News: Trail running

The Angkor Ultra-Trail : an undeniable success for 2024! On Saturday 27 and Sunday 28 January, one of the most original trails in the world took place: the Ultra-Trail d’Angkor in Siem Reap, Cambodia! Nearly 1,500 participants took part in one of the six events set in the heart of the Angkor ruins. Organised by the French organisation SDPO with technical support from Phoenix Voyages Group, this 7th edition was once again a great success, offering trailers and walkers from 51 countries thrilling sensations and moving memories between jungle, temple, rice fields and sporting challenge ! “The Angkor Ultra Trail is not just a race; it’s a celebration of cultural heritage, a test of physical and mental limits, and a journey through time”, said event organiser Jean Claude LE CORNEC. “We are overwhelmed by the enthusiasm and dedication of the participants, as they not only conquered the demanding terrain, but also paid tribute to the historical significance of Angkor.” The event offered a unique opportunity for athletes to explore the rich history of the Khmer Empire while pushing their own limits. Runners took to the course past iconic temples such as Prassat Ta Som, Phnom Bok, Beantay Samre, Prae Rup, Prassat Kravan, Takeo, Ta Nei, Bayon and the Terrace of the Elephants, where ancient stone structures and delicate carvings bore witness to centuries of history. Angkor: an incredible playground For all committed enthusiasts, setting foot on this thousand-year-old site, listed as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO, is an unprecedented privilege. The 400 km² of the Angkor site at the gateway to the town of Siem Reap was their “preserve” for a few hours! A trail among the greats Now a national event in Cambodia, it took just 7 years for the Angkor Ultra Trail to become one of the finest races in Asia. Set up by SDPO and Jean Claude Le Cornec with the technical support of Phoenix Voyages, the Ultra Trail d’Angkor has become one of the great trails and one of the events where you can score points in the ITRA rankings. On the podiums were some familiar faces, some unknown, some fans of this UTA. The honour goes to the excellent Chinese runner NI Yusheng, who completed the 100km course in the excellent time of 9h 14mn 17sec (New record) and to WEI Xianshuang, 1st female in 11h 51mn 13 sec (New record). There were many other performances on the 32 km Jungle Trail; RANN Narun (Cambodia) in 2h 07’ 10 and CZUCZ Balint, (Hungary) 1st woman in 2h 32’ 52 pulverised the times. Specialists will appreciate that the course is not conducive to achieving this time. A time that will be hard to improve on in future editions. CNOPS Vanja (Belgium – women) won the scratch race in the marathon. Other celebrities at the start of this year’s race include Ngo Vo, Adidas and COROS Vietnam ambassador, Kim Saroeun, a distinguished Cambodian runner, Laurie Phaï, the event’s godmother, Patrick Bauer, the creator of the Marathon des Sables, Hubert Rocher, one of the founders of the Marathon du Médoc, and navigator Romain Attanasio, who is preparing for the VENDEE GLOBE. RÉSULTS of the ULTRA TRAIL D’ANGKOR 2024 Résults du l’UTA 100 km 1H. NI Yusheng 9h 14’ 17 (Nouveau record) 1F. WEI Xinshuang 11h 51’ 13 (Nouveau record) Résults du Bayon Trail 64 km 1H. PAGANI Livio 5h 55’28 1F. GAARDHOLM MARI Kittel 6h 21’ 17 Résults du Marathon Trail 42 km 1H. SAM Rachna 3h 21’ 27’ 1F. CNOPS Vanja 3h 18’ 54 Résults du Jungle Trail 32 km 1H. RANN Narun 2h 07’ 10 (Nouveau record) 1F. CZUCZ Balint 2h 32’ 52 (Nouveau record) Résults du Temple Run 18 km 1H. PLANTEGENET Pol 1h12’ 30 1F. BAILLIART Clarisse 1h 26’ 53 NOUVEAU Résults du Elephant Trail 8 km 1H. ATTANASIO Romain 36’ 37 1F. PHAI Laurie 36’ 37 (Nouveau record) L’UTA IN BRIEF : ✓ 1500 coureurs ✓ 51 nationalités ✓ 100 km balisés ✓ 3 ONG aidées ✓ 50 staffs (SDPO, Phoenix et Khmers) ✓ 50 villageois bénévoles sur les ravitos ✓ 8 masseurs encadrés par un professionnel (kiné – osthéo) ✓ 50 autocars minis bus ✓ 20 motos & 6 quads ✓ 10 tuk tuk ✓ 6 hôtels partenaires ✓ 2 tonnes de fruits frais et secs ✓ 900 soupes cambodgiennes ✓ 250 kg de glace SPECIAL THANKS SDPO et Phoenix Voyages would particularly like to thank his Altesse Royale le Prince Tesso Sisowath, Director of Ballet Royal of Cambodge, son Excellence Dr Thong Khon, Senior Minister for the Development of the Sport Movement and Chairman of the Comité National Olympique Cambodgien, son Excellence Madame Dr Phoeurng Sackona, Minister of Culture and Fine Arts and Chair of the APSARA Authority’s Board of Directors, , his S.E. Vath Chamreoun, Secretary of State and Secretary General of the National Olympic Committee of Cambodia, Son Altesse Royale le Prince Thomico Sisowath, Mr Jacques Pellet, French ambassador, the vice-governor of Siem Reap province, as well as the Royal Gendarmerie, the Royal Police and the Royal Army. SDPO and Phoenix Voyages would also like to extend their warmest thanks to all the partners of the Angkor Ultra Trail, without whom the race would not be possible : SDPO, PHOENIX Voyages, RUNNING Attitude, COMITE NATIONAL OLYMPIQUE CAMBODGIEN, MINISTRY OF TOURISM, APSARA, V ACTIVE Sports, KRUD, DEVI Naturel Mineral Water, QUAD ADVENTURE, MEE CHIET, GP3E, BRB, TRACE DE TRAIL, RCD Pilotage, PIROG, SAMATA Aquaroma, SALA BAÏ, ABC and RICE, INSTAVOX, AVENIR Pub, RUNNING Attitude, GYMWOLF, PAUL DUBRULE, JAYA, LE MARATHON DU MEDOC, Parrain de l’événement… Now a must-have in the trail calendar, the Angkor Ultra Trail will meet you on January 18 and 19, 2025.

