We are delighted to announce the new cooperation with Australian elite trail runner Majell Backhausen as our official coach and training consultant. Majell is a multiple race winner as part of the international Salomon and Suunto team, and is also a regular member of the national team of Australia for the world championship of trail running. Majell not only offers his practical running experience, but in his backpack he also carries advanced educational degrees in coaching, fitness and effective movement training,  project management, and nutrition. Everyone is invited to contact Majell. Be it for a proper training plan for that first 100km race, seeking a tangible improvement in your running output, or simply for advice on how to actively recover from a big ultra. 

Majell loves trail running, and is known for his friendly approach to all matters. From now on, he is happy to share  his knowledge so all of you can have an even better and more fun experience in your next Asia Trail Master race! 

Please read Majell's brief for the consultancy options that best meets your needs. 

Photos: Andy Lloyd Creative, Andrew Railton, Ben Read Photography

Trail running in Vietnam. When you say it, it sounds like the most logical thing. Yet little is known about trail races in the geographically very diverse Southeast Asian country, with the sole exception of the Vietnam Mountain Marathon in Sapa, organised by Topas,  a Danish-owned travel company. It is an event - part of our Asia Trail Master series - that has seen its international attendance grow year after year. Still, contrary to other places where trail running has boomed in the last few years, think of Indonesia or China, no other Vietnamese events have made it into people's consciousness. We thought it a good idea to try and learn more about the running scene in Vietnam, and spoke with Nguyen Tien Dat. A keen runner himself and reporter for the online sports magazine Web Thethao. And yes, he has even finished the Vietnam Mountain Marathon already, too! 

By K. Van de Velde

Where are you from in Vietnam exactly?

I was born in Ha Tay (in the vicinity of Hanoi, the capital of Vietnam). Where I live, there are lots of beautiful landscapes, and many ancient temples with historical and cultural values. One of the most attractive spot is Perfume pagoda with splendid scenery of mountains, caves, and winding rivers all along. 

Is running an important sport in your country? what is the biggest sport in Vietnam?

Currently in Vietnam, running is not the most important sport receiving lots of attention. The favorite sport in Vietnam right now is soccer (football). However, the running trend has started to develop in a more organized way and in multiple running communities in Vietnam. 

Was running something you have always done, or is it a recent hobby?

Nearly 3 years ago, I thought I only needed to run 2 to 3 km every morning to stay healthy and I never imagined participating in international races. I met up with others who share my running hobby via social networks, as I was influenced by their running spirit. And gradually, I trained for longer distances of 10, 15, 25, then 30km leading to the first road marathon in my life, and then the Vietnam Mountain Marathon (VMM) a month later. Up to now, running is my joy in life. A week without running and/or cross training, I would feel empty, like missing something.

Are you member of a running club? 

I am a member of Long Distance Runners (LDR), which got established more than 2 years ago. Group members come from all over Vietnam, including expats working here and overseas Vietnamese. We organize regular runs together on Sundays. Close to races like VMM, we have more frequent trail running activities in the vicinity of Hanoi.

Do you have any sports idols, athletes you look up to?

Currently I don’t have any idol. Before, like other kids, I used to worship one soccer player - Eric Cantona. But then, no more. I like and admire the extraordinary talents of many international athletes, but don’t idolize them.

When did you discover your talent as a runner?

I don’t consider myself a talented runner. There are many better runners than me in Vietnam

What does your training plan look like? Do you have a coach?

I don’t have any personal trainer, I train on my own or with other members in the group. Regarding training plan for running, I usually have a long run on the weekends. On working days, I do shorter runs and other cross training/core workout.

Do you pay attention to your food before a race? Are there any special products you take in preparation for your race?

I do pay attention to nutrition prior to the race. I usually just eat regular food. Nothing special, I would bring some energy gel packs but i’m not used to it.

Do you also run road marathons? If yes, what is your personal best time?

I ran the Da Nang International Marathon. My official time was 4 hours 21 minutes. My next goal is to run a personal best under 4 hours at the Halong Heritage Marathon taking place in Ha Long Bay in November 2016 [more info and registration for this road marathon can be done via us here].

