, the kind every runner leaves on the road. In Akumal it’s hard not to also think of the tracks nesting sea turtles leave across the sand on summer nights, and of the people who have been protecting those nests here for more than thirty years.

Akumal race details at a glance

• Event: ¡Huellas que Protegen! (Tracks That Protect!), 1st edition
• Organizer: Centro Ecológico Akumal (CEA)
• Date: Sunday, December 20, 2026
• Start time: 7:30 am
• Distance: 5.5 km (about 3.4 miles)
• Start (salida): Plaza Ukana, by the arch at the entrance to Akumal
• Entry fee: $400 MXN
• Includes: commemorative T-shirt and medal
• Register: online registration form, or scan the QR code on the official flyer

The course: from the arch to Half Moon Bay and back

The race starts at Plaza Ukana, the shopping and dining plaza by the arch. According to CEA’s course map, the route heads toward the water and then north along the coast road toward Half Moon Bay, passing landmarks like Akumal Dive Shop and La Buena Vida. A short loop at the far end turns runners around for the return leg, and the finish line (la meta) is back near the start.

The map marks hydration stations along the route. It’s an illustrated map, so for turn-by-turn details, check with CEA before race day.

Expect a flat course. This stretch of coast sits just above sea level, so the challenge here is heat and humidity, not hills.

Who’s behind the race

Centro Ecológico Akumal has been working in Akumal since 1993. The nonprofit runs the town’s sea turtle conservation program, along with work on coral reefs, research on tourism’s impact in Akumal Bay, and environmental education.

If you’ve ever snorkeled with a green turtle in the bay, you’ve seen what that work protects. Signing up for the race is an easy, fun way to support the people doing it.

Who can run it

At 5.5 km, a little longer than a standard 5K, this is a distance most regular runners and joggers can manage, and a good first race if you’ve been training for a few weeks.

The flyer doesn’t cover age categories, timing or whether walkers are welcome. If any of that matters to you, ask CEA before you register.

How to register

Scan the QR code on the flyer, or go straight to the registration form. Entry is $400 MXN and includes a commemorative T-shirt and medal.

Kit pickup details weren’t on the flyer at the time of writing. Follow CEA on Facebook for updates as race day gets closer.

Race morning tips

• Get there early. In late December the sun comes up only a few minutes before the 7:30 start, so plan to reach Plaza Ukana with plenty of time to warm up and find the start line.
• Hydrate before you start. There’s water on the course, but Caribbean humidity is real even on a December morning.
• Check the forecast for a norte. December is the season for nortes, the cold fronts that can bring wind, clouds and cooler mornings to this coast. A light layer for before and after the race won’t hurt.
• Protect yourself from the sun. It climbs fast once it’s up. Wear a hat or visor, and if you plan to swim afterward, use reef-safe sunscreen.

Make a weekend of it

You’ll finish before most visitors have had breakfast, which leaves the whole day for Akumal.

• Cool off in the bay. Akumal Bay is a protected refuge, so if you want to snorkel with the turtles, hire a certified guide and give them space.
• Float Yal-Ku Lagoon at the north end of Half Moon Bay, where fresh water meets the sea.
• Stay for the posadas. Race day lands in the middle of posada season, the nine nights of celebrations from December 16 to 24 leading up to Christmas.

New to town? Here’s why we think Akumal is always worth visiting.

Need a place to stay for race weekend?

Race day falls on the Sunday before Christmas, right as the holiday high season begins on this coast. If you don’t have a place to stay yet, contact us and we’ll send you suggestions: hola@akumalMX.com