Bostjan presenting a well deserved medal to one of the 2,000 UTVV runners in 2023 In this interview series, Ahotu will be speaking with the people behind some of the most unique races across the globe. We’ll be discussing the history of the event, challenges and how to overcome them, attracting sponsors, reaching new runners and more! Thanks for joining us Bostjan. We are delighted to be working with Ultra Trail Vipava Valley for 2024, could you tell us a little bit about yourself and the race? Thank you, we’re delighted to be working with you and it’s my pleasure to introduce myself and the race to runners. I’m the race director and co-founder of the Ultra Trail Vipava Valley. It was the first Ultra Trail race of 100k to take place in the country and allows runners to experience the Vipava Valley, a region in southwestern Slovenia, known for its picturesque landscapes, vineyards, and historical significance. How long have you been organising the race and what led you to create it? We launched UTVV in 2015, 2024 will be our 9th edition! In the beginning, there was an idea to showcase the beautiful trails of the Vipava Valley and to invite people to start running, to challenge themselves, and to commit to a more fulfilled life. UTVV was founded by a group of passionate local climbers/alpinists who had access to ideal conditions for endurance training all year-round right behind their houses, so we wanted to give this opportunity to the wider population. How many participants do you get and where do they typically come from? E.g. how many countries, participants etc. We now have over 2,000 runners from more than 40 countries across the globe. Most of them come from Europe (Italy, Croatia, Austria, Hungary, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Poland, Germany, France, Netherlands, and the UK) but we increasingly see overseas countries such as the US, Canada etc taking part. We feel we have a race that offers a unique perspective on the country and we are delighted to host runners from all corners of the globe. With distances ranging from 10k to 160k the course covers a large area including the valley itself, mountains and ridges. What challenges does this present to you and the organising team? We are covering around 230km of trails around the Vipava Valley. This brings a big challenge with logistics, course marking, and keeping the event safe. Luckily we have great support from local communities. A big challenge is to gather and co-ordinate 500 volunteers, all of whom contribute to making the event what it is. I am proud that we made this challenge an opportunity and one of the biggest selling points of the event, since most of our volunteers come from the Valley and help to create a vibrant authentic atmosphere for all the runners during the race weekend. The runners can feel the local vibe of the Valley and are welcomed at more than 15 aid stations run by the locals who call the Valley home. How do you What changes have you noticed in the trail / ultra running scene over the course of your time organising UTVV? Since 2015 a lot has changed, but the core of trail running remains the same, fast-moving over beautiful landscapes, which gives you a sense of freedom, joy, and positive energy. I would say many services have become more professional and thus more efficient and available (timing, safety services, logistics planning, marketing approaches at different races) so the race in some ways is easier to organise than in the beginning – there is a lot more knowledge about organising a trail race than in 2015. In 2015 there were very few races (in Slovenia) in the market, now you can find a race somewhere in Slovenia most weekends throughout the year. Most importantly, more and more people are getting familiar with trail running and I think our initial goal, to present this sport to the people is going in the right direction. The different distances have names related to Roman ranks e.g. Centurion, Legionair etc, could you tell us a bit about the history of the location and the link to Roman history? The Vipava Valley has a rich history that dates back to ancient times, including the Roman period. During the Roman Empire, the Vipava Valley was part of the province of Venetia et Histria. The Romans established settlements in the region, and the Vipava Valley was an important agricultural and trade area due to its fertile land and strategic location. The most important event in that area from the Roman period dates back to 394AD when The Battle of the Frigidus, also known as the Battle of the Frigid River, took place between the forces of the Roman emperors Theodosius I and Eugenius. The battle occurred near the Frigidus River (now the Vipava River), in the Vipava Valley. The Frigidus River marked the border between the Western and Eastern Roman Empire. The outcome of the battle had important consequences for the Empire. Theodosius I became the last sole ruler of the entire Roman Empire, and for the last time in history reunited the East and West, and Christianity for the first time in history became the main religion in the Empire and the known World. By connecting to the Roman story, UTVV would like to show the cultural heritage of the Valley on one side and, whilst also offering our modern-day warriors (runners / outdoor enthusiasts) an opportunity to display a warrior mentality in overcoming the challenge each distance offers. We believe trail running allows participants to explore their potential and evolve as individuals. Our races Emperor (160 km), Centurion (100 km), Gladiator (60 km), Legionar (30 km), and the shorter Asterix (15 km) and Castra runs (10 km), all offer participants a unique and challenging way to enjoy the Valley. Finishers of our longest distance (Emperor 160km) receive an Emperor’s ring upon reaching the finish line, while the winner receives the Emperor helmet and a sword as a trophy. Finishers of the 160km race receive the UTVV Emperor ring at the finish line With a range of distances on offer, from 10k to 160k… what can participants expect from the course(s)? We like to offer a wide range of distances to allow everybody to take part. UTVV is a festival of trail running and the shorter distances ensure everyone can participate and experience the magical atmosphere that the race weekend generates. We hope to encourage those new to the sport to challenge themselves and perhaps to eventually to the start line of the Emperor race. The UTVV offers a unique trail-running experience with our stunning landscapes, diverse terrain, and historical heritage. Runners participating in UTVV can expect to run amongst picturesque vineyards, orchards, and the rolling hills of the Slovenian countryside. The longest 160km Emperor completely encircles the Valley and on the west part of the track crosses the border into Italy. The majority of the tracks are well-marked trails through forests to more challenging sections with elevation changes – most of the trails are single trails, dirty roads, a few km of gravel roads, and some short paved sections. On the trails are runners always welcomed with more than 15 aid stations supported by the local clubs and communities, which offers an authentic taste of the Valley. What advice would you have for those tackling UTVV for the first time? I would advise runners that the distance and elevation can be deceiving, many previous participants have commented that the race was more difficult than expected. Mostly because of the specific karst terrain with many little stones on the ridge trails, the uphills can be steep, downhills technical. It is worth coming earlier and testing the terrain before raceday, so you can be better prepared for the “battle” later. The weather is usually pleasant for running, somewhere between 10 – 25c in recent years! The North wind Bora, can be cold and very severe, so runners would be wise to prepare for the elements just in case. It is well worth keeping a close eye on the forecast for this race! What are your ambitions for the race over the coming years? The race is growing steadily each year and is becoming one of the biggest and most important races in the region. As organisers, our aim is to grow the race whilst maintaining the authenticity of the event and to ensure we are connected with the local communities. Ensuring runners experience world-class endurance race supported by the local community all to create a vibrant atmosphere. An electric atmosphere at the start of the 160km race at Ultra Trail Vipava Valley Any races, sponsors or companies you would like to shout out? You could shout out your other races here as well. We are really happy to have a long-lasting partnership with the Vipava Valley and Slovenian Tourist Boards which recognise the race as an important event that generates important recognition amongst the outdoors and endurance community. We are thankful to the chocolate brand Alive and footwear specialist Scarpa who supported us for several years for now and helped us to create this amazing story. We are always open to exploring partnerships that will benefit participants. What else would you recommend participants see whilst visiting Slovenia? Any must-see sights etc you would recommend. Slovenia is a wonderful if somewhat hidden gem, especially in April. You can move quite freely through different amazing places like; Postojna cave, Predjama castle, river Soča, lake Bled, Kranjska Gora, capital city Ljubljana, Piran, Lipica, the wonderful wine cellars of Vipava Valley and our amazing Julian Alps and surrounding mountains. Slovenia boasts a wealth of stunning landscapes including the Julian Alps When is the next edition of UTVV and where can participants go to find out more? The next edition is from the 26th to 28th April 2024, check out our Instagram for regular updates on the race @UTVVSlovenia Interested in taking part? You can register for the 2024 edition of the UTVV on Ahotu – Ultra trail Vipava Valley To feature in our interview series you can drop us an email on blog@worldsmarathons.com Interested in promoting your race with World’s Marathons or Ahotu? Contact us on partners@worldsmarathons.com