Vietnam's geography seems perfect for all kinds of trail running races, yet the Vietnam Mountain Marathon seems like the only one. Do you know of other races?

VMM used to be the largest trail running race in Vietnam. However, this year, there are 2 new trail running races: Vietnam Victory Challenge in Da Lat (March 2016) with the longest distance of 50km, and Ultra Trail Nam Cat Tien in the national park Nam Cat Tien (May 2016), with the longest distance of 60km. Even though the trail running community hasn’t really grown drastically, it has shown some promising signs. New trail running races create more playgrounds for trail runners in Vietnam. Besides, there are some small grassroots races organized by different groups and clubs.

What do you like so much about the Vietnam Mountain Marathon? Will you take part this year again? 

It is hard to describe what I like about VMM. I like the cool air there in Sapa, I like the changing scenery of all 4 seasons within a day, I like the simple ethnic minority people - innocent and friendly when we ran through their villages, I like small trails along the mountains covered in the ocean of clouds, i like the golden rice fields in the harvest time, I like the smell of mud after the rain, I like the stone walls spotted with wild flowers along the way, I like the challenging Silver Stone hill standing against the finish line to provoke runners. All my descriptions here, though,  can’t fully illustrate what it feels like in reality. You can only experience VMM in the Hoang Lien Son mountain range.

I will run VMM this year. A bit more challenging each year. I want to complete the first 100km in Vietnam after 2 consecutive years 42km (2014) and 70km (2015). This will be a great challenge with high risk for me as i don’t have any experience of trail running in such long distance, even though i have tried close to 90 km road running during the 12h challenge organized by LDR.

Have you taken part in trail races outside of Vietnam already? Which ones?

Unfortunately, I haven’t joined any trail race outside of Vietnam yet. I hope for next year to participate in marathon, ultra marathon, trails in other countries in the region - Thailand, Cambodia, Hong Kong or Singapore.

What was your best and your worst experience as a trail runner?

One of my most memorable moments is from last year VMM. At the last 7km, facing the Silver Stone, which is the last and hardest obstacle of the 70km race. It was already dark by then, and I kept dragging each heavy step trying to reach the top. Luckily, I didn’t get lost that day, suffered from cramps, or had to deal with any insects or reptiles.

What is your dream as a trail runner?

Like for many other trail runners, UTMB has always kept its magic and irresistable attraction.

What do you think about the Asia Trail Master series?

ATM series will motivate trail runners, adventurers seeking challenges and milestones to accomplish. Complete 6 ATMs long distance races and obtain the title of Asia Trail Grandmaster is a great honour for any trail runner!

In Cambodia we have seen several significant running events being developed in the past few years. Do you think Vietnam can follow this trend? 

Most definitely! As I mentioned above, the running community in Vietnam is growing. Many running clubs are being formed throughout the country. Many road marathons and ultra trails have already been organized, even though not yet reaching the scale of other countries in the region. It's still small, but the numbers of participants have increased. I am among the core team of the LDR and have been following the sport community regularly so i can witness these positive movements.

What is the biggest brand in Vietnamese trail running today?

The largest commercial brand for trail running in Vietnam is currently Salomon. They are the first and only sport brand with an official distribution in Vietnam. Hopefully, in the near future, other famous brands will try out the Vietnamese market.

Would you like trail running to become an olympic sport in the future?

Why not? Recently, I had a chance to follow and write up about triathlon in the Ironman 70.3 in Da Nang, Vietnam. Triathlon is an official Olympic sport. Challenges during trail running are not any less tough or gruelling, and just as emotional as for those triathletes. Trail running deserves to be recognized as an Olympic sport in the future.

What is your favourite running music?
I hardly listen to music while running. Actually, while running on the street, I want to listen to the sound of traffic and the sound of life. While trail running, sound of the woods, of birds singing, the sound of water running, and the shifting sound of the trail are way more attractive to me than any music. To me, those are best music.

Good luck in your forthcoming races, Nguyen Tien Dat! 

