Last weekend’s Soimalai Trail in Tak province in northern Thailand saw many hundreds of runners taking part in one of several race distance categories, which even included a 100 miles and 100km. Soimalai Trail is the fourth and last event of the annual popular Tak Trail series and had obtained the ATM Candidate Race label - just like Tulay Trail six weeks ago. Doi Soimalai is a mountain area covered in pine forests that lies roughly 1600m above sea level, and is known for its ‘sea of fog’.

On the 100 miles we saw very familiar Thai face, Sanya Khancai. However, he had to settle for second place as Kodthananat Anupan managed to grab the win by just two minutes in 27h51. Santichai Salad was third on the podium. Kittiya Piyawan was first female in just under 40 hours. Keson Sinchang and Ravikarn Kumkong joined her on the podium.

Apirat Chaitanarit and Limsiao Ai took the victory on the 100km in the men’s and women’s respectively. Chaitanarit completed the course in 18h33, Limsiao Ai in a solid 20h40. There was also a 65km with the win going to Phissanuwat Inon in 8h27 and Arlene de Abreu in 10h26. The 45km went to Paween Kongyai in 5h21 and Sirikanya Phoobhuaphet in 6h47.

On the official event facebook page of Soimalai you can find a big collection of great photos taken at the event last weekend. Stay tuned for more news on the 2026 edition!

The new Malaysian ATM Candidate Race in Lenggeng in Negeri Sembilan had an interesting conclusion of its main race distance, the 50km. Three runners came together into the finish and two of these were female! Mukminah Paiman and Azzatie Intan Suraya Zamani finished the race in 8h18 together with first male Aiman Azmi. Jie Jun Chua came next four minutes later. Then it was Azri Hasmi as third male. Third step on the female podium was taken by Aliah Ismaei.

One of Malaysia’s top runners in the last two years, also the highest Malaysian point scoring runner in Season 10, Muhammad Faris, won the 30km race. Albeit in a sprint against Ahmad Asyraaf Abas. KL-based Filipino Ritzy Amor also proved her status as one of Season 10’s best points scorers by winning the female 30km.

Trail des Lenggeng is organised by Projek Hijo, the team that also brings you Trail des Gombak in June.

Photo credit: DeeDee TDL25

This weekend we have a new ATM Candidate Race in peninsular Malaysia by the team that also brings you Trail des Gombak in June. Projek Hijo’ Trail des Lenggeng, known in short as TDL, takes place in Dusunnas Farmstay & Campsite, Ulu Beranang in Lenggeng, Negeri Sembilan. That’s the state roughly between Kuala Lumpur and Malacca.

On the race programme we find a 50km main category, with also a 30km and 15km for the less ambitious. There’s 1800 metres of elevation gain on the 50km long route and the start is scheduled at 3 am on 30 November. The shorter distances will commence at sunrise, 7 am. Main highlights on the route include the 140 years old SAK Dato Temple (Malaysia’s largest statue of Monkey King), Bukit Gondol Berup (Trig Station), and Kg Orang Asli Chelogeh

Projek Hijo aims to develop Trail des Lenggeng into a a premier event on the Malaysian and Asia Trail Master trail calendars. Foreseen is a 70km Grandmaster Quest distance in 2026 as well. Ulu Beranang and Lenggeng have natural beauty and cultural richness to attract plenty a trail runner. Lenggeng also aims to position itself as a sustainable eco-sport tourism destination and support environmental conservation, cultural heritage and rural economic development.

On the 50km start list this Sunday we find several known names such as Abdul Rasyid Mohd Salehuddin, Muhammad Asyraf Bin Zulkifli, Metussin Hidayat, Lim Wenshan, Henry Yang and on the 30km there is also Muhammad Faris, the highest ATM points scoring Malaysian of the past Season 10.

Another interesting newcomer on Mindanao’s trail scene in the Philippines: the Altra Philippine Ultra Trail 100. Taking place this weekend at the Freedom Park in Zamboanga City, the new event offers a range of distance categories, of which the Philippine Ultra Trail 100 is the flagship race. The event has obtained the ATM Candidate Race label for this first edition.

Zamboanga City is the second largest city in Mindanao, lying in the southwestern tip of the island - almost as close to Sabah in Malaysia as to Davao. It’s a busy port city with also tourism appeal, in particular the Old Spanish Fort stands out, as part of a long historical journey to the city’s present. Zamboanga City is also often referred to as the ‘City of Flowers’.

Both the 100km and 50km distance categories will commence at 4 am on Saturday morning. Total elevation gain for the 100 is estimated at a significant 6300 hm. The 50 km has about 2800 hm. Cut-off time for the 100 is 32 hours, which implies participants at the back of the field will need to keep moving. It’s 16 hours for the 50km runners.

A number of established championship and Grandmaster runners will be taking part in the new event.

The new ATM Candidate Race in Thailand’s northern Tak Province, Tulay Trail, left quite an impression. A big field of participants across the various distance categories, and a great event and race organisation. Tak Trail Series has been the new “kids-on-the-block” in Thailand for a while and we are looking forward to having them formally included in our Championship and Grandmaster Quest calendars with one or more of their events in 2026.

