The Philippines' Mount Pulag is a well-known name in the regional trekking world: the breathtaking views above the clouds have become the 2900m high mountain's trademark and on 19 March trail runners have their chance to adore them. The Cordillera Mountain Marathon enters the 2016 Asia Trail Master series and invites runners from all over Asia and the rest of the world to come and support the Cordillera Conservation Trust. 

The Cordillera Region is the source of life for most of Northern Luzon.  Its rivers feed the hectares of farm land that in turn feed a majority of the nation’s population.  Moreover, within the rocky mountains there are live communities whose culture speaks of a time long past and of a proud and noble ancestry. The Conservation Trust that hosts the Marathon aims to provide practical and sustainable solutions to the environmental problems that have arisen over the years and safeguard the local ecosystem.

View from the summit of Mount Pulag

The Cordillera Mountain Marathon is not a walk in the park, though, and participants should come prepared to handle some technical trail sections (hanging bridges, river crossings etc.) and high altitude: Mount Pulag towers 2922m above sea level and 60% of the marathon is ran above 2000m. Total elevation gain is 2260m and the cut off time is 12 hours, which should enable the big majority of participants to finish the race. Those who do score 100 Asia Trail Master finisher points plus performance points according to their ranking in the official race result. 

The registration for the event opens on 1 December 2015. Less ambitious runners can also opt for a 18km race. The Cordillera region is a great destination for an adventurous holiday break, and from the main town of Baguio you have several options for sightseeing tours. 

Check out the below promo video and the photo gallery on our cover page. 

2016 Event Promo Video

CORDILLERA CONSERVATION TRUST

The Cordillera Conservation Trust seeks to provide relevant practical and sustainable solutions to environmental problems arising in the Cordillera region that undermine the continued ecological services that the mountain region provides for its people. 

CMM is organised to the benefit of the Trust, and apart from your race participation you can make additional contributions by purchasing some delicious Premium Arabica coffee from the area via the Trust's website.  Read more details on the Trust on our own charity page or on the website itself. 

Go to our event's cover page 

19/11 - Cordillera Mountain Ultra (PHI) - CANCELLED

The 3rd Chinese race in the 2015 Asia Trail Master series takes place in the Southwestern tourism hot spot Dali and initiates the final quartet of events for this year. Located at one of Yunnan Province's large and precious lakes, Dali's race mainly focuses on the high mountains to the west. The 3rd edition of the event also benefits from a redesigned course this weekend. 

Although hardly an old event, Dali 100 Ultra Endurance counts amongst the 'veteran' races in mainland China already, although 'pioneering' is arguably a better term. Organised by UTMB finisher Yu Lei and his team, who also organise the Dalian 100 in April, the race was sold out quickly in China itself. The trail already begins at altitude, close to 2000m above sea level, but runners will go much higher: up to 4000m. It is one the elements participants will need to consider carefully during the race, which has a more modest profile after the initial big climb. 

In the battle for the championship, we could see some interesting changes at the top of the standings this weekend, if particularly China's top-ranked runners do well in the race.  

Current 2015 Asia Trail Master ranking

Men:
1. Arief Wismoyono (Indonesia) 952
2. Xie Zhangrong (China) 862
3. Pramonosidi Wijanarko (Indonesia) 817
4. Patrick Singa (Guyana) 745
5. Ullas Narayana (India) 732
6. Phairat Varasin (Thailand) 710
7. Yan Longfei (China) 709
8. Leonard Stanmore (Canada) 646
9. Kenneth Krys (Cayman Islands) 608
10. Chung Pak Hang (Hong Kong) 575
==. Lau Hoi Fai (Hong Kong)
==. Wong Tze Wan (Hong Kong)
==. Alex Fan (Hong Kong)

Women:
1. Mila Marlina (Indonesia) 942
2. Tan Seow Ping (Malaysia) 900
3. Ina Budiyarni (Indonesia) 678
4. Yuen Kit Shan (Hong Kong) 575
5. Veronique Messina (France) 575
=. Marcia Zhou (USA) 575
7. Kathy Yu Hiu Kit (Hong Kong) 525
8. Clementine Tanguide (France) 525
=. Isabelle Dufour (France) 525
10. Ma Yanxing (China) 505

The start of the race last year

Shanghai-based Noureddine Sahibi is among the participants in Dali. Currently 18th in the Asia Trail Master ranking, he can move into the top 10 this weekend. He will also collect his 2nd Grandmaster Quest point if he indeed finishes the 100km. 