Picture by David W Loyd Photography

The 1st Baturu Trail is a race held in a place with the most weird name for racing in Chinese. It is a race with the most unique of old Manchuria features. It is a race with grueling challenges to test the warrior inside you. It is the 2017 Asia Trail Master candidate race, the Baturu Guanmenshan 50km in the Guanmenshan Scenery Zone of Benxi City, Liaoning Province, one of the main cradles and bases of the legendary Manchus, which established its own state and reigned China as the Qing Dynasty for 268 years with 12 emperors.

By Xiaozhao Zhao
 
The organiser of the Baturu Trail was honest: “We like making things harder, so runners will have an impressive and worthy tour and cherish their opportunity to race here with us more than in other places. Perhaps it is the most difficult 50 km in mainland China. The course is inspired by the selection of the Eight Brigades elite warriors under the direct command of the emperors of the Qing Dynasty. Only the lucky soldiers with extreme physical and mental competence were to be enlisted into the Eight Brigades in the early years of the Post-Jin state (Qing dynasty, later). Baturu is a Manchurian word referring to these ferocious soldiers. We also set an additional special time-trial reward for the runners who run the 50k: to every man finishing in 10 hours and woman smashing 11 hours, a big jade ring will be awarded. This jade ring was first used as a tool to drag the string of a bow, then it became gradually a symbol of bravery and power of the very influential Manchuria military leaders including the emperor himself. Of course, all race finishers will also be given an arrowhead-shaped medal, which is another feature of military traditions of the Manchus. ” 
 
The hot debate of the race's difficulty, along with the tale of the big jade ring had attracted lots of attention in the Chinese running community. How tough is the race? There is a joke about the name of the event's venue called “Guanmenshan” (关门山 in Chinese, pinyin: guan-men-shan). In Chinese, Guanmen (关门 in Chinese, pinyin-guan-men) stands for closed door, while the first priority in any race for trail runners is to avoid being cut off by struggling to the finish line before the deadline. Probably the weird venue name alone suggested the nature of the challenge. Judging from the basic data, we find 50 km, 3800m elevation gain, 800m drop (1100m highest/300m lowest) and 85% of the route natural trail. However, this is not the whole story about its toughness. There are 7 major steep ascents/descents. Runners have to climb up and down among big stones in woods, cut though creeks by jumping along the narrow and wet boulders and endure the scratches of bushes with thrones as well as scorching sunshine of nearly 30 degrees Celsius in daytime. What’s more, all these are supposed to be done in a pressing 14.5 hours with 5 checkpoints that each have their own time limit.
 
Benxi is a famous city in the history of Chinese industrialization because of its abundance in coal and iron mines etc. It had been regarded as The Steel City for a long time. Being a Baturu is the best way to find the nature around such a city with its full spectrum of heavy industry.
 
The race is not only an exploration of your limit of persistence, but also a discovery of natural beauty. The Guanmenshan Scenery Zone is a great museum of geology. There are many spectacular landscapes sculpted by the forces of nature over millions of years ago, such as peaks, caves and cliffs. A variety of animals also live in this area with dense plants. It boasts 50 kinds of Class II protected animals and 120 kinds of maples alone.

The race course was well marked overall. However, in the dense forest, finding the marks still required patience and good feeling at times. A handheld GPS with pre-load track and ISO height curves will help a lot in some parts to increase your confidence in orienteering.

Logistics were great and well-organised. Abundant nutrition was piled up at checkpoints with smiling volunteers waiting for runners. Delicious local food such as hot mutton soup was offered as well. What's more, in the rest zone at the finish, roasted strings soups noodles and beer were entirely free for runners!
 
143 runners took part in the 50km race, top 3 of each gender group as follow:
 
Male (123 in all with 58 finisher in gender group)
Bo CHEN 07:42:03
Fuyue LI 08:00:51
Chunfu WANG 08:52:54
 
Female (20 in all with 6 finisher in gender group) 
1Qian ZHANG 10:26:18
2Lihong ZHANG 11:13:21
3Yufen XIA 12:06:04

From the dawn to the dusk, in the end, around 10 males finished within 10 hrs and 11 females within 11 hrs. The total number of finisher is 64, that is to say, 45%. 
 