Runners experience the beauty of the South African coastline while tackling the UTCT In this interview series, Ahotu will be speaking with the people behind some of the most unique races across the globe. We’ll be discussing the history of the event, challenges and how to overcome them, attracting sponsors, reaching new runners and more! We are delighted to be working with UTCT for 2023 to help you reach more international participants. For those who aren’t familiar, could you introduce yourself and UTCT? Hi, my name is Stuart McConnachie. I am the Race Director of the RMB Ultra-trail Cape Town (UTCT). UTCT is one of the most competitive and sought after races in the world. It runs on one of the seven wonders of this beautiful planet, Table Mountain. It’s hosted by one of the most beautiful and diverse Cities. This all provides so much more than simply a trail run, it’s a bucket list experience which attracts participants from all over the world. When did the race first take place and how did you get involved? 2014 – Nic Bornman, the founder of the race, after getting the race approved needed help. I had grown up around running and was lucky enough to know Nic well. We both had similar visions and ideas for the race. It was a crazy, challenging and demanding first edition but we managed to get through it and the rest is history. The race has a growing reputation in the trail / ultra scene, why do you think the event has been so popular? The race has a unique landscape which is really demanding, being surrounded by a City like Cape Town offers the support and interaction with the many layers this landscape provides. We’ve also got one of the best running community culture’s in the world here so tapping into all of these factors creates a powerful concoction. You have an impressive field of participants from across the globe. How many countries do you normally have represented at UTCT? Usually we have 50+ countries represented and this is growing year on year, Cape Town has always been a travellers port so it has a natural attraction for many people from around the world. It also happens to be one of the most popular tourist destinations in the world. We are looking forward to growing our international participation through our partnership with Ahotu & World’s Marathons and likewise to seeing more runners from across the world taking part. The race covers a lot of challenging terrain and with multiple courses must have a lot of moving parts. What are the most challenging aspects of the weekend for you as organisers? Like any event we have aspects that create challenges, I think having a City on the doorstep of a natural wonder is our biggest, the interaction between being truly alone and wild, then stepping out of that into a suburban landscape needs intricate planning with multiple players to ensure things run smoothly. Of course there are also the on course challenges with the climate, elevation and terrain, given the fact the race largely takes part in the Table Mountain national park. Runners experience varied terrain on the 23k, 35k, 55k, 100k & 100m courses. With a range of distances on offer, from 23k up to 100 miles… what can participants expect from the course(s)? The variety of terrain at UTCT is unparalleled, we have over 1000 plant species on the Cape Peninsula alone. The juxtaposition between mountains and ocean are a highlight for any runner. This is where the challenge lies, moving across these landscapes is tough, the terrain is rocky and technical at times. The climbs are not long but there are many and the descents take the sting from your legs due to their technical nature. What advice would you have for those tackling UTCT for the first time? Try to get onto the trails and experience the terrain before race day, it’ll also allow you to soak up the views as sometimes during the race we forget that we’re out in mother nature. The weather can change in a matter of minutes, so expect to be hot and cold no matter what the temperature says in the weeks leading up to the race. Cape Town is a hugely popular destination city, what else would you recommend participants do during their time in the Western Cape? First off we’d say come run with Tuesday Trails (our run club which is open to all) then make sure you get to experience some of the more eclectic areas of the City, eating out is a treat and then post race enjoy the more indulgent lifestyles on the wine estates or beaches along the Peninsula. Cape Town has tonnes to offer so you’ll have loads to do either side of the race! You have some awesome sponsors including Salomon, Suunto, Maurten and more… what has been your approach with securing such a strong lineup of brands to support the event? We have focused on partnerships with strong brands that eschew similar visions for the sport, community and are all in this for the long term. We have been patient in waiting for the right brands before partnering and runners appreciate the approach and support from our partners. Runners enjoying the atmospheric start / finish area in the 2022 edition of the UTCT What are your ambitions for the race over the coming years? We will continue to sustainably help in growing the sport in South Africa, we want to remain a quintessentially Cape Town and South African race that is truly unique in so many ways. Our community who are the custodians of this event play such an important role for us so we aim to remain closely connected and for them to feel like it’s our race. Any races, partners or companies you would like to shout out? We just want to thank our partners for believing in UTCT, for seeing the potential and helping us put Cape Town trail running on the world stage. The next edition of the Ultra Trail Cape Town takes place from the 24th to the 26th of November 2023, you can follow our journey on our Instagram @UTCT Interested in taking part? You can register for the 2023 edition of the UTCT on Ahotu – Ultra-Trail® Cape Town To feature in our interview series you can drop us an email on blog@worldsmarathons.com Interested in promoting your race with World’s Marathons or Ahotu? Contact us on partners@worldsmarathons.com

Dale briefing runners before the Salt Pans Ultra. In this interview series, Ahotu will be speaking with the people behind some of the most unique races across the globe. We’ll be discussing the history of the event, challenges and how to overcome them, attracting sponsors, reaching new runners and more! Thanks for joining us, Dale. The Salt Pans Ultra is a relatively new race in a truly unique landscape. Could you introduce the race and yourself? Thanks for having me. My name is Dale ter Haar and I am one of two owners of the company that hosts the Salt Pans Ultra or the SPU as we call it. My business partner, Stefan Ortwein, and I also race direct the run. The SPU is a one day ultra trail race in the Makgadikgadi Salt Pans of Central Botswana, in Southern Africa. I believe we are one of only 2 or 3 ultra runs held on salt flats and certainly the only one in Africa. The SPU started in 2019 as a 3 day, multi stage ultra race and then in 2020 CV-19 hit and we took a little global pandemic time out. Botswana also had a hard lock down where you couldn’t move without permits, which didn’t help. In 2022, as you know, the World slowly opened up and thankfully we were able to host the race again. This time as a single stage 100/50kms event. The multi day event format proved logistically very demanding due to the unique challenges the pans impose. What led to the creation of the event, where did the idea come from? My brother, myself and 3 other friends were looking for something to do about 10 years ago. My family has always spent time at the Pans and so we agreed running the full 105kms South – North length of Sua Pans would be a fitting challenge. We added raising money for charity to the mix to make sure we followed through with the idea. During that run, it occurred to me that this would be an awesome place to host an ultra. I was already organising sports events as fund raisers for a charity I am involved with so it was not too much of a leap! Botswana is very road running focused and at the time didn’t have any ultra events, road or trail. We are still the only ultra of any sort in the country. I am a big fan of putting on events that are perhaps a bit outside of the box in the local environment. The SPU was perfect for this in the Botswana context. The Pans are also an awesome venue so lent themselves perfectly to the idea. The 2023 Edition just took place, how did this year go for you as an organiser and for your participants? The 2023 race went really well. We pride ourselves on our organisation and timeliness and we managed to deliver on both fronts. Runner feedback was great, we earned a Gold Award on Racecheck, with an average score of 4.84/5 based on 49 reviews. We are chuffed with that as it’s a ton of work setting it all up, given the location and it’s great to see our efforts are appreciated by our participants! What are the most challenging aspects of organising the race given the unique terrain it takes place on? Everything! The Makgadikgadi Pans are the bed of an ancient, huge inland sea that dried up thousands of years ago as the plates of the Rift Valley shifted. Interestingly, the Okavango Delta is all that remains of this huge water mass. We start the race on the Southern edge of this flat expanse. Before we arrive to set up the race village there is nothing there. We are 150 kilometres from the nearest big village and 8 hours drive from the capital city Gaborone, where we transport most things from. So from nothing emerges a fully equipped race village that accommodates, feeds, waters, cleans and sustains 150 – 200 people for 3 days. The next challenge are the race check points. Half of these can only be reached by quad bikes because 4×4s would get stuck in the mud that sits 6 inches under the top crust layer of the Pans. Setting up check points for 75 runners with just what a quad bike can carry is no easy feat. Think 200 litres of water, nutrition, ice, shade, cots, chairs etc. Our window to host the race is also limited. The pans can hold surface water for all but 3-4 months of the year. So we host the race as far from the end of the previous rainy season and as close to the next rainy season as we can to try and ensure our route is dry. What is your favourite part of your job? What is the highlight of the race for you as an organiser? That’s an easy one! The highlight is definitely being able to show off Botswana and the Pans. There are many great ultra races out there and lots in unique locations but only low single digits on salt flats. And I don’t think any that take you into the middle of the pans. I love to hear runners cross the finish line and gush about how moving the whole experience was. Well, after they have had a chance to catch their breath. That feeling of complete isolation is so hard to find in our busy worlds. The Pans are awe inspiring in so many ways. The scale of them, the beauty of the sunrises and sunsets, the sheer amount of nothingness, the complete quiet, the expansive African night sky, the isolation, the smiles of the volunteers, the ancient, thousand year old baobab trees that hold a millennia of stories and tales….Sorry – I could go and on. A runner cuts a lonely figure in the unique landscape of the Salt Pans Ultra. How many runners did you have and which countries were represented? We sold out all 100 places but only had 84 runners compete on the day due to natural pre-race attrition / dropout. 