Vietnam Highlands Trail by UTMBVietnam, Vietnam🇻🇳

• •The organiser lists 104 km; the published GPX measures 98.2 km. The organiser lists 5533 m of climbing; the published GPX measures 6893 m. The technical course notes use the published GPX measurement.
• •This course reaches 2124 m. At the high-point coordinate, the same week historically ran 10°C to 18°C. Typical daily maximum wind was 18 km/h, reaching 34 km/h in the sample. This is climate history, not the race-day forecast; keep the shell accessible if race week looks similar.
• •Start 03:00, sunrise 06:08: the first 3 hours 8 minutes are run in the dark. The headtorch goes on your head at the start, not in your pack.
• •Sunset is 17:36 and the finish cut-off is 08:30. A runner using the full time allowance spends the final 12 hours 32 minutes in darkness.
• •Get the headtorch out before sunset and keep spare batteries or a power bank dry and immediately accessible. A spare buried at the bottom of the pack is not an emergency spare.
• •Check reflective course markers regularly in the dark. If the markings disappear, stop moving forward, return to the last marker and confirm the route against the GPX or organiser app.
• •Poles are strongly recommended for this profile. The course averages 70 m of gain per km and the longest climb averaging over 5% runs 9.4 km; if you have trained with them and the organiser allows them, use them on the climbs and stow them on runnable ground.
• •18% of the course is steep descent. Increase your cadence instead of braking, or your quads go early.
• •The high point is 2124 m. Coming from sea level, your heart rate and breathing shift at the same pace, so leave yourself room in the first hour.
• •The altitude is not a single summit: about 5.3 km of the course sits above 1800 m. The longest unbroken stretch up high is 5.4 km and the high zone spans roughly km 18 to km 23.
• •Point to point: the finish sits 7.2 km from the start as the crow flies. Sort the shuttle and your drop bag before race day.

Aid stations

• •The longest stretch between official aid stations runs from Da Nghit (km 45) to Hoa Son (km 59): 14 km, with 994 m of climbing in between. Top up at Da Nghit and size what you carry to the expected duration and your own drinking rate.
• •Hot food is served at Langbiang (km 25) and Hoa Son (km 59) and 2 more. If your stomach and race plan call for it, make this a deliberate 3-5 minute stop; do not sit down simply because hot food is available. Restart gently and let your stomach settle before lifting the effort.
• •Food is available at Pine Forest (km 14) and Suoi Vang Lake (km 35) and 3 more. Decide what you need before reaching the table; without a planned special task, collect food and fluids and leave within 60-90 seconds. Finish eating on the next calm, suitable section.
• •Drop bag at Hoa Son (km 59). Write down the equipment and food you expect to replace before the race so the decision is already made when you arrive.
• •Crew support is permitted only at Start (km 0), Pine Forest (km 14), Langbiang (km 25), Suoi Vang Lake (km 35), Da Nghit (km 45), Hoa Son (km 59), Maple Left (km 72), and Lam Ha Basecamp (km 79). This is not the same as a drop bag: plan equipment and food hand-offs around these stations, then verify wristband, bag and transport rules with the organiser.
• •The heaviest leg runs from Hoa Son (km 59) to Maple Left (km 72): 14 km with 1070 m of climbing. Treat it as the slowest part of your day and get your food out before it.
• •Medical support is available at Start (km 0), Pine Forest (km 14), Langbiang (km 25), Suoi Vang Lake (km 35), Da Nghit (km 45), Hoa Son (km 59), Maple Left (km 72), Lam Ha Basecamp (km 79), Elephant Hill (km 88), Pinhatt Em (km 100), and Finish (km 112). If something is wrong with your feet or your stomach, deal with it there rather than pushing on.
• •About 1 km after Elephant Hill (km 88), a roughly 250 m section averaging 39% begins. Choose food you know you digest easily and fill the bottles, then enter the climb at a controlled effort.
• •The overall cut-off is 29h 30m, including all checkpoint stops. Build the plan around the official leg budgets below, not a flat-course average pace.
• •Relative to distance and climbing, the tightest official time budget runs from Hoa Son (km 59) to Maple Left (km 72): the official time budget is 2h 30m for 14 km and 826 m of climbing. Station stops come out of that same budget, so do not enter the leg already behind schedule.

Aid station details come from the list published by the organiser; confirm them at the official source before race day.

• •The organiser lists 56.4 km; the published GPX measures 52.5 km. The organiser lists 2946 m of climbing; the published GPX measures 3494 m. The technical course notes use the published GPX measurement.
• •This course reaches 1809 m. At the high-point coordinate, the same week historically ran 12°C to 20°C. Typical daily maximum wind was 20 km/h, reaching 35 km/h in the sample. This is climate history, not the race-day forecast; keep the shell accessible if race week looks similar.
• •Start 05:00, sunrise 06:08: the first 1 hour 8 minutes are run in the dark. The headtorch goes on your head at the start, not in your pack.
• •Sunset is 17:36 and the finish cut-off is 23:30. A runner using the full time allowance spends the final 5 hours 54 minutes in darkness.
• •Get the headtorch out before sunset and keep spare batteries or a power bank dry and immediately accessible. A spare buried at the bottom of the pack is not an emergency spare.
• •Check reflective course markers regularly in the dark. If the markings disappear, stop moving forward, return to the last marker and confirm the route against the GPX or organiser app.
• •Poles are strongly recommended for this profile. The course averages 67 m of gain per km and the longest climb averaging over 5% runs 9.8 km; if you have trained with them and the organiser allows them, use them on the climbs and stow them on runnable ground.
• •18% of the course is steep descent. Increase your cadence instead of braking, or your quads go early.
• •The high point is 1809 m. Coming from sea level, your heart rate and breathing shift at the same pace, so leave yourself room in the first hour.
• •Point to point: the finish sits 7.2 km from the start as the crow flies. Sort the shuttle and your drop bag before race day.