Among all the runners, the low-profiled and old-school local semi-pro Qian ZHANG is a familiar prize hunter in many Chinese races, from the toughest 100km to the 1500m on the track. Even in her fifties now, she still scores podium places and collects money from races frequently thanks to her exceptional endurance. In daily life, she is an ordinary worker in a big steel company with her beloved family. Qian Zhang was clear about the Baturu Trail afterwards: “It is the most challenging 50 km I have ever run! But the organizer did an almost perfect job to make such an amazing race possible!"

Fuyue Li, second in the men's race,  is also a familiar face on the podium of ultra trail races in Mainland China with a bunch of achievements such as winning the 2014 TNF 100 in Beijing in rain and mist. Running and taking care of his mother are all part of his very limited spare time as a plumber in Beijing Normal University. His kindness and his attitude of never complaining about harsh life conditions, has also built him a great reputation in  the running community along with solid results in races. In late 2014, he made his debut in a very inspiring short film about the promotion of the BNU.
 
Another local runner, Hao Chen, ranked 4th in Asia Trail Master’s Ultra Trail Tu Wenchuan in the middle of May. “I am very happy with my race here. I helped the organizer with field jobs during preparation. During the 9.5 hrs route recon we estimated it might cost around 8 hrs for the top runners. In the end the winner came in 7 hours 42 minutes!"
 
The Baturu Trail may have a focus on the toughness of its 50km, but the organisation also offers 30km and 5km categories for beginning or less ambitious runners. 
 
The campfire ceremony after the race added a great extra social element for all new running Baturus! 

The new Baturus with the big jade ring! 

That's the jade ring

Campfire, roasted meat and beer at the finish of the Baturu Trail! 

The Cordillera Mountain Ultra, follow-up to the Marathon organised in previous years, did not miss its debut in Dalupirip, Itogon yesterday. The first Filipino points race in the 2016 Asia Trail Master series saw a very close battle for victory in the men's 50k race, and drama in the women's. On the top step of the podium stood Marcelino Sano-Oy and Gretchen Felipe as the day's champions. Runners and spectators spoke of a truly well-organised event with a fantastic running course, which made the journey to the remote area very much worthwhile. "CMU was publicity for the sport of trail running," one happy finisher said afterwards. 

Marcelino Sano-Oy

Gretchen Felipe

The race started at 4 a.m. just before dawn, and runners only had a few kilometers to warm-up as the ascent of Mount Ugo began quickly. Marcelino Sano-Oy, a 26-year-old local runner, had already taken the lead, but was closely followed by the experienced Alison Telias. Sano-Oy is a previous winner of the Cordillera Mountain Marathon and knew the terrain very well. Yet, Telias kept chasing him and was at times less than a minute behind. In the descent of Mt Ugo the pressure seemed to be getting to Sano-Oy, as he had to stop and stretch to stop the cramps he started to suffer from. Telias caught up and passed him, but eventually Sano-Oy fought back in the late stages of the race and reclaimed first spot! At the finish, Sano-Oy took the victory with a 3-minute gap over Al Telias in 6:06:36. In a join third place were teammates Aldean Philip Lim and Eric Gueb in 7:05:19. One of the pre-race favourites, Thumbie Remigio, injured himself during the vertical kilometre race on Saturday, and opted to run the 21km instead. The shorter race was won by Roland Wang. 

The women's 50k race had a rather unexpected outcome as big favourite Majo Liao sprained her ankle in the early part of the race. Liao could not react to her challengers as for most of the rest of the race she could only walk and not run. Showing a high degree of mental strength, Liao nevertheless continued and finished ... even on the podium! These could be important points for her in the ATMs ranking later this year.  The race was won by Gretchen Felipe in 7:25:58, which is a strong result as well for the experienced runner. Next to Felipe on the podium in second place was Penny Nepomuceno (7:53:59). 

As part of the podium prize package, both Marcelino Sano-Oy and Gretchen Felipe have received free race entries for the Magnificent Merapoh Trail in Malaysia. 