63 ran in the 50k and 21 in the 100k race. We had 9 DNFs in the 50k whilst only 6 runners finished the 100k, with one of those missing the cut-off. So it’s safe to say the 100k is a beast and certainly pushes participants to their limites. It has been described as “a uniquely hard event that is a gorilla in chimps clothing”! We do warn runners with our tagline “where flat isn’t easy” and “the hardest flat race in the world”… but it still manages to catch people off-guard. Are you noticing a shift in where your runners are coming from? Are there any particular hotspots? What was nice to see this year was how many more people travelled from overseas. We had people from 18 countries. They came from as far afield as Canada, across Europe and of course many from Southern Africa. For many who travelled from overseas it was their first experience of Africa, so we are pleased that they entrusted us to deliver a race to remember. I think the European attendance will grow over time as it’s a pretty easy trip to Botswana from many European countries. We are super focused on effective communications and giving the runners assurances that the trip will be easy, safe and obviously worth the effort. We setup Zoom calls and a Whatsapp group for participants, which is well received. This allows us to create a community that supports our runners, the WhatsApp group is still active even weeks after the race! How do you promote the event / what channels are you and your team utilising to reach new runners? We are in all the usual spots. We have our website and we use RaceCheck there to give people some idea of the positive reviews we have been getting. Then we are also on Facebook, Instagram and Youtube, and of course we are live on World’s Marathons & Ahotu, which is getting us international interest and from across the globe. We looked at TikTok but haven’t yet made the jump! We were also at the National Running Show in Birmingham this January looking to speak to UK based runners. The race has a number of sponsors and partners, how have you gone about building these relationships? Are there any partners you would like to shout out in particular? We have some great sponsoring partners. Our big focus is on customising each relationship to what works best for that particular partner. They are not all after the same things. We pride ourselves on not just being an event that they hear from in and around our race. So we create these regular touch points throughout the year that ensures they get more consistent interaction with us, our runners and their clients. Our main sponsors are Blue Crystal Sugar who sponsor the Salt Pans Ultra, our Backyard Ultra and our monthly Mokolodi Nature Reserve trail runs. We use their sugar in our ice tea, lemonade, power bars and various other snacks that we give to our runners at our events. They are focused on promoting the responsible consumption of sugar and we think an ultra race is a good fit because its one of the few times you can consume almost anything guilt free. Desert and Delta Safaris are also big sponsors and provide us with our winner prizes of free safaris. Plus they provide a lot of the logistical infrastructure we use like gazebos, stretch tents etc. What can future participants expect from the course / race itself? We call the SPU the hardest flat race in the World and we really believe it might be. Runners look at the distances and think ‘Bleh – its a 50 or 100kms with no elevation, how hard can it be?”!. Well, pretty hard if the finishing times are anything to go by. There are no route markers, no trails, trees, hills or anything else to distract you for most of the race. Just miles and miles of very bright sand, a hot sun that beats down on you; getting mercilessly hotter as the hours pass and check points that you can see from miles away but never seem to draw closer. It’s as much a mental challenge as it is physical. Our 100kms winner last year did the 89kms Comrades Marathon in South Africa in 8h30m and he finished the 100kms in 13h17m! That additional 11kms took him just short of an extra 5 hours. We also try and make the event more than a race. We add a few Southern African traditions like a braai (BBQ), sundowners, a camp fire etc. What would you recommend international runners to do whilst visiting Botswana either side of the race? Go on safari! Botswana is the World’s premier safari destination and we have secured some great safari packages with Desert and Delta Safaris in the North of Botswana and Tuli Wilderness in Eastern Botswana. They are such great value that its almost a crime not to spend a few days seeing our wildlife. The Tuli Wilderness safari, for example, is $100 per person per day which includes two game drives and 4 meals. It’s the best safari deal I can think of. Every year runners from across the globe tackle this bucket-list race. What are your plans for the race in the future? We don’t ever want to be huge race and 100 runners will probably be where we max out. It’s really special to have a relatively small group of runners on the Pans. It makes the event a close knit community which we would lose with a larger race. That and the logistics of hosting an ultra in the middle of nowhere are very challenging and would be even more so with a bigger field. We are considering a 100 miler down the line but first we are keen to really establish the 50/100kms events on the global calendar. I really believe we are a bucket list event so for us filling our 100 slots quickly every year would be all we can ask for. When is the next edition taking place and where can people go to learn more? The next Salt Pans Ultra is on 28th September 2024, you can follow our journey on our Instagram @saltpansultramarathon Interested in taking part? You can register for the 2024 edition of the Salt Pans Ultra on Ahotu – Salt Pans Ultra Trail Marathon To feature in our interview series you can drop us an email on blog@worldsmarathons.com Interested in promoting your race with World’s Marathons or Ahotu? Contact us on partners@worldsmarathons.com

Sam briefing runners on the start-line ahead of a 2022 Ultra X race In this interview series, Ahotu will be speaking with the people behind some of the most unique races across the globe. We’ll be discussing the history of the event, challenges and how to overcome them, attracting sponsors, reaching new runners and more! Thanks for joining us Sam. We’re delighted to be supporting Ultra X with your 2023 events, which includes an amazing two-day Ultra Marathon in the Azores. Could you introduce yourself, the race and Ultra X as an organiser for those who aren’t familiar? Sure, my name’s Sam Heward and I’m one of the Co-Founders of Ultra X. I’m a runner and an adventurer and having stumbled into the world of multi-stage ultra-running at the age of 22 I’ve been on a mission to get more people into the space and make it more accessible. I’m pretty bullish that there’s no better experience than a multi-stage race in a remote part of the world and I just want to inspire more people to give it a try. Ultra X is an organiser of trail-running events all over the world. Our goal is to become the world’s greatest provider of multi-stage running races and take people on life-transforming adventures. We started out from a single event in Jordan but now offer races in Tanzania, Mexico, Sri Lanka, Slovenia, and all over the UK. Ultra X Azores was the first 2 stage event we created which means that people can compete in a multi-stage without having to take any holiday. Ultra X is all about taking people to bucket list locations and the Azores is just that – think Jurassic Park! It’s 110km over two days with camping in between. Runners can either join for the full thing or run the Sunday only stage (50km). How long have you been organising races and what got you started? We started Ultra X back in 2018 formally but previously ran an event called the Wadi Rum Ultra (now Ultra X Jordan). Jamie (the other Co-Founder) and I are lovers of the space and wanted to create an aspirational brand and series which would encourage more to take on the challenge of an ultra, plus it was more fun than the day job! What led to Ultra X hosting a race in the Azores? Every Ultra X event has to tick a number of boxes – bucket list location, stunning trails, physical challenge, and importantly accessibility. The Azores hits all of them. Ultra-X Azores participants prepare to tackle the mountains of São Miguel Island What challenges do the location and course present for you as organisers? Each event is unique for us and because of the remote nature of our races there are always challenges. The Azores has excellent infrastructure and 4G phone signal which certainly makes life easier than some of our locations but it is also prone to occasional extreme weather, flash storms, and high winds. In 2021 there were heavy landslides on our course which meant last-minute reroutes and some of our team being on the course with chainsaws and spades about 3 hours in front of the front runners! Ultra X Azores offer participants 360 views of this beautiful volcanic island How many runners typically take part and where do they come from? It’s a relatively new event and so is growing every year. In 2023 we expect about 250 competitors from 20 or so different countries, the vast majority (70%) are UK based. What can participants expect from Ultra X Azores? Runners can expect some of the best trails they will have experienced anywhere and huge variance in terrain and vegetation, a serious challenge (the course has a lot of ups and downs!), and some spectacular around island views. There can’t be many places in the world where you can run around the rim of an extinct volcano whilst being able to see the entire edge of the island. Do you have any advice or tips for runners taking part? No one will run the whole of this course! Poles are recommended and hiking in training will be essential to success. If you live on flatlands get in the gym and find a stepper! What plans do you have for Ultra X over the coming years? Simply to continue doing what we are doing. We want to grow our portfolio of events in a responsible way to include more exciting destinations and continue to create once-in-a-lifetime experiences and inspire more and more people from all backgrounds into our sport. When is the next edition taking place and where can our audience find out more information about the event? 20-21 May 2023 and all the info is on the website. Alternatively, if you want to chat or find out more about the event, I am always open to a conversation (sam@ultra-x.co). We also post a lot of updates and content on our Instagram @ultraxco! Entries are open on our website and World’s Marathons – https://worldsmarathons.com/marathon/ultra-x-azores-125! Great to speak Sam! Best of luck to you and the team at Ultra X with your 2023 events across the globe. Interested in taking part? You can register for the 2023 edition of Ultra X Azores on Ahotu – Ultra X 110 Azores To feature in our interview series you can drop us an email on blog@worldsmarathons.com Interested in promoting your race with World’s Marathons or Ahotu? Contact us on partners@worldsmarathons.com