Earlier this month England's Joanna Plumbley was the first woman to cross the finish line of MF 42, short for Myamit Falls Marathon, a race in the Philippines that serves as a warm-up for the upcoming main event of the season: Clark-Myamit Falls 50 miles. That race will be organised already for the fifth time on 22 November, and is of course a points-scoring race in the Asia Trail Master series. But MF 42 is no walk in the park neither: Plumbley required 6h15' to cover the distance, 17 minutes quicker than second place Maricar Hiponia. 

With her victory in the bag, and CM 50 coming up, Joanna Plumbley is an excellent guest for our new 'Talking Trail Running'  interview series. Talking Trail Running will be published on our Asia Trail Master website on a regular basis, each episode with a different runner in the spotlight. A few weeks ago, we already focused on China's Yang Longfei. Join our RSS feed below to get notified when there's new material being published, and if you have any suggestions post them to info@asiatrailmaster.com or on our facebook discussion page. 

Q: First, about yourself, what brings you to the Philippines?

oanna Plumbley: I am out here with work. I work for Thales Australia and we are putting in a new Air Traffic Management system across 42 sites in the Philippines. It’s a big project so it keeps me pretty busy

Q: When and why did you decide to take part in  a trail running competition?

have been a runner for a long time – both on and off road- but here in the Philippines the trail running has just been the best way to see some of themore remote and beautiful locations that the Philippines has

Q: Where do you come from in England, and was running part of your upbringing as a child and teenager?

Running was not really part of my upbringing at all. I got into running when I joined the army reserves in my early twenties – I started from nothing but quickly became addicted

Q: How is life in Manila as an English woman? 

ot! But super friendly and some really beautiful locations – I hate the manila smog and traffic but when you get out of the city there is so much to explore – I love it

Q: What sort of training do you do to become a race winning trail runner?

I run as much as I can – less now I live in the city but I still try

Q: Have you ever run a road marathon (42.195km) and what was your time?

I have run many- my best time was in Belfast (Ireland) where I ran 3 hours 26 minutes.

Q: Do you have a specific objective in trail running, or you just wish to run for fun?

Mainly for fun – but I always love a new challenge– and there are still so many places in the world that I can explore. I love the feeling of accomplishing something I wasn’t sure I could finish- that is always the drive. Placing or winning is just a bonus if it ever happens – never the goal!

Q: Do you have any sports heroes? If yes, who and what is so special about him / her?

Many- from the world of triathlon Chrissie Wellington, and basically all the long distance cyclists (particularly the English ones – Bradley Wiggins/Chris Froome etc) The Tour de France is one of theultimate endurance races and I admire all of the participants

Q: What is your view on trail running in the Philippines and do you see differences with similar events in the UK?

It can be very different out here. You really never deal with really hot conditions in the UK so that is one major difference. We do have to deal with the cold though – ice and snow haven’t been a problem out here! In general the trails are muchtougher out here – steeper and less established.. I think in the UK the endurance running scene is more limited to a hardcore set of dedicated runers. I love the way that in the Philipines many ‘slower’ and less experienced runners also take on these tough courses and manage to complete them

Q: Dealing with the heat is a key aspect for elite trail running. How do you cope with it? Do you drink a lot during races? 

As an English runner I am NOT used to heat but I have adapted really well – it’s a strength for me out here. I don’t need to drink too muchso I haven’t had many problems. I love not shivering on the start line or freezing in mists and blizzards.