Koi Grey

This Sunday's Cordillera Mountain Ultra is the first race for Asia Trail Master championship points in the Philippines this year. The 50km main event takes place on and around Mount Ugo in the vicinity of regional centre Baguio, and is organised to the benefit of environmental NGO Cordillera Conservation Trust. While current points leader Manolito Divina is still allowing his body to recover from the Malaysia Eco 100, several other strong Filipino runners will be starting this weekend. Among those is Majo Liao in the women's, who is the double winner of CM 50 Ultra, the Philippines' SuperTrail race at the end of November. Liao is expected to be one of the protagonists for the women's championship as the season develops. Quite a few women in the start list for CMU, though, so one never knows if someone causes an upset on race day. 

In the men's we have an open race on paper. Local area experience may boost chances of Thumbie Remigio, who earlier this week spoke of the challenge of climbing Mt Ugo the way they do in CMU, and Alison Telias. Jonel Mendoza and MTB champion Arnold Lozano are others to watch out for, along with a contingent of foreign runners. 

CMU follows the Cordillera Mountain Marathon that was organised last year. While Mount Ugo dominates the race profile, fast climbers will need to ensure to keep something in reserve for the final 8 km to the finish in Dalupirit. The start of the race is scheduled for 4:30 a.m. and as usual we will be reporting live on social media, subject to available connectivity. 

All runners are also encouraged to support the work of the Cordillera Conservation Trust. Every small donation counts, and, in any case, the local coffee is excellent!

Mount Ugo in CMU this Sunday

Runners will need to cross a few bridges this weekend

Majo Liao is a big race favourite in the women's 50k. 

TEXT

This weekend the Asia Trail Master series goes to the Philippines for the first points race of the 2016 season. The Cordillera Mountain Ultra in Dalupirit, one hour from Baguio City, is a 50km mountain run featuring Mount Ugo. The Cordillera is an area with loads of sporting and hiking activity. One man who is omnipresent, either as an athlete or as an event organiser, is 42-year-old outdoor specialist Thumbie Remigio. Often, Thumbie is nicknamed the King of the Forest in his neighbourhood. The former mountaineer quite simply loves the trails and when competing in triathlon or duathlon races he needs to force himself to forget his natural dislike for asphalt. Or to dream of his next Xterra event. Thumbie Remigio has achieved a great pedigree in trail running, so let's see what he has to say in advance of this weekend's race.  

By K. Van de Velde

Thumbie's favourite running tunes

TR: I don’t really listen to music when I’m running. Running in the mountains heightens my senses and I want to hear all the natural sounds of the environment as much as possible. But if I really have to, I prefer the music of the “Ramones”, Red Hot Chili Pepper”, “Cold Play”, “U2” and “Maroon 5”.

Q: Where are you from in Philippines exactly?

TR: Quezon city, Metro Manila

Is running your favourite sport, or do you prefer the MTB?

I prefer both although I’ve been spending a lot of times running lately, but every time I finish a big trail race, I do cycling as my recovery exercise.

You are also part of an event organisation team called Adrenaline Multisport. Could you tell us a bit more about your company?

We are a race organizing company that specializes on off road running, cycling, adventure races and multi-sport races, we’ve been into it since 1999.

Do you have any sports idols, athletes you look up to?

I have a few, yes:  Scott Jurek and Kilian Jornet in running, John Howard and Ian Adamson in adventure racing, Peter Sagan and Fabian Cancellara in cycling, and Manolito Divina as my local running hero.

What is so special about the outdoors for you?

What draws me into the outdoors is the sense of freedom, and the quietness and beauty of nature. Running or mountainbiking takes me away from the noise and the stress of living in the city.

What does your training plan look like? Do you have a coach?

I’m an old school guy, I don’t really follow a structured training regimen, and my training depends on what I feel and think that I should do on a particular day.  This style doesn’t cause me too much pressure and makes me enjoy what I’m doing. Usually, my day consists of a run and a bike ride (road or trail) in the morning and strength and conditioning in the afternoon then I try to squeeze in playing Ultimate Frisbee and sport climbing at least twice a week. My Saturday is for long runs and my Sunday is for long rides. I don’t have a coach but I look at the internet for training plans, programs, tips and nutrition.

Do you pay attention to your food before a race? Are there any special products you take in preparation for your race?