The Oman Desert Marathon returns in 2022 after a two-year hiatus. In this interview series, Ahotu will be speaking with the people behind some of the most unique races across the globe. We’ll be discussing the history of the event, challenges and how to overcome them, attracting sponsors, reaching new runners and more! Thanks for joining us, Rigel. We’ve worked with you and the Oman Desert Marathon for a while now, but for those who aren’t familiar, could you introduce the race and your role behind the scenes? The Oman Desert Marathon is a 165km race that requires each runner to be prepared and self-sufficient in food and personal needs. A true experience of living in the desert. The four stages of the race take participants through a range of topographies and varying terrain. After taking part in 2018, I fell in love with the race and since then I have been involved as a volunteer and more recently as project manager. I know the race from the runner’s perspective and also behind the scenes supporting the race owner in all that needs to be done. I must say that making sure the event is a success is as hard as running in the desert, or even harder! How long has the race been taking place and how did it start? The first edition was in November 2013. The inaugural event had 25 runners from 7 countries. The 2023 edition will be special as it is the 10-year anniversary and the first race after an enforced two-year hiatus due to the pandemic, we expect over 100 runners from all over the globe. The race covers 165km over remote desert terrain. What challenges does this present for you as organizers? The desert is very unpredictable and no edition of the race is the same. The harsh conditions make the race very challenging for both organizers and participants. Luckily we have an amazing crew of experienced local and international staff that help us deliver a safe and unique race. One of the hardest aspects for us as organizers is the mobility on the sand dunes during the event. We have to move the camp every day and make sure everything is set up ready before runners arrive, it’s a race against the clock. Marking the route before the race is an adventure in itself. It can be very challenging to drive in the desert, even the route team (which is made up of locals experienced in navigating and driving in the desert) can face trouble, sometimes the desert will catch you out! When a vehicle gets stuck, it is a lot of work to get moving again. Even experienced desert drivers can get caught out by the shifting terrain How many runners typically take part and where do they come from? Usually, we have more than 100 runners from different nationalities, we have a lot of runners from Europe, but we have had people from all corners of the world and we love seeing a wide range of countries represented! 330ft Sand dunes tower above runners on the Oman Desert Marathon course Given the race takes place over a few days and you have an entire camp for participants, how many people are involved in putting on the event during race week? More than 40 people including staff, drivers, medics, photographers, cooks and volunteers. It takes a small army of fully committed people that love the desert and the race atmosphere! They’re all there to make sure participants are safe and make the most of their time in Oman. What can participants expect from their time in Oman? The race provides participants with a truly unique experience in one of the most beautiful parts of the Arabian Peninsula. The Oman Desert Marathon also has a program for guests who wish to follow the marathon closely, especially for relatives and friends of the runners. Guests will be staying separately from the runners, therefore we can offer a full program for them to enjoy the trip and Oman with the support of our travel partner. As runners cross the finish line at the Al Jawharat Resort in Bidiyah they’ll enjoy an unrivalled sense of accomplishment as they receive their finisher’s medal & T-shirt before enjoying the prize giving ceremony in the knowledge that they have conquered the sand dunes of the Wahiba desert. What plans do you have for the Oman Desert Marathon for the coming years? We have a lot planned for the next few years. Of course, we want to become a well-known brand/race and continue to be a runner’s favourite. We are also working on a new non-stop race from the sea, crossing the mountains and further into the Omani desert. A 250km race which will be launching during the Oman Desert Marathon 2024. Are there any partners / companies who support the event that you would like to highlight? This event is fully organized by Omani’s with the collaboration of international partners. We are lucky to have the support of local communities and of His Majesty the Sultan of Oman, Haitham bin Tariq Al Said. The Ministry of Tourism and the Ministry of Sports Affairs, are also hugely supportive and valued partners of the event. Our sponsors and partners all make the Oman Desert Marathon a safe race in a beautiful and unique environment, with the authentic taste of an event designed and managed by those who are born and live in Oman. When is the next edition taking place and where can our audience find out more information about the event? The 8th edition of the Oman Desert Marathon, will be held in January 2023 – from the 21st – 24th. January offers participants the perfect conditions to enjoy the race to the fullest, with daytime temperatures in the mid 20’s and nighttime temperatures around 17c. In this next edition, the stage distances will be 47km, 55km, 42km and 21km. Runners can visit our website for more information or follow us on Instagram @marathonoman! Entries are open on our website and World’s Marathons – https://worldsmarathons.com/marathon/oman-desert-marathon We are very excited to show runners from all over the world the beauty of Oman and the Wahiba desert! Thanks for speaking with us Rigel, best of luck with the next edition of the race. We look forward to watching the race continue to grow and for the launch of the new non-stop event in 2024! Interested in taking part? You can register for the Oman Desert Marathon on Ahotu – Oman Desert Marathon To feature in our interview series you can drop us an email on blog@worldsmarathons.com Interested in promoting your race with World’s Marathons or Ahotu? Contact us on partners@worldsmarathons.com

Participants crossing Bell’s Rapids, part of the 65km course. In this interview series, Ahotu will be speaking with the people behind some of the most unique races across the globe. We’ll be discussing the history of the event, challenges and how to overcome them, attracting sponsors, reaching new runners and more! Thanks for joining us guys, could you introduce Transcend Trails and yourselves? Shane: We setup Transcend Trails in 2020, hosting the Transcend Ultra for the first time in 2021, it’s a 65km Ultra race across varied terrain in Western Australia. I’ve been involved in the local trail scene for a while and have taken on some of Western Australia’s longest trails and competed in a large variety of events across the globe. Mitchell: I’ve been involved behind the scenes of large scale events i.e. IRONMAN. We combined our experience with the shared mission to deliver an event close to Perth that provides a big race feel. We want people to be as passionate about trail running and adventure as much as we are, so a premium and exclusive experience was an important part of the vision. We’re both Exercise Physiologists with a passion for adventure, we worked together for 10 years prior to setting up Transcend Trails. Where did the idea for the race come from? S: I’ve participated in trail races for years, but after picking up a virus in 2020 (which they thought had caused myocarditis), I was told to take it easy and do minimal running. I turned to hiking and was determined to make a trail closer to home, through the untouched Avon Valley. M: We discussed the idea and both felt we could bring something special to Western Australia. It was a convoluted web of 10 key stakeholders but we finally found a path through to Cobbler Pool from Walyunga National park. The route now connects two national parks, one regional park, a wildlife sanctuary, two local government authorities and four privately managed land holdings. Given the long distance and varied terrain, what challenges does the location / course present to you as race organisers? M: Perth isn’t well known for hills but the Avon Valley offers plenty of elevation with 2,700m over the 65km course. This kind of course can be a bit of a shock to locals who typically run on flat footpaths. Additionally the valley in the winter after rain comes to life with a raging river full of rapids, we have one decent water crossing at Wooroloo Brook which adds to excitement but precautions have to be made. S: The course has limited or heavily restricted access due to also being a rail corridor, so we decided we needed to keep an eye on our runners as close as possible. Every runner is issued with a tracker so we can tell if they have been stationary for an extended period of time, or if they have managed to go off course. It is also nice to offer an option for people to watch from afar. The first edition of the race took place in the midst of the pandemic, which must have felt like a leap of faith. What made you decide to take the plunge and launch the race for 2021? S: We started the Transcend pipedream pre-pandemic and had put so much work into getting approvals, we decided to power on and hope that a bit of luck was on our side. Perth had virtually been Covid-19 free through the pandemic, so the isolation bubble gave us more confidence that we would be able to make it happen. M: We have an amazing trail community in Perth and knew that we could get enough participation from Western Australia alone, even if travel domestically wasn’t an option. As it was, we were able to have interstate runners take part which was great. What did you learn from your first year putting on the event? M: There is a massive amount of challenging terrain to cover. Setting up all the course markings, aid stations, takes days to weeks to get right. Then you finally get to the event which has a 14 hour cut-off time. It was definitely draining on the energy and sleep bank. Last year we had a lot of rain during the event and we found the clean up took much longer than the set up. Shane thinks running a 200 miler is easier and quicker to recover from! Has the trail / ultra scene in Australia changed during the time that you have been involved? Are there any trends / changes you are seeing within the sport? S: I ran my first trail event around 2008 in Perth, at that stage It was very much a new sport in Perth and if 100 people came to an event it was a massive turnout. Since then it appears there has been a shift from outcome based events to experience based events. People are shifting towards cyclocross, mountain bikes and trail running rather than pounding concrete or hitting the tarmac. M: The calendar is now full of trail running event options and attendance is growing rapidly. There is still plenty of growth to happen and now that Ironman has bought out UTMB we will see it become more of a professional sport, which is exciting for youth coming through. Australia is a huge country with Perth a few hours by plane from some of the other major Australian Cities, where have your participants come from previously and where would you like to see them come from? M: Our aim is for Transcend to be inclusive, with all nationalities being welcome. Despite the international borders being closed for 2021 we were really pleased with how multicultural the event was. We also had more people travel over