Q: Have you ever taken part in a race in another country, and did you feel any difference compared to racing in the Philippines?

I have raced in several countries, including the Himalayan 100 in India. Every race is different but again the main difference in the Philippines is the mass participation – even with the ridiculously early start times you have here!

Q: Are you aware of ITRA? Would you argue it a good thing that the IAAF, via ITRA, is trying to streamline the sport of trail running via new regulations and guidelines-to-follow? 

I am not really aware – but certainly interested

Q: Many trail running races in Asia have large to enormous levels of elevation gain. Is that your cup of tea, or would you rather see races that have more 'runnable'  courses?

I have found the severity ofthe runs out here a bit frustrating. A ‘challenge’ is great- but it's nice to get to really run as well. (The MF42 was excellent in that respect)

Q: What do you think about the Asia Trail Master series? Could this be a goal for your 2016 campaign? 

Certainly- I have only just started learning about it but the races look amazing. Time to start saving for some racecations!

Joanna Plumbley at the finish of MF 42 on 4 October 2015. 

Joanna Plumbley in the middle with CM50 & MF 42 race director Jon Lacanlale on her left. 

The 2016 Asia Trail Master series will feature a number of exciting new events and destinations, and Brunei is one of them. Beach Bunch, a registered voluntary environmental NGO in the Land of Unexpected Treasures, is organising the 2nd Beach Bunch's Trail Challenge on 28 February 2016 with a very distinct marathon and half marathon on jungle, sand and clay trails. 650 metres of elevation gain also means this is an event that will suit and please quicker runners. 

Beach Bunch operates with the vision of keeping Brunei's beaches clean and enjoyable not only for its visitors but also for its coastal wildlife. The NGO regularly organises cleaning campaigns that also include hundreds of volunteers and schools. During a recent campaign last month 888 kg (!) of waste was collected in just 1 day by 201 volunteers on Tungku Beach. Until September 2015, an astonishing total of more than 15.9 tons of garbage has been collected during 30 campaigns organised by Beach Bunch, figures that prove the necessity of their work. Cigarette butts, wrapping paper and plastic bottles are the most common types of trash found.  See BB's homepage for further information. 

By taking part in the Beach Bunch's Trail Challenge runners support the work of the NGO. In addition, the event offers international participants a great occasion to get to know Brunei, a relatively small country surrounded by the Malaysian provinces of Sabah and Sarawak on the island of Borneo. The organiser has put together a number of travel packages to make your visit as comfortable as possible. In addition, a workshop featuring a prominent runner of the Asia Trail Master series will also be part of the event programme. 

The race itself starts and finishes on Tungku Beach, and takes runners up into the hinterland, where some modest hills need to be negotiated. Participants will enter the Shahbandar Recreation Park, which is the most diverse section of the marathon, and also hit the McFarm Trail.  Being in Brunei, the race will be characterised by high temperatures and humid conditions. Several refreshment stations along the course will ensure everyone stays sufficiently hydrated. A detailed explanation of the trail can be read on the Beach Bunch's website.

A promotional video about the race can also be watched below. 

Beach Bunch's Trail Challenge will be the second points-scoring race of next year's Asia Trail Master series, one week after Ultra Trail Hong Kong. According to the 2016 points regulations, all finishers will score 100 points for the championship ranking, plus their own individual performance points. 

The online registration for the Beach Bunch's Trail Challenge has just been opened on the event website. Race entry numbers are not unlimited, so do not hesitate too long and sign up for this great new destination on the Asian trail running scene. 

The map and profile of the 42km Trail Challenge shows a course suitable for fast runners

The final points-scoring race of the 2015 Asia Trail Master series is The Ancient Khmer Path in Cambodia, a 6-day stage race over 220km  organised by GlobalLimits. It will be the 4th edition already and we will be looking for the successors of well-known trail runners Mo Foustok and Olya Korzh, who won the event last year.