I usually take a lot of fluids a week before a long race, I also do my carbo loading a week prior to the race and i also take protein supplement for my recovery before and after a race. During a race I prefer to bring my wife’s specially made banana bread, bacon and lots of energy gels.

Have you run and road marathons? If yes, what is your personal best time?

I’ve run a few road marathons and my PB time is 3:35

These days there are so many trail running events in the Philippines, also in the Cordillera. What is special about CMU?

What’s so special about the CMU is the beauty and vastness of the place; you get to see the other side of Mt. Ugo, which is not frequently used by hikers and runners. The race will bring out the best in every runner as the course is very challenging and is properly and well organized by the Cordillera Conservation Trust.

Have you taken part in trail races outside of Philippines already? Which ones?

I’ve been to the Mt. Fuji  race, Vibram HK 100 in Hong Kong, Mild 7 outdoor quest in China, Sabah adventure Challenge in Malaysia, River Kwai race in Thailand, Action Asia races in HK, Thailand and Macau, AXN races in Malaysia, HK and Singapore ,and so on.. 

What was your best and your worst experience as a trail runner?

Best: Running 100 miles in the mountains of the Cordilleras

Worst:  Running 100 miles in the mountains of the Cordilleras

What is your dream as a trail runner?

To be able to run and see more of the Philippine mountains and trails, and run beautiful trail races around the world. Help improve the lives of people living in the mountain through trail running and hope that someday, trail running in the Philippines will get more support from the government in the same way as with road running.

What do you think about the Asia Trail Master series?

ATM is now hugely popular among trail runners in Asia and around the world. It’s a very good way of promoting trail and mountain running across Asia and it increases the competitiveness of runners in the region. It also showcases beautiful trail races in Asia that draws the attention of runners from other regions of the world.

Manolito Divina, your compatriot, has just run an astonishingly quick 100 miles in Malaysia and is leading the 2016 ATM championship ranking. Do you see any runners who can or have beaten him in the Philippines?

Right now, Manolito is at the peak of his running career and with his discipline, focus, experience  and good attitude, I can’t see any local runner beating him for the next  3 or  4 more years.

This year in the ATMs, we have races on Luzon and also on Mindanao. Is there a difference between the two regions?

In Mindanao Mountains, you usually run on volcanoes (active and dormant), in jungle and dense forest. In Luzon, specifically in the Cordillera, you usually run on mossy and pine forest and grasslands. Most of the Philippines' high peaks are in Mindanao and Northern Luzon, the challenge and the experience for the runners depends on how the organizers will present the race and the organizers capability in managing and conducting a good race.

How is trail running regarded in your country's society? 

Before, it was treated as a dangerous, dirty and expensive activity but thanks to social media,trail running is getting a huge boost and becoming hugely popular among regular road runners, multi-sport athletes and adventure seekers. Also the proliferation of races everywhere helped a lot in raising the awareness and interest in the sport.

Why do you think Filippino people love sports so much? 

I think it’s natural to us because of our environment; we are surrounded by the sea and the mountains and our natural instinct dictates that we explore them by swimming, running and riding through them.

Would you like trail running to become an olympic sport in the future?

Why not? With Manolito’s success in the Asia Trail Masters, he has shown that Filipinos can compete at a higher level in the international trail running arena. Maybe we can get our 1st Olympic gold in trail running.

Good luck in CMU this weekend! 

We have 2 FREE race entries for international runners to the ECHIGO COUNTRY TRAIL in Japan on 19 June! The first Asia Trail Master points scoring race in the country features a scenic and cultural 52km (2000 hm) in the pre-Alps north of Nagano. It is the last race for points before the summer break. 

You get to the Echigo Country Trail via Tokyo and a train connection to Nagaoka in Niigata. From there, the organisation has shuttle busses arranged at given times.

To win a free race entry you just need to answer the following question:

What is the name of the forest park that hosts the start & finish of the race?

We accept your answers via private message here on facebook, or via info@asiatrailmaster.com , and this until midnight on Thursday (i.e. in 30 hours).