from the east coast than we would have expected for our first year, hopefully this will only grow. Teaming up with World Marathons is a great opportunity to put our event in front of those interested in adventure travel. What can participants expect from the Transcend 65k Ultra? S: The 65km course has a bit of everything, single trail, fire trail, steps, steep hills, goat trail, creek crossings, paddocks, ladders over fences and some rocky outcrops. We also have a diverse range of flora and fauna across the valley which all adds to the beauty of the region. The team aspect helps to make a great atmosphere at each aid station, which is great for keeping you motivated. Shane recce’ing the Transcend Ultra route Sustainability is becoming increasingly important for runners when booking and attending races. Do you take any measures to reduce the environmental impact of the Transcend Ultra? S: Transcend Trails has a Give. Gain. Grow philosophy. A part of this is looking after the environment and doing everything we can to be an eco-friendly event. M: We’ve included a range of measures to reduce our impact on the the trails and local ecosystem including; It is mandatory to show evidence of collecting 5 pieces of rubbish from the trails or surrounding community Runners are given the option to opt out of an event shirt We up-cycle wood shingles from an old gaol for our podium trophies, We don’t provide cups at aid stations and ask runners to pack a reusable cup Instead of a finisher medal the finishers plant a tree We encourage carpooling and offer a bus transfer What are your hopes / plans for the race / company over the coming years? M: We are hoping to livestream the race this year which will compliment the tracker aspect and enhance the spectator reach and experience. S: We’d love to see more runners appreciating the route and enjoying the Avon Valley over the coming years. When is the next edition taking place and where can our audience find out more information about the event? S: The Transcend Ultra takes place on the 26th of June 2022! Runners can visit our website for more information https://transcendtrails.com/ or follow us on Instagram @transcendtrails! Entries are open on our website and World’s Marathons – https://worldsmarathons.com/marathon/transcend-65km-ultra Thanks for speaking with us guys, best of luck with this years race. We look forward to watching the race continue to grow in the coming years! Interested in taking part? You can register for the Transcend Ultra on Ahotu – Transcend Trails To feature in our interview series you can drop us an email on blog@worldsmarathons.com Interested in promoting your race with World’s Marathons or Ahotu? Contact us on partners@worldsmarathons.com

Eunan briefing runners at to the start of the Seven Sisters Skyline In this interview series, Ahotu will be speaking with the people behind some of the most unique races across the globe. We’ll be discussing the history of the event, challenges and how to overcome them, attracting sponsors, reaching new runners and more! Thanks for joining us Eunan. We’ve worked with you and the Seven Sisters Skyline race in particular, for a few years now, but for those reading that aren’t familiar with you or your races, could you introduce? Of course! Excel Sports is a Donegal-based sports event company that organise and promote unique long-endurance sporting events, challenges and training around County Donegal, Ireland. We offer four premium events and participation in our hiking/training club, Adventure Running Donegal. Our belief is to be ‘the best you can be’. Our aim is to encourage and empower participants of all levels to engage in health and fitness experiences while appreciating the beauty of the county and all that it has to offer. Our philosophy is that wellbeing is intrinsically linked to being outdoors ,which is why our events and training all take place in stunning locations, surrounded by nature. How did you get started out as a race director and are you a runner yourself? I started running as an 11 year old, and have been involved in sport ever since. I competed in Cross Country races, representing Ireland at U23 level. Injuries meant I always cycled and did my first Triathlon in 1989. I moved to the US in 1994 for 10 years and started to compete in Ironman Triathlons. I qualified for the Ironman World Championships in 2002 & 2003, and broke the Irish record for Ironman in 2006. A serious foot injury stopped me running from 2008, and in 2017 I started putting on some events in Donegal where I saw a gap for endurance events, around that time Donegal was also named ‘Coolest place on the planet’ by National Geographic magazine. I wanted to put on events in scenic rural locations in Donegal, and get people to experience the beautiful landscapes we are lucky to be surrounded by. We now have 4 events on our calendar and welcome participants from all over the world. The Seven Sisters Skyline is certainly a challenging event for runners, with 4,000+ metres of elevation and over a 55k course, what challenges does the course present for you and your team as organisers? It is certainly a very challenging route with big elevation over 55k. It’s Ireland’s toughest mountain running event, and people always underestimate how hard it is. For us as a team it is about managing the route and risk / contingency planning, and of course maintaining communication amongst ourselves throughout. All the hard work is done prior to race day, then it’s a matter of having everyone in place, and getting everyone back in one piece! Your race is nestled in the heart of the Derryveagh Mountains in Ireland, where do your runners typically come from? 90% of participants come from outside of the county (Donegal), and currently we have 17 countries represented for the 2022 edition. We plan to grow this in the coming years, and with World’s Marathons platform reaching a global audience, our event is on a World stage. With international travel increasing again, we hope the event continues to become a bucket list race for International runners. You use Njuko for registration technology and World’s Marathons for International reach / marketing and of course the race offers UTMB points for participants, are there any other partners or platforms you work with or would like to shout out? This year we are delighted to have Kinnegar Brewing as our Lead Sponsor. Kinnegar are a fantastic craft beer company local to Donegal. They have a great attitude to exploring the outdoors and appreciating the good things in life. We can’t wait to provide our participants Kinnegar refreshments at the finish line. We also work with Tourism Donegal and Failte Ireland. Events like these attract participants and visitors to small rural areas in Donegal, providing a much needed economic boost to those areas. Sustainability is becoming increasingly important for runners when booking and attending races. Do you take any measures to reduce the environmental impact of the Seven Sisters Skyline? Our events rely on nature to be possible so there is no one more concerned about sustainability than the runners and us the organisers. All visitors to the Seven Sisters have a responsibility to enjoy the mountain environment in a way that will allow future generations to have similar experiences. Our team is trained in ‘Leave No Trace’ and we follow National Parks guidelines. There is an Errigal Stakeholders Group which have been very active since 2012 so we are aware of best practice in conserving the mountains. We also have an Environmental Scientist on our team to advise of any measures needing to be put in place before, during and after the event. It goes without saying that we make sure no litter is left behind by the event. Anyone working or taking part in the race stays at least two nights so that the area is not just a stop over but somewhere to be experienced. The mountain marshals and aid station groups are local as well as the photographers and videographers etc., to reduce travel. Even our sponsors are local to Donegal! We are always on the lookout for ways to be environmentally friendly and welcome changes of any aspect of the event to meet this aim. What plans do you have for the Seven Sisters Skyline race and Excel Sports over the coming few years? We gained Silver Label World Cup status for the 2022 edition (for our 30k event). This is the first time an event in Ireland has received this accolade; it’s our goal over the next couple of years to host a Gold Label event in Donegal. The legacy created from this year’s event will have immense benefits to the event, area, and Ireland as a World Class outdoor destination. The Silver Label accreditation is the stepping-stone towards the Gold Label event. A Gold Label status event would bring the best athletes in the world to Donegal / Ireland to participate in the event. For Excel Sports in general, we will continue providing the best quality race events in Ireland. We have added a new adventure race to our calendar this year – The Slieve League Adventure Run, on one of Ireland’s most Iconic landscapes – starting at Sea level and climbing 600m on top of some of Europe’s highest sea cliffs. With four events and the bid for the Gold Label we will be kept busy for the next few years, and we couldn’t be happier. What can participants expect from the Seven Sisters Skyline race? Ireland’s Seven Sisters Skyline 55km & 30km has become Ireland’s premier mountain running event and is Ireland’s largest mountain running event with its 500 participants. The event race route runs along the top of all of the Seven Sisters in the Derryveagh mountains from Errigal to Muckish. The course is renowned for its variability in terrain and amazing beauty, along with a route that is very demanding on wild open mountains. Runners tackling technical terrain on the race course. The 2022 30k event is a World Cup Mountain Running Event. It has a €3,000 prize fund and provides WRMA points. The 2022 event is the 5th anniversary of the Skyline 55k, and we are offering a €5,000 prize fund, which will make this the most competitive event of its kind ever in Ireland. Participants can expect to be considerably challenged by the course terrain, awed by the views and completely buzzed from the race atmosphere! When is the next edition taking place and where can our audience find out more information about the event? The next event is coming up on the 21st of May, with the 2023 date TBC. Our website has information on all of our events and you can also find them on World’s Marathons! https://excelsports.events/. Entries are also open on our website and World’s Marathons – https://worldsmarathons.com/marathon/seven-sisters-skyline Thanks for speaking with us Eunan, best of luck with the 2022 edition and we look forward to working with Excel Sports and your outstanding range of races! Interested in taking part? You can register for the Seven Sisters Skyline on Ahotu – Seven Sisters Skyline To feature in our interview series you can drop us an email on blog@worldsmarathons.com Interested in promoting your race with World’s Marathons or Ahotu? Contact us on partners@worldsmarathons.com