The event begins with a group dinner and gathering in Cambodia's capital city Phnom Penh and ends at the world famous temple complex of Angkor Wat in Siem Reap. 

Registrations for the event are still open. Remember there's limited spots for this one, so do not hesitate too long. You can sign up both via our Asia Trail Master registration portal and via the Global Limits website. 

GlobalLimits Cambodia 2012 - The Ancient Khmer Path - OFFICIAL VIDEO from Stefan Betzelt on Vimeo.

The 5th edition of the MesaStila Challenge Ultra in Central Java's Magelang region  took place under a bright blue sky last weekend and was an eye-opening trail experience for many participants. The event, which offers five race distances in total, is not as well known as Mount Rinjani Ultra or Bromo Tengger Semeru, but this could soon change. Runners were treated with a fantastic and varied race course and with great hospitality from the MesaStila Hotel & Spa. 

The stars of the weekend were locals: Arief Wismoyono (men) and Mila Marlina (women) both won the 100k race and in so doing they grabbed the lead in their respective 2015 Asia Trail Master ranking with four races still to go.

Photos credit MesaStila

Arief Wismoyono ran a smart race to take his second Asia Trail Master race victory

Mila Marlina arriving at the peak of Mount Andong. 

Central Java, is a region known mainly for the UNESCO Buddhist temple site of Borubudur, and maybe also for its delicious coffee. From the race location there are various touristic sightseeing options.  Many a participant spoke of a "hidden gem" on the trail race calendar. The courses are characterised by volcano and mountain climbs, bamboo forests, ethnic villages and jungle trails.

Pretty but tough. The 100km has 7700 metres of elevation gain, and even for experienced local climbers such as Alan Maulana this can sometimes be too much. Maulana led the race at the 65km point, but began to feel unwell and retired from the race. It left the door open for Wismoyono to assume control, even though he had to cope with the final charge forward of new name Dzaki Wardana. Wismoyono, first Indonesian champion of Mount Rinjani Ultra last August, finished at midnight in 19 hours. The podium was completed by Pramonosidi Wijanarko, who came second in the gruelling Gede Pangrango Marathon in May.

Looking ahead, Wismoyono holds an advantage of 90 points over China's Xie Zhangrong, with India's Ullas Narayana, Wijanarko, Phairat Varasin, and Yan Longfei, amongst others, within striking range. Points-scoring races are still coming up in China, Philippines, Indonesia and Cambodia.

Mila Marlina has no real competition on the longest distances in her native country, but to become the 2015 Asia Trail Master champion she still awaits a stern challenge by Malaysia's Tan Seow Ping. The points difference between the two is only 42.

Top 3 Result - 100k - Men

1. Arief Wismoyono (Indonesia) 19:03:16
2. Dzaki Wardana (Indonesia) 19:37:30
3. Pramonosidi Wijanarko (Indonesia) 21:34:47

Women

1. Mila Marlina (Indonesia) 

50k - Men

1. Celian Baup (France) 10:28:16
2. Muhammad Fauzi Difinubun (Indonesia) 10:38:09
3. Vincent Chalias (France) 11:17:56

This year's Annapurna 100,   Nepal's oldest trail race,  took place in October rather than March following local political troubles and the devastating earthquake earlier this year. It has had an effect on the sports industry in the Himalayan country and also resulted in a modest participation field in Pokhara. Nevertheless, the performances of top runners in cloudy and wet conditions was anything but modest! The race was dominated by Nepalese, who took all the podium places in both 100 and 57km. The 100k winner Arjun Kulung in an incredible 10:33:56! Some first time Nepalese runners showed what incredible natural endurance athletes the Nepalese are by making top 5 in this very challenging, extremely hilly race, with one first time runner coming third in the 57km distance.

