I have run Petzl Trail Plus for the last three years in Baños de Agua Santa. My watch recorded 47 km in 2024, 64 km in 2025 and 75 km in 2026; those are my measurements, not the race’s official distances. The 2025 course was shortened. Each edition felt different, but I remember the race as long and beautiful.
The last two editions brought torrential rain. There was mud, cold and fog, and I had to keep going in those conditions. I definitely remember the Tungurahua views in 2024. In 2025 I saw it at dawn from across the valley; I do not think I saw it in 2026. The atmosphere was incredible, with lots of people supporting runners and well-stocked aid stations.
The finish stayed with me too. The final 5 km run downhill toward central Baños, and I went down at full speed as the town came closer. In 2026 I remember many DNFs, although I do not have an official count. That is my impression of the day, not a race statistic.
How I would prepare
I did not change shoes for these editions. I did change my shirt in the morning. For me, the key is preparing for any weather: train in rain and mud, and remember that the afternoon sun can be brutal. There were moments when all I could do was grit my teeth and keep moving.
Petzl Trail Plus is a long race where mud, fog and weather change the experience from one edition to the next. It is also beautiful: when Tungurahua appears, when the landscape opens up and when people’s support carries you through the effort, those moments stay with you. The final descent into Baños is an intense way to close the day.
This is my personal experience of three editions, not an official course guide. The distances above come from my watch and may differ from the distances published by the organizers.