Cameron in action at the 2021 Blair Castle Trail Weekender In this interview series, Ahotu will be speaking with the people behind some of the most unique races across the globe. We’ll be discussing the history of the event, challenges and how to overcome them, attracting sponsors, reaching new runners and more! Thanks for joining us Cameron. As founder of Outsider Events and the Blair Caste Trail Weekender you have built a great portfolio of events across Scotland. Could you introduce Outsider Events and the Blair Castle Trail Weekender for those who aren’t familiar? We officially launched Outsider Events in November 2020. It’s been a bit of a mad time to set off with an events company – in a time where, for the large part Covid restrictions haven’t allowed us to do the very thing we’re trying to get off the ground. It’s kind of been a double-edged sword though because the other side of that I feel has allowed us more exposure. In the height of event season, there are so many cool events all around the country, it’s easy to get lost amongst these. However, in a time when there were literally no events on, I think it almost created a blank canvas that enabled new events and companies alike to gain that exposure that may have been more challenging in a full event calendar. We launched Blair Castle Trail Weekender last June with the aim of delivering a trail running festival weekend that caters for all running abilities. With trail races from 5km right up 60km, the weekend saw many people take on their first trail races, right through to GB international runners smashing out the KOM’s. Alongside the trail races, we have overnight camping, outdoor yoga, the Red Bull guys playing tunes from their DJ truck with the Castle and Cairngorm Mountain range as our backdrop, plus the glorious Scottish sunshine made a guest appearance too. As one of the younger race directors on the scene you have built an impressive range of races, how did you get started? I’ve had a range of event-based experience, from running the events programme at a care home to leading Mountain Bike and hiking trips in the Caribbean and Iceland. On paper, these are polar opposite environments, however they both share that element of bringing people together – that’s what I love about events. Since I set off in the event world at the age of 17, I’ve had my heart set-out on starting my own events company. Throughout these various experiences, my head has continually been ticking with event ideas and cool locations – it was just a matter of time before one of these plans gnawing away in my head became a reality. I organised my first event as race director in September 2019 – Stow Triple. An event that first came to mind as a kid immersed in bike racing, wondering “why’s this race not been done before? I’d love to do that!” – from there, things snowballed. You also organise a number of unique cycling events, do you find there are big differences in organising a cycling event vs a running event? And is there a difference between runners and cyclists as participants? We’ve got a couple cycling events in the calendar, with some new one’s on the horizon. It’s interesting, I personally find the running community far more engaging than the cycling world. It’s a difficult one to judge though, as there’s definitely a much larger running market out there. I also think there’s a mentality in cycling where many feel ‘Why would I do an event when I can just go and ride the route myself, for free’? I don’t think that applies to folk racing seriously but for your mid-field/non-competitive cyclists I feel there’s an element of this mentality. Whereas, with running I think it’s far more goal oriented, and a large part of these goals is invariably races and events. 2021 was the first edition of the trail weekender, how did it go and is there anything you are planning to change for 2022? It was great. A real logistical juggling match in the build up to the event with restrictions continually changing but it played in our favour with restrictions lifting literally the night before, allowing us to have a full field. We were fortunate that the date was always going to be the 5th & 6th of June so didn’t have to do any re-shuffling in that sense. It was just a case of really pushing the event and trying to gain as much exposure as we could. This year, we’re hoping for a restriction-free event and are looking to develop the evening entertainment with live music and family friendly activities, guided trail running, plus a wider range of event partners and catering experiences. You’ve got a range of distances on offer from 7k up to 60k, with some challenging elevation on the routes. Are your races only for experienced trail runners or suitable for all? Yes, we’ve got 4 race distances on offer over the course of the weekend. A real underlying focus for the event is inclusivity and we believe there’s something for every level of runner. Our shortest race is 7km on straight-forward terrain – ideal if you’re looking to dip your toe in the world of trail running. However, our 60km Full Tilt Ultra is a bit of a beast, taking in 2 Munro summits of Ben Dearg (1009m) and Carn a Chlamain (963m). A proper testing route with some truly stunning scenes across the vast Cairngorm Mountain range. The event is set amongst stunning Scottish landscapes in the south of the Cairngorms national park. Where do your runners tend to come from? We had such a range in 2021, literally, all over the UK. This year, it’s cool to see some sign-ups from further-a-field too as international travel-restrictions ease. Blair Castle is so accessible being ideally located just off the A9 and only a short drive from all Scotland’s major cities. It also has a train station too, just 5 minutes’ walk from the event village which we’re encouraging attendees to use. Sustainability is becoming increasingly important for runners when attending and choosing races. Do you take any measures to reduce the environmental impact of the Blair Castle Trail Weekender? We’ve got a range of measures in place to try and minimise our environmental impact of the event. This year, we’re not doing T-shirts and opting for an Eco-medal instead. Runners must bring their own bottle/foldable cup to re-fill at feed stations instead of using plastic single-use cups. We’re also actively seeking partners with a similar approach to sustainability. What can participants expect from the Blair Castle Trail Weekender? A weekend of running that has something for everyone, staged in a truly iconic setting. Festival frolics and general good times! When is the next edition taking place and where can our audience find out more information about the weekend? We’re gearing up for the 2nd edition of the Trail Weekender, taking place on the 4th & 5th of June this year. Our main source is the Outsider Events webpage www.outsiderevents.com and social media channels https://www.instagram.com/outsider_events, where you can keep up-to-date with any event announcements. Entries are also open on our website and World’s Marathons – https://worldsmarathons.com/marathon/blair-castle-trail-weekender Thanks for speaking with us Cameron, we look forward to seeing your events continue to grow and wish you all the best with the 2022 edition! Interested in taking part? You can register for the Blair Castle Trail Weekender on Ahotu – Blair Castle Trail Weekender To feature in our interview series you can drop us an email on blog@worldsmarathons.com Interested in promoting your race with World’s Marathons or Ahotu? Contact us on partners@worldsmarathons.com

Briefing runners prior to a Runaway Adventures Trail Ultra In this interview series, Ahotu will be speaking with the people behind some of the most unique races across the globe. We’ll be discussing the history of the event, challenges and how to overcome them, attracting sponsors, reaching new runners and more! Thanks for joining us Chris. We’re delighted to have your events available for our runners across the globe. For those who aren’t familiar with you or your races could you introduce Runaway Adventures? Thanks for having me! Based out of London, England, Runaway Adventures is a race company and community helping runners discover trail running and everything it offers. Our races are an opportunity for runners to compete and challenge themselves in beautiful locations, and around this, we organise social adventures via monthly group runs, regular coaching sessions and lots more. Your races all take place on trails and often over long distances. Is that by design and if so what is it about this kind of event that appeals to you as a race director? Everything we do has a focus on trail. Running in nature allows us to completely disconnect and that’s becoming increasingly important. When someone arrives at one of our races, it is the product of months spent on the trails and enjoying this environment. This process is part of what makes trail and ultra running special. Our core events are 50K in distance, and I think this is the enjoyment sweet spot for trail races, both for me as the organiser and the runners. There is plenty of shorter stuff too – This year, we have three half marathons and a 10k to compliment the ultras. How did you get into organising your own events? Since I started running in the Chilterns back in 2017, I wanted to bring a new event to the area. It’s got a delightful mix of woodlands, ridges and historic trails, and we wanted to create a standout 50k race in that area. After launching the Chiltern Ridge in 2019 it’s been an exciting time, and three years later, we’re up to seven annual events! What is the most challenging part of putting on trail / ultra events? Without a doubt, it’s route planning. There are a vast number of variables to consider to stitch everything together in the right way. The countryside is a diverse place, and before everything else we have to be sensitive to everything that’s already there, from working farms to nesting birds. Then we have to consider safety, reducing road crossings, finding appropriate aid stations, and all without making the overall distance more than advertised – No one likes a 23km half marathon! How has the trail running scene changed in the time in which you have been involved? Any trends you are seeing in trail / ultra running in the UK? The sport is growing, and more people are discovering that trail running is simply running, but in lovely places! Of course, there are plenty of improvements to make, particularly regarding participant diversity, which is something we are working towards at Runaway Adventures. You’ve recently announced a partnership with Athletic Brewing, what do you look for when considering partnerships with brands for your races? We like to partner with organisations that are genuinely interested in trail running and motivated to improve and support those who partake in it. We are proud to be working with Athletic Brewing, alongside Mountain Fuel and Tribe. All great companies doing good things. Sustainability is becoming increasingly important for runners when booking and attending races. Do you take any measures to reduce the environmental