Annapurna 100km - Men

1. Arjun Kulung (Nepal) 10:33:56
2. Suman Kulung (Nepal) 11:11:00
3. Aite Tamang (Nepal) 12:51:50

50km - Men

1. Bhim Bahadur Tamang (Nepal) 5:33:10
2. Raj Kulung (Nepal) 5:53:50
3. Kiran Kulung (Nepal) 5:53:51

50km - Women

1. Katie McCarver (USA) 10:22:35
2. Eva Svensson (SWE) 10:58:29
3. Sonam Shah (Nepal) 12:40:30

Annapurna 100

Annapurna 100

Annapurna 100 

The Mesastila Trophy for this weekend's champions in Central Java. 

Two races this weekend with Asia Trail Master points up for grabs. In Nepal, there is the 9th edition of Annapurna 100, the Himalayan country's oldest trail race that was postponed earlier this year, and in Indonesia we have the 4th edition of the picturesque Mesastila Challenge. In both races the longest distance of 100km also gives finishers 1 point for the Grandmaster Quest.

Mesa Hotels & Resorts hosts the race in Magelang, Central Java, as part of the event portfolio by FOneSport, also organiser of the Mount Rinjani Ultra and upcoming Bromo Tengger Semeru. The race takes place relatively close to the world famous Buddhist temple complex of Borobudur and features  unused train tracks, uncovered rail bridges, overgrown jungle trails, small village roads, rice paddies, and up to five mountains in Central Java. 

For the first time, the Mesastila Challenge will offer a 100km course to its participants. This one includes five peaks, including Gunung Merapi and twice Gunung Merbabu at over 3000m altitude. Total elevation gain is 7560hm, and is clearly something for fast climbers. The main event arguably has two big favourites on paper: Arief Wismoyono and Alan Maulana. They conquered Ijen Trail in August, and Wismoyono is of course the great champion of this year's Mount Rinjani Ultra, the first Indonesian runner to achieve that feat. The Rinjani victory gave Wismoyono a solid points haul, and the 31-year-old can become the new number 1 in the Asia Trail Master ranking this Sunday. In order to move ahead of current leader Xie Zhangrong, Wismoyono needs to finish in the top 3 of the 100km race. Another participant who can propel himself into the top 5 of the ranking is Belgium's Gaspard Dessy, who is currently sitting in 17th place having scored points in Gede Pangrango Marathon and Borneo 100 TMBT this season. Dessy has registered for the classic 65km race at Mesastila on Sunday. 

In the women's ranking, we might see local Javanese runner Ina Budiyarni move up to second place if she finishes the same 65km race distance. Malaysia's Tan Seow Ping's 900 points are out of reach this weekend, but Budiyarni has also already registered for the Bromo Tengger Semeru race in November... The Mesastila event also offers shorter races of 42km, 21km and 13km but none of these qualify for Asia Trail Master points. 

Annapurna 100 is the oldest official trail race in Nepal

As the world knows, it has been a very challenging year for Nepal and we are therefore very pleased that the team of Annapurna 100 in Pokhara has managed to set up the 2015 edition of their oldest race at all. The Annapurna trail needs little introduction, being a famous route for trekkers and hikers since decades. Running it with a cut-off time in mind is of course still a different matter.  Postponed from its original date in February (unrelated to the earthquake), this weekend's race will be a bit of a fresh start for the event, with a slightly modified running course as well. According to the measurements by ITRA, the race will actually total 110km and an elevation gain of roughly 4700 Hm. As always in Nepal, it will be interesting to see how the local runners perform against a very international field. The event also offers a B-distance race of 50km. 