Find out all details of the event via our cover page:
http://www.asiatrailmaster.com/#/echigo-country-trail/

And don't forget, there is a welcoming party on Saturday afternoon as well!

While this year's Asia Trail Master series is in full swing, we are already beginning to look ahead to 2017 as well. The following three events taking place in June and July have applied to be points scoring races next year and thus are labelled Candidate Races. We will be providing a race report on each of those three events, and of course also welcome comments from participants.  

Stay up-to-date on our 2017 Candidate Races, races Beyond Asia, and great road running events in our designated section.

BATURU TRAIL - Liaoning Province, Northeastern China on 5 June. The event features a tough 50km with approx 3500 Hm in the beautiful hills of Benxi near Shenyang. 

Mount Hamiguitan Trail, Mindanao Island in Philippines on 26 June. Another 50km on a famous mountain that is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Enter the area via Davao. 

Altai Ultra Trail, Siberia in Russia on 15 to 17 July. A new event for adventurers with three race distances. Altai borders Mongolia, China and Kazakhstan and is a remote mountain region. You need time to get there (via Novosibirsk, ideally) but your perseverance will certainly be rewarded! 

This weekend marks the start of the 2nd GlobalLimits stage race of the season that qualifies for Asia Trail Master ranking points. The Last Secret in Bhutan, in its 4th edition, remains a special event on our calendar given its mystical location and the continuous high altitude. In total, participants will cover 200 km in 6 stages. It starts in Thimphu and ends at the world famous monastery Taktshang Goemba, also known as the Tiger's Nest. 

Competitors come from all over the world for this week long event in the Himalayan country. One familiar name in the Asia Trail Master series catches the eye on the list of participants, namely Veronique Messina. The Cambodia-based French runner ended sixth in last year's female championship and won the Wild Elephant Trail stage race. 

Stay tuned via our social media channels for updates on the race during the week. 

The last SuperTrail of the 2016 Asia Trail Master series has opened its registration. The 6th edition of Clark-Myamit Falls Ultra in the Philippines will take place on Sunday, 27 November and offers the traditional 50 miles main race, and the shorter 60km B-race. Pay attention: the regular registration is limited to 300 spots! 

CM 50, as it is often abbreviated, has developed into a genuine classic on the Asian calendar and the event organisation was rated very highly by both domestic and international participants last year. While the race course is relatively straight-forward, out-and-back to the Myamit Falls, the atmosphere before, during and after the event are exemplary. Although not the final race on our Asia Trail Master calendar, the 50 SuperTrail bonus points for finishers will be significant for runners aiming for the championship. That includes Manolito Divina, current leader in the points standings, and who is very much at home in this race. He won it the past two years! 

The main race is 50 miles or 82 km long and has a total elevation gain of approx 3100 Hm. There is a cut-off time of 18 hours, and 16 hours for the shorter 60k race distance. 

Check out concise details of the event via our cover page. To register, visit the CM 50 website. 

TEXT

The 2nd edition of Ijen Trailrunning in Bondowoso, East Java, Indonesia, had an awesome conclusion of the main 70km race as 2015 Asia Trail Master champion Arief Wismoyono and his compatriot Yohanis Hiarei sprinted to the finish line after 70 magnificent kilometers of running. It was Wismoyono who had the fastest dash to the line, and in so doing the Bandung Explorer ace took his third career victory in an Asia Trail Master race after Mount Rinjani Ultra 52k and MesaStila Peaks Challenge last season. An important victory for the 31-year-old Wismoyono also, as other Asian top runners such as Manolito Divina, Yuen Wan Ho and Xu Xiutao have in the past weeks emerged as serious contenders for this year's overall title. 

Arief Wismoyono

Before the race, Wismoyono had already expressed confidence in his ability, despite a tough winter in which his two Hong Kong objectives did not bring what perhaps he also had hoped. Cold conditions are clearly not his thing. Back in Indonesia, Wismoyono felt like a fish in the water. His finish time of 9:21 was above his goal of under 9 hours, yet more than 1 hour faster than he achieved last year on this Ijen course. The defending champion had to dig deep, though, as Hiairei - in his debut on the Asia Trail Master circuit - pushed him to a rarely seen sprint in a long distance trail race. 