Tulay Trail, not entirely unexpected, proved to be a race for the tough guys and girls. Perhaps it was also no surprise then that all 100km podium placers were seasoned ultra trail runners aged above 40. In fact, it was good old Sanya Khancai, now 51, who won the race in 19h31 . The finishing time shows how hard the race was. Yotchai Chaipromma and Wassa Buranrat completed the podium together in 20h22. First female on the 100km was Chayanit Wapetch in 28h46. Kullanit Porrametthanapat was second and Isikarn Thubu third.

Chatchai Wanitthanom and Kunnika Tonsakul won the men’s and women’s 75km races respectively, in 14h21 and 18h00. On the 45km medium distance, Krisada Thongjib and Supamas Patchima taking top honours in 7h56 and. 9h58.

A very promising new ATM Candidate Race takes place this weekend in Thailand: Tulay Trail is part of the much talked-about Tak Trail series in the northwest of the country and has obtained the Candidate Race label with a view to being part of our Championship and Grandmaster Quest calendar next year. Proving the solid reputation of the organising team of RunRun, this weekend’s edition of Tulay Trail has attracted many hundreds of runners already - despite the relative remoteness of Tak Province.

The Tak Trail series’ events aim to elevate the regional trail running scene to international standards and showcase its natural and cultural richness. Tulay Trail offers a number of distance categories with a 100km as the main race. Less ambitious runners can also go for the 75km, 45km, 25km or 8km. Elevation gain and technicality should be taken seriously before signing up. Tulay Trail 100 has an estimated elevation gain of 5500 hm and has a cut-off time of 32 hours at the finish line. The 100 km offers a very nice natural loop with the longest climbing coming immediately after the 3 am start, going from approximately 200m to 1400m above sea level.

The long start lists feature some better known trail runners such as Sanya Khancai, still going strong even though now in his fifties. Several Japanese runners are making it to Tulay, and also France’s Emmanuel Abadie, who scored some great race results in Malaysia a while back. The 50km nearly has 340 runners on the start list. The double digit distance shows over 100 names on the list, with another 65 on the 75km.

Good old Sanya Khancai will be running the 100 km at Tulay

It is a pleasure to announce that the new Mt. Anggas Vertical Challenge will be a Candidate Race for Asia Trail Master on 18 January. 2026. It is the first-ever trail running event to be held at the iconic Mt. Anggas in Gitagum, not too far from Cagayan de Oro in Mindanao, Phillipines. Designed to showcase the rugged beauty of Misamis Oriental, this race combines stunning ridgeline views, steep ascents, and community spirit into one unforgettable trail experience.

After Davao and Bukidnon, the northwestern area of Mindanao is also clearly developing into yet another trail hub. Only last week, Impasugong Ridge Ultra took place as well. Mount Anggas Vertical Challenge offers several race distance categories, of which the 42km is the longest. It has 1800 metres of elevation gain. Less ambitious runners can also choose the 21km, 15km or 10km categories. 

Mount Anggas has been a popular hiking and trekking destination for a while. It is a grassland mountain range, rich in minerals and rocks. Not very high, but providing great scenic views across the region nonetheless.

The event is organised by Bakyard Events in cooperation with LGU Gitagum. As Jay Lorenzo Amarga states: “We aim to highlight Mt. Anggas as a premier trail running destination in Mindanao while promoting eco-tourism, sustainability, and mental health awareness.”  The event therefore has a long horizon, envisaging gradual growth towards one of the country’s flagship trail events. 

The event is very easy to access for those coming from a bit further away. Mount Anggas is basically next to Laguindingan Airport, the airport of Cagayan de Oro. Via the facebook page below, you can get all details including links to the registration page.

It’s another busy weekend in the Philippines with the Grandmaster Quest event Santa Cruz Trail Ultra near Davao, and on the other side of Mindanao, the Impasugong Ridge Ultra near Cagayan de Oro. A new ATM Candidate Race, which will have its third edition and the main race - 55km - starting on Sunday early morning.

Organised by Trillchaser Sports Promotion Services and directed by experienced trail runner Juliet Chavez, Impasugong offers a challenging and scenic 55km race. Impasugong Ridge Ultra aims to provide for runners of all levels. The 55km is the flagship race, but there’s also a 30k and a 15k for the less ambitious. Participants on the 55 will need to conquer no less than 2600 hm of elevation gain: not nothing. For competitive runners, the last 10k are downhill and flattish to the finish, so one better keep some juice in the legs.

On the start list of the 55km we find new names almost throughout the list, which proves again the enormous boom of trail running that has been happening since covid on this large southern island in the Philippines. Mind you, the list is 110 lines long - just for the 55km. We are looking forward to getting to know some of them this weekend.