CURRENT TOP 5 ASIA TRAIL MASTER RANKING

Men:

1. Xie Zhangrong (China) 862
2. Patrick Singha (Guyana) 745
3. Ullas Narayana (India) 732
4. Phairat Varasin (Thailand) 710
5. Yan Longfei (China) 709

Women:

1. Tan Seow Ping (Malaysia) 900
2. Yuen Kit Shan (Hong Kong) 575
3. Veronique Messina (France) 575
=. Marcia Zhou (USA) 575
5. Kathy Yu (Hong Kong) 525

Arief Wismoyono could claim the top spot in the Asia Trail Master ranking for men this weekend at the Mesastila Challenge race in Magelang, Java, Indonesia

PRESS RELEASE - Following a successful inaugural edition this year, the Asia Trail Master series return  in 2016 with an even larger and more diverse race calendar. Runners will be competing for points in over a dozen Asian countries with several people aiming to fulfill their Grandmaster Quest to finish six races of over 70km within two calendar years. The 2016 series will begin in Hong Kong on 19 February with UTHK, as the just released provisional calendar for the first semester of next year shows. 

UTHK, or Ultra Trail Hong Kong, will be the first of five so-called Super Trails, selected races of proven quality, wherein finishers will score 50 bonus points for the Asia Trail Master championship ranking. The Super Trails are one of a few innovations that will be introduced in 2016, along with a points allocation system that has been more harmonised across the various events, an abroad bonus for runners travelling to a third race outside their resident country, and an Asia Trail Master race registration portal available to all organisers and runners developed, by Hong Kong's Race Timing Solutions. 

Nearly all events of this year's first semester will return in 2016,  plus exciting new additions in Brunei, Philippines, Korea, Malaysia and Indonesia. China's Tsaigu Tangsi Plus, Kazakhstan's Tengri Ultra Trail and the two stage races by GlobalLimits in Sri Lanka (The Wild Elephant Trail) and Bhutan (The Last Secret) all retain their calendar spots following very positive feedback from this year's participants. Whereas the profile of most races is hilly and mountainous, next year's calendar will also feature a number of faster and technically less demanding races. These will be no less beautiful or exciting and will give road runners wanting a taste of trail running a fitting introduction.  In the coming weeks more events will be added to the calendar, and each event will be profiled in detail on a redesigned Asia Trail Master website. 

While faster athletes can aim for prizes and a high ranking at the end of the year, every single runner with enough perseverance can become an Asia Trail Grandmaster. It is expected that several people will reach the milestone of six +70km races in 2016 and obtain the honourary title, which will give access to the forthcoming Asia Trail Master Hall of Fame. 

Thanks to its overall growth, members of the 2016 Asia Trail Master series and race participants will benefit from extended media coverage via a wide range of media partners, as well as from several new commercial sponsorships to be announced in due course. 

Staying true to its core objectives, the Asia Trail Master team will continue to foster the development of a genuine pan-Asian trail running community and boost environmental conservation efforts across the continent. Reducing pollution and preserving natural habitats is likely to become a key trend in Asia in 2016. Emphasis will also be placed on improving general safety standards at trail running events.  

This year's inaugural Asia Trail Master series is heating up towards its conclusion with six races still to go. The current men's ranking is still headed by China's Xie Zhangrong, but he will have to fend off challenges by a.o. Indonesia's Arief Wismoyono and India's Ullas Narayana. In the women's competition, Malaysia's Tan Seow Ping is in pole position to claim the title. The next two points-scoring races take place upcoming weekend in Nepal (Annapurna 100) and Indonesia (Mesastila Challenge). 

2016 Provisional 1st semester calendar

19-20/02 - Hong Kong - UTHK
28/02 -  Brunei - Beach Bunch's Trail Challenge
04-12/03 - Sri Lanka - GlobalLimits: The Wild Elephant Trail
19/03 - Philippines - Cordillera Mountain Marathon
09/04 - China - Tsaigu Tangsi Plus
24/04 - South Korea - Korea 50k
08/05 - Kazakhstan - Tengri Ultra Trail
14/05 - Malaysia - Malaysia Eco 100
22/05 - Indonesia - Ijen Trail Running
27/05-04/06 - Bhutan - GlobalLimits: The Last Secret

Annex:

2016 Guidebook for event organisers (including details on the 2016 points system)