Central point of the event is the climb of the famous Ijen volcano, where runners can witness the so-called ' blue fire '. Because this natural phenomenon is best seen around dawn, the race starts at nighttime and the front runners therefore have their headlamps switched on for most of the race. An advantage of climbing at night is of course cooler temperatures. Participants enjoyed a fantastic day in fine weather during a well-organised event by the local Surabayan company Egon Trails. Ijen Trailrunning offers four race distances, and with 2450m of elevation gain on 70km has the most runnable course of all Indonesian races in the ATMs. The ascent of the volcano is the only significant, but tough, climb of the race. 

Ann-Mari Lillejord

Ina Budiyarni had the scare of a lifetime when monkeys jumped on her at dawn

The women's winner at Ijen stunned everybody with her performance. Arriving only 36 minutes behind the leading duo and in fourth overall was Singapore-based Norwegian Ann-Mari Lillijord. She was nearly two hours ahead of Boonthanit Suksodkeaw, after local favourite Ina Budiyarni first missed a marking, then got attacked by a male monkey at dawn and ultimately also suffered from stomach cramps. A series of events that dropped Budiyarni down the order from second to fifth at the finish. "I haven't done so many trail races yet, " said winner Lillejord. "I am very happy with my race, and this race was  beautiful! I did not expect the volcano climb to be that steep, though, but it went well" . In fact, last year she also competed in the Vietnam Mountain Marathon - another points race in the Asia Trail Master series at the end of September - and came fourth, indicating she has upped her performance level since then. 

The 42k B-race of the event was won by Matt Phillips Long and Laure Geroud. 

Top 5 Men in 70 km:

1. Arief Wismoyono (INA) 9.21.09. 
2. Yohanis Hiarei (INA) 9.21.10. 
3. Carlos Paz (INA) 9.47.49
4. Elivas Paai (INA) 10:26:18
5. Vincent Chalias (FRA) 10:31:42

Top 5 Women 70km:

1. Ann Mari Lillejord (NOR) 9:58:03
2. Boonthanit Suksodkeaw (THA) 11:49:27
3. Wu Xiabingqing (CHN) 13:11:18
4. Patricia Shindy (INA) 13:20:39
5. Ina Budiyarni (INA) 13:54:41 

Winner 42k Men:

1. Matt Phillips Long 5:00:08

Winner 42k Women:

1. Laure Genoud 5:39:02

After the superb racing in Malaysia and Southwest China last weekend, the Asia Trail Master series moves to Indonesia for the first points scoring race in the country this year. The 2nd edition of the Ijen Trailrunning in Bondowoso, East Java, will see the first appearance of 2015 Asia Trail Master champion Arief  Wismoyono, who has been quietly preparing in recent weeks to be in top shape as he begins the defence of his title. The event, organised by Egon Trail, is completely centered around the beautiful Ijen volcano. The climb to the crater rim, where runners can witness the so-called blue fire, is the highlight of the trail, and also the only serious difficulty. The main race is 70km long - just enough for finishers to score a point in the Grandmaster Quest - and has a total elevation gain of approx 2500 hm, which is relatively moderate in comparison to the other Indonesian races on our calendar. Fast runners therefore have a chance to do well on Sunday. 

Wismoyono of course starts as the favourite to win the 70k Ijen Trailrunning. He also won this race last year together with Alan Maulana, the latter not featuring on the start list this season. The star from the Bandung Explorers team had a difficult winter as both his Hong Kong adventures, HK 100 and Lantau 100, suffered from extremely cold weather spells, which literally froze his chances for a good result. Let's see how Wismoyono fares back at home on  familiar soil. 

In the women's race, also Ina Budiyarni, fourth in last year's Asia Trail Master championship, will make her 2016 debut at Ijen. Budiyarni has been going well in other trail and road races in Indonesia  all year - find a race where she is not taking part in and win a fruit basket - , but on the start list are several women who could surprise her this Sunday.

Ijen Trail running's start has a lot of  international names this year, and for sure we will discover some new interesting athletes. As always, you can follow the action live via our social media channels this weekend.