We are very happy to announce that the popular Minamiaso Caldera Trail on the southern Japanese island of Kyushu has obtained the ATM Candidate Race label for its ‘winter edition’ on Saturday, 20 December 2025. It will be the 11th edition of the event, which features a 50km main race category in and around Minamiaso and one of the world’s largest volcanic calderas. For international runners, Minamiaso could be combined with Izu Trail Journey, the ATM Championship & Grandmaster Quest points race taking place six days earlier.

Organised by Local Gain Inc, Minamiaso brings together maximum 1500 runners across three race categories. Apart from the flagship 50km, there is also a 30km, a 18km and 2km for less ambitious runners. The 50km is not to be underestimated with approx 2500 metres of elevation gain, as well as potential snow and chilly temperatures. It is a beautiful course, which is designated as a national park in Japan.

Actually, Minamiaso Caldera Trail takes place twice a year: once in winter and once in summer (July). Runners can therefore enjoy two different experiences each year.

Minamiaso is a village in Kumamoto Prefecture, which has an international airport with flights to a.o. Hong Kong, Seoul, Busan, Shanghai and Taiwan. Of course, there are also plenty of domestic connections to Tokyo, Osaka etc. Note that Fukuoka, Japan’s fifth biggest city on the northside of Kyushu island, is just a 2-hour drive away from Kumamoto and Minamiaso as well. International runners could target Fukuoka airport, too, and take a shinkansen to Kumamoto (50 minutes).

The website of the event is fully translated in English and linked below. Note that registration is open and expected to be full by the end of October.

Photos below by PhotomorU.

We are happy to announce that the popular Race To Lake Holon in South Cotabato, Philippines, has obtained the ATM Candidate Race label for its next edition on 6/7 December 2025. Presented by the Barangay Salacafe Council, in partnership with Tribu Pakaras & Tboli Multisports and supported by Municipal Government of Tboli, Department of Tourism- Socckskargen Office, Tboli Tourism Development and Promotion Unit, Race to Lake Holon features a 50km main race category, which in the past two years saw two of Philippines’ biggest names Arnie Macaneras and Angelie Cabalo taking top honours. Less ambitious runners can also choose between the 21km, 12km and 7km.

The 50km race also has 3000 metres of elevation gain, which is not nothing. The cut-off time is 16 hours, which essentially means Sunday, at 4:00 pm in the afternoon as the start is foreseen for midnight at Salacafe Gym.

One of the key figures behind the organisation is Grandmaster Florencio Alave.

Race To Lake Holon can be accessed via the General Santos Airport via domestic flights from Manila or Cebu. Davao’s international airport is a bit further away, but another option.

Arnie Macaneras and Angelie Cabalo have been back-to-back winners of the main race

From the makers of Trail des Gombak now also comes Trail des Lenggeng. Projek Hijo in Malaysia announces the second edition of ‘TDL’, as the event is known in short, for the weekend of 29/30 November and it has obtained the ATM Candidate Race label. The event takes place in Dusunnas Farmstay & Campsite, Ulu Beranang in Lenggeng, Negeri Sembilan. That’s the state roughly between Kuala Lumpur and Malacca.

On the race programme we find a 50km main category, with also a 30km and 15km for the less ambitious. There’s 1800 metres of elevation gain on the 50km long route and the start is scheduled at 3 am on 30 November. The shorter distances will commence at sunrise, 7 am. Main highlights on the route include the 140 years old SAK Dato Temple (Malaysia’s largest statue of Monkey King), Bukit Gondol Berup (Trig Station), and Kg Orang Asli Chelogeh

Projek Hijo aims to develop Trail des Lenggeng into a a premier event on the Malaysian and Asia Trail Master trail calendars. Foreseen is a 70km Grandmaster Quest distance in 2026 as well. . Ulu Beranang and Lenggeng have natural beauty and cultural richness to attract plenty a trail runner. Lenggeng also aims to position itself as a sustainable eco-sport tourism destination and support environmental conservation, cultural heritage and rural economic development.

Registration for Trail des Lenggeng is already open via Checkpointspot. All details can be found on the website of Projek Hijo and you can stay up to date via the event’s facebook page.

We are happy to announce that the 3rd edition of Impasugong Ridge Ultra in Bukidnon has received the ATM Candidate Race label for the event on 28 September 2025. Organised by Trillchaser Sports Promotion Services and directed by experienced trail runner Juliet Chavez, Impasugong offers a challenging and scenic 55km race near Cagayan de Oro on the western side of Mindanao island in Philippines.

The event is even more testimony of the boom of trail running in Mindanao and particularly Bukidnon since the end of the corona crisis. Impasugong Ridge Ultra aims to provide for runners of all levels. The 55km is the flagship race, but there’s also a 30k and a 15k for the less ambitious. Participants on the 55 will need to conquer no less than 2600 hm of elevation gain: not nothing. For competitive runners, the last 10k are downhill and flattish to the finish, so one better keep some juice in the legs.

Registration is open and goes via the established platform RaceTech in Philippines. For more details on the event, you can consult the facebook page, also linked below. To reach the event, you need to fly into Cagayan de Oro. The airport is actually closer to the event site than CDO City.