impact of your events? We look at this in two ways – Reducing our own footprint and reducing the runner’s footprint. Internally we are constantly aiming to reduce our waste output. This year, we invested in reusable cable ties and purchased more durable signage with a longer shelf life. Where possible, event bases are located within walking or cycling distance to train stations, and we are exploring ways to incentivise runners to use this. Most of your races take place within the South / East of England, and many of them are close to London. Where do you find your runners tend to come from? Through our monthly group trail runs that we’ve been organising since 2017, we’ve created some nice pockets of runners, both from Central London and the surrounding counties. Year on year the participant lists are getting more wide-reaching. May’s Chiltern Ridge has representatives from 20 nations and 45 running clubs. What can runners expect from a Runaway Adventures event? A friendly and welcoming atmosphere. Attention to detail. Local beer on ice at the finish. You’ve got a range of events this year, with three brand new races taking place, could you tell us a little more about those and where can runners learn more about your events? For sure! We’ve got seven races in total with three new races hitting the calendar for 2022. We kick things off on April 2nd with our Hughenden Half Marathon and 10K, a stunning forest run on a historic National Trust Estate. For those not so keen on the hilly stuff, we have a new flatter ultra in the form of the Suffolk Coastal Path 50k (Sept 10th). A point to point run between Lowestoft and Aldeburgh. We then end our season with the Suffolk Coastal Path 50k (Oct 16th), the new sister race of the Chiltern Ridge Ultra Trail 50km and we think it’s going to be a classic! Interested in taking part in a Runaway Adventures Race? Keep an eye on the upcoming events on Ahotu or at RunawayAdventures.com To feature in our interview series you can drop us an email on blog@worldsmarathons.com Interested in promoting your race with World’s Marathons or Ahotu? Contact us on partners@worldsmarathons.com

Dimitar Dimitrov, founder of XCoSports and Race Director for the Pirin Ultra & Pirin Extreme 38k Skyrace. In this interview series, Ahotu will be speaking with the people behind some of the most unique races across the globe. We’ll be discussing the history of the event, challenges and how to overcome them, attracting sponsors, reaching new runners and more! This month, we’re catching up with XCoSports founder and race director of the Pirin Ultra, Dimitar Dimitrov. With the Pirin Ultra & Pirin Extreme 38k recently taking place, we took half an hour to hear how the event went and learn a bit more about what goes into organising some of the most extreme races Bulgaria and Europe have to offer! ‍ Thanks for joining us Dimitar. Firstly congratulations on the recent Pirin Ultra event, it looked fantastic. For people who aren’t familiar with XCoSports and the Pirin Ultra, could you tell us a little bit about the company and the race(s)? XCoSports is actually a collective of companies. We run under several brands, with an outdoor gear distribution business, retail chain, travel agency, sports marketing & publishing business and a sports club. All based mainly in Sofia, Bulgaria and regionally, but also with a small setup in Eagle, Colorado, USA. We deal with and live for anything related to outdoor sports, mountain and surf culture. How did you end up becoming a race director and how long have you been organising events? We started doing events back in 2009 and it has been a long 12 years. Many stories and a lot of amazing memories. It started as a marketing push, but also as a vision to open the local scene for some really bad-ass competitions. Together with my business partner Ivan Savev and friends – we share a passion for skiing, climbing, running, biking, flying and general suffering in the mountains. The first thing that we did was a crazy and now almost legendary adventure race called the XCo Adventure Race which was a 300km+ event. I started as Race Director and kept the position ever since. Six years later we came up with the Pirin Ultra, and grew to include the Parangalitsa Run and Balkaniada race. The team is also involved in the support, safety and organization of some other bike, triathlon and skiing races too. Has the running community / industry in Bulgaria changed at all since you have been involved in the sport? Back in 2010, the trail running was almost non-existent in Bulgaria, at least in terms of events. Then the scene erupted rapidly. This occurred alongside the growth of the international ultramarathon scene, so quite unnaturally the first boom here was mainly in long and really tough events. Then the scene gradually evolved back to shorter runs, park events, Mountain Running, Sky-running and etc. Now there is busy calendar with many races in any style every weekend. We also have some good mountain runners on the international elite level – like Kiril Nikolov, Maria Nikolova, Antoniya Grigorova, Shaban Mustafa and others. The Pirin Ultra has a range of distances, including 160k, 66k & 38k with all routes covering extreme mountain terrain, what are the main challenges for you and your team given the environment and location? The Pirin Mountain range is the toughest in Bulgaria (and we have a lot of mountains!) and definitely one of the toughest in South Eastern Europe. It is in a National Park with strict rules around conservation and also a UNESCO World Heritage site. Under the current rules, and with current capabilities in Bulgaria we have no available aerial support which many other mountain ranges can rely on. The alpine sections are all supported on foot. The weather, the elevation the distances – it is all quite challenging. For example for the Pirin Extreme 38k – the week of preparation, meant for the crew – daily climbs and descents of 2,000m with ropes, gear, water, etc. Some areas of the mountain, especially around the 160k course are remote and wild. To get there takes up to 3 hours of off-road driving from Bansko and another 2-3 hours of hiking and then the real work starts! Would you say the Pirin Ultra is only for experienced mountain runners or suitable for those moving into more advanced trail / ultra running? The 160k and 38k are no joke for sure. The 38k is super technical, with sharp ridges and huge cliffs. The 160k is a super tough race, I would speculate it is the hardest 100 miler in Europe at this stage due to many factors, it’s wild, remote and technically crazy in places. The 66k is a little bit more mellow and has quite generous cut-off times, so people looking to step up into advanced trail running can tackle it, with some proper preparation of course. Where do your runners typically come from? Is it primarily Bulgarian participants or do you see a mix of other countries represented? The race expanded internationally a lot in recent years and typically we have about 70% of registrations coming from outside Bulgaria. Participants come from across the globe with runners this year from 39 countries and 6 continents. The 38k distance was part of the Skyrunner world series, did you do anything differently when designing the route or event with this distance being part of the series? The Skyrunner Worlds Series means a lot of elite runners and worldwide attention, so everything from the start to the finish has to be perfect. This includes the organization of the start-finish zone, course marking and safety, timing, gps tracking, the awards ceremony, prize fund, spectators, photo and video, social media coverage and so on. Small mistakes on the organizer side are noticed by both spectators and runners, so the event demands a “no compromise” attitude from the entire 70+ crew behind the event. You have a range of sponsors / partners featured at the Pirin Ultra, including Stanley, Red Bull, Dolomite and more. What do you look for in a partnership? I think we are really easy to work with as a partner, and we try to give the maximum exposure and support to all sponsors involved. Given the international level of the event and the fact that we are based in Bulgaria – the event is a cost effective platform to reach out to a bigger international audience in the world of Sky-running and Ultramarathons. For example the video we had from this year event had 200k views on social media platforms with the first 5 days, which is a significant reach. I would expect in the coming years there will be more outdoor sports related brands realising the opportunity they have with Pirin Ultra. World’s Marathons (& Ahotu) promote your race to our European & Global audience, are there any other tools / companies you use or want to shout-out? We have several important partners including the International Skyrunning Federation, Skyman, Loggator, Rescue Service (our professional events safety company), Basecamp Tours (which provides full accommodation and transfer packages to international runners), the National Parks, the amazing town of Bansko, local and country authorities to name a few. Of course, the biggest shout-out goes to the crew, which give their heart, soul and muscle power for the event to happen. Finally, this year I would like to specially mention Julen Elorza – who is the best running video content creator out there! What can runners expect from an XCO Sports event? We offer crazy, technical races in amazing, wild, alpine locations, with solid organization, and no-compromises on safety. The food and the vibe are great with accommodation and services at a international competition standard. We try to keep the rules at a minimum, but those we do have are strict. We want to keep the mountaineering and adventure spirit alive, so we provide everything that is required to run in our spectacular mountains, but no excessive pampering or complaints are allowed! What are the next races you have lined up for 2021/22 and where can runners learn more about your events? The plan for 2022 is of course to organise great events in the Bulgarian mountains. We will have the Parangalitsa Run in the Rila mountains, Balkaniada – in the Balkan mountains, and the Pirin Ultra again. Plus there will be several other events which will be supporting behind the scenes. Pirin Ultra is the cherry on the cake, but for runners looking for something off the beaten track – the other 2 events are not to be missed (the Parangalitsa run & the Balkaniada). The best places to get keep up with our new is on the XCoSports and Pirin Ultra Facebook pages, as well as the XCoSports profile in Instagram. We are all over the place! *Thanks for your time Dimitar and thank you for giving us and our readers an insight into your races. Best of luck with the 2022 schedule and we look forward to seeing XCo Sports and the Pirin Ultra continue to grow! * Interested in taking part? Keep an eye on the upcoming edition on Ahotu – Pirin Ultra To feature in our interview series you can drop us an email on blog@worldsmarathons.com Interested in promoting your race with World’s Marathons or Ahotu Marathons? Contact us on partners@worldsmarathons.com