Cerro La Jabonera Vertical Kilometer

The KVJ is a mountain running (trail running) race held every year, usually toward the end of the year, in Ocamonte, climbing Cerro La Jabonera. It has a single distance, age categories and rankings by gender.

The course is marked, the race is self-sufficient and it follows ITRA's trail running values: authenticity, humility, fair play, equity, solidarity and respect for yourself, for others and for the environment. Every runner, elite, professional or amateur, races under the same conditions.

• Jury: applies penalties under the rules, reviews complaints and rules on them.
• Checkpoint (CP) judges: record runners' passage and check they race correctly.
• Race board: runs logistics and safety; the race director is the highest authority and may adjust the rules for logistics or safety reasons, announcing changes through available channels.
• Staff and volunteers: keep the race running smoothly.

Everyone must act fairly, honestly and with camaraderie, respecting other runners, the organization, the press, the authorities, spectators and local residents. When a faster runner catches you, let them pass.

A single 4.5 km distance with about 1 km of elevation gain: start, checkpoints and finish. The course is marked with orange ribbons and distance markers, with extra signs at forks and junctions. The right way carries a ribbon, arrow or sticker; the wrong way is unmarked or closed off with lime. You'll see samples at kit pickup.

You must follow the marked trail. The race board may change the course for safety and will announce it before the start or at the nearest CP. If the race is stopped, rankings are based on arrival times at the last CP.

• Races are timed in real time; time penalties are added to your final time.
• CPs are mandatory and must be passed in order. If you miss one, you must go back on your own and restart from there. Since the course is a single route, intermediate check-ins may be skipped, but never the start or finish.
• Timing is manual. Be at the start one hour early. If you are late, you may start up to five minutes after the gun, with the official start time.
• Keep your bib visible. If you lose it, tell the finish judge so your time can be recorded manually.

Overall women's and men's rankings, plus age categories for each gender:

• Youth: 14 to 17.
• Adults: 18 to 39.
• Master: 40 to 59.
• Senior: 60 and over.

You get to the start on your own and return on your own from the finish; the descent is organized on foot, in groups, along a marked route. If you drop out, report it to the organization as soon as possible and arrange your own transport. Runners who withdraw without reporting it cover the cost of any search and rescue operation.

• Spots go, in order, to those who complete the full registration process.
• You must be 18 or older. Minors may take part with an authorization signed by their legal guardian.
• Runners under 14 must race with a registered adult at all times. The organization may waive this if they show experience and request it.
• Age is checked against an ID or passport; your category is set by your age on December 31 of the race year.
• Mandatory medical certificate for runners over 60, issued within the last three months.
• By registering you accept the race terms and the liability waiver, and take part freely and voluntarily.

Wear your bib on the front and visible, without cutting or covering it; if you wear a jacket, show it at each CP. Sponsored runners may display brands on their cap, gloves, shorts, shirt and shoes. The official shirt is optional; if you wear it, do not add advertising. The organization and its sponsors may use event images and comments for promotion.

• You are responsible for your own actions and for getting the medical checks that confirm you are fit to race.
• You must show your mandatory gear to collect your kit and to any judge, before, during or after the race.
• Drinks are served only in your own cup or container.
• You may not be pushed or towed by other runners or outside people.
• Friends and family may not run the course, enter race areas or come out to meet you before the finish, nor leave or pick up items on the course. You may buy food at shops along the way and accept what local residents spontaneously offer.

At kit pickup you'll get the incident and emergency phone number, reserved for runners on the course. Do not share it with family or use it for general questions.

• Voluntary withdrawal: report it on that line, go to the nearest CP and complete the process with the judge.
• Incident: report it, follow instructions and tell the judge at the nearest CP.
• Emergency: report it; the organization will launch a rescue if needed.

On every call, give your name, bib number and distance; where you are (nearest CP or distance marker); what happened; how many people are involved and their condition; your plan and your most urgent need. Every runner must help another runner in an emergency. Medical care includes ground transfer to the care point set by the insurance policy.

Time penalties:

• Altering, cutting or not wearing your bib: 20 minutes.
• Receiving unauthorized assistance on the course: 1 hour each time.
• Littering or not picking up your own trash: 1 hour.
• Collecting stones, plants, insects or other objects: 1 hour.
• Missing mandatory gear: 10 minutes per item at each check.

Disqualification: missing a CP or taking another route, using any means of transport, damaging facilities, leaving the mandatory trail, pushing, pulling or holding on to another runner, or arriving more than 5 minutes late to the start.

Elimination: unsporting, aggressive or hostile behavior (including toward the press), deliberately breaking the rules, failing to help a runner in an emergency, or racing under the influence of alcohol or other substances. The race doctor may pull a runner out for health reasons.

The jury applies penalties, validates rankings and withdrawals, and may penalize runners even after the race. Complaints must be filed in writing, signed by the runner, within one hour of results being posted, with a COP 50,000 deposit refunded if the complaint is upheld. The jury answers within 24 hours and its decision is final. If rankings change, prizes must be returned and handed to the new winners.