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Cat silhouette GPS Art Running Route in Madrid — 9.0 km

A 9.0 km loop through Madrid that draws a cat silhouette when you upload it to Strava. The line follows public streets and paths, climbs 152 m in total, and covers a footprint about 1.8 km wide by 2 km tall.

Distance9.0 km
Elevation gain152 m
Elevation loss152 m
Estimated time63 min
DifficultyChallenging
Average gradient1.7%

Route map

Start point: 40.46678, -3.69135 — about 5.8 km north of the centre of Madrid. It is a closed loop, so any point on the line works as a start.

Elevation profile

Measured from the elevation data in the GPX file: 152 m of ascent and 152 m of descent across 9.0 km, an average gradient of 1.7%.

731 m683 m0.0 km2.2 km4.5 km6.7 km9.0 km

Kilometre by kilometre

SplitHeadingElevation changeRange
km 1Runs south-9 m721–731 m
km 2Runs south-20 m701–721 m
km 3Runs south-west-6 m695–704 m
km 4Runs west+11 m694–711 m
km 5Runs south-west-14 m690–707 m
km 6Runs north-east+19 m683–712 m
km 7Runs north-north-east+7 m706–721 m
km 8Runs north-east+7 m711–726 m
km 9Runs north-east+5 m723–731 m

Turn-by-turn outline

The 24 direction changes below are the ones that define the drawing. Hitting them accurately matters more than pace — the shape only reads well if the corners are sharp.

  1. 0.01 km — turn sharp right, then continue north-north-west.
  2. 0.16 km — turn sharp right, then continue south-south-east.
  3. 0.32 km — turn left, then continue south-south-east.
  4. 0.46 km — turn right, then continue south-south-west.
  5. 0.72 km — turn right, then continue west.
  6. 0.84 km — turn left, then continue south-south-west.
  7. 1.34 km — turn right, then continue west.
  8. 1.51 km — turn left, then continue south.
  9. 1.82 km — turn left, then continue east.
  10. 2.11 km — turn right, then continue west.
  11. 2.25 km — turn right, then continue north.
  12. 2.55 km — turn left, then continue south-south-west.
  13. 2.91 km — turn left, then continue east.
  14. 3.05 km — turn right, then continue south-east.
  15. 3.18 km — turn right, then continue west.
  16. 3.54 km — turn left, then continue south-south-west.
  17. 3.73 km — turn right, then continue north.
  18. 3.93 km — turn right, then continue north-west.
  19. 4.08 km — turn left, then continue south-west.
  20. 4.21 km — turn right, then continue west.
  21. 4.41 km — turn left, then continue south-west.
  22. 4.60 km — turn left, then continue south-south-west.
  23. 4.85 km — turn right, then continue south-south-west.
  24. 5.11 km — turn right, then continue north-north-west.

Difficulty and terrain

Challenging. About 17 m of climb per kilometre. Rolling terrain that rewards steady effort rather than even pacing.

Surface: Mostly urban roads and mixed city surfaces.

Safety: Check route details and local traffic conditions before running GPS art routes.

Best months: Depends on city weather and season.

How to run this shape

  1. Download the GPX file with your subscription and load it onto your watch, or open it in the ShapeMiles app.
  2. Start anywhere on the loop — beginning near a landmark makes the finish easier to find.
  3. Keep GPS recording continuous. Pausing mid-run leaves straight lines that cut across the drawing.
  4. Follow the corners precisely; short detours are what blur the shape.
  5. Upload to Strava and the cat silhouette appears on your activity map.

Other GPS art routes in Madrid

All 17 GPS art routes in Madrid

Questions about this route

How long is the cat silhouette route in Madrid?
The cat silhouette covers 9.0 km with 152 m of ascent and 152 m of descent. At a steady 6:00/km, allow about 63 minutes plus stops.
Do I need a paid plan to download the GPX?
Yes. The GPX file is included with a ShapeMiles subscription — sign in and subscribe to download it. The file works with Garmin, Coros, Suunto, Strava and any app that reads GPX, and your subscription also covers turn-by-turn navigation in the app and route generation for your own city. The map, elevation profile and kilometre splits on this page are free to view.
How accurate is the drawing?
The track follows real, runnable streets and paths, so the shape is recognisable once uploaded to Strava. The drawing spans about 1.8 km east to west and 2 km north to south across Madrid.
Where does the route start?
The start point is at 40.46678, -3.69135 — roughly 5.8 km north of the centre of Madrid. The route is a loop, so you can begin anywhere along the line.