Aid stations

• •The longest stretch between official aid stations runs from Pinhatt Em (km 45) to Finish (km 57): 12 km, with 817 m of climbing in between. Top up at Pinhatt Em and size what you carry to the expected duration and your own drinking rate.
• •Hot food is served at Lam Ha Basecamp (km 24) and Pinhatt Em (km 45). If your stomach and race plan call for it, make this a deliberate 3-5 minute stop; do not sit down simply because hot food is available. Restart gently and let your stomach settle before lifting the effort.
• •Food is available at Goat Trail (km 10) and Maple Left (km 18) and 1 more. Decide what you need before reaching the table; without a planned special task, collect food and fluids and leave within 60-90 seconds. Finish eating on the next calm, suitable section.
• •Crew support is permitted only at Maple Left (km 18) and Lam Ha Basecamp (km 24). This is not the same as a drop bag: plan equipment and food hand-offs around these stations, then verify wristband, bag and transport rules with the organiser.
• •The heaviest leg runs from Elephant Hill (km 33) to Pinhatt Em (km 45): 12 km with 890 m of climbing. Treat it as the slowest part of your day and get your food out before it.
• •Medical support is available at Start (km 0), Goat Trail (km 10), Maple Left (km 18), Lam Ha Basecamp (km 24), Elephant Hill (km 33), Pinhatt Em (km 45), and Finish (km 57). If something is wrong with your feet or your stomach, deal with it there rather than pushing on.
• •About 2 km after Maple Left (km 18), a roughly 250 m section averaging 31% begins. Choose food you know you digest easily and fill the bottles, then enter the climb at a controlled effort.
• •The overall cut-off is 18h 30m, including all checkpoint stops. Build the plan around the official leg budgets below, not a flat-course average pace.
• •Relative to distance and climbing, the tightest official time budget runs from Start to Pinhatt Em (km 45): the official time budget is 14h for 45 km and 3233 m of climbing. Station stops come out of that same budget, so do not enter the leg already behind schedule.

Aid station details come from the list published by the organiser; confirm them at the official source before race day.

• •This course reaches 1695 m. At the high-point coordinate, the same week historically ran 13°C to 21°C. Typical daily maximum wind was 20 km/h, reaching 35 km/h in the sample. This is climate history, not the race-day forecast; keep the shell accessible if race week looks similar.
• •Cut-off lands at 17:00 and sunset at 17:37, near enough the same moment. Go slower than planned and the last kilometres are in the dark, so pack the torch.
• •Consider bringing poles. The course averages 47 m of gain per km and the longest climb averaging over 5% runs 4.3 km; if you have trained with them and the organiser allows them, use them on the climbs and stow them on runnable ground.
• •13% of the course is steep descent. Increase your cadence instead of braking, or your quads go early.

Aid stations

• •The longest stretch between official aid stations runs from Pinhatt Em (km 14) to Finish (km 24): 11 km, with 335 m of climbing in between. Top up at Pinhatt Em and size what you carry to the expected duration and your own drinking rate.
• •Drinks only, no food, at Pinhatt Em (km 14). Loosen the flask caps on approach; with no queue, refill and leave in 20-30 seconds. Carry the food you will need from the previous station.
• •Food is available at Maple Left (km 8). Decide what you need before reaching the table; without a planned special task, collect food and fluids and leave within 60-90 seconds. Finish eating on the next calm, suitable section.
• •Crew support is permitted only at Maple Left (km 8). This is not the same as a drop bag: plan equipment and food hand-offs around these stations, then verify wristband, bag and transport rules with the organiser.
• •The heaviest leg runs from Maple Left (km 8) to Pinhatt Em (km 14): 5 km with 390 m of climbing. Treat it as the slowest part of your day and get your food out before it.
• •Medical support is available at Start (km 0), Maple Left (km 8), Pinhatt Em (km 14), and Finish (km 24). If something is wrong with your feet or your stomach, deal with it there rather than pushing on.
• •About 2 km after Pinhatt Em (km 14), a roughly 250 m section averaging 18% begins. Only drinks are served here, so fill the bottles and carry your own food in, then enter the climb at a controlled effort.
• •The overall cut-off is 9h 30m, including all checkpoint stops. Build the plan around the official leg budgets below, not a flat-course average pace.
• •Relative to distance and climbing, the tightest official time budget runs from Start to Pinhatt Em (km 14): the official time budget is 5h 30m for 14 km and 783 m of climbing. Station stops come out of that same budget, so do not enter the leg already behind schedule.

Aid station details come from the list published by the organiser; confirm them at the official source before race day.

• •This course reaches 1724 m. At the high-point coordinate, the same week historically ran 12°C to 21°C. Typical daily maximum wind was 20 km/h, reaching 37 km/h in the sample. This is climate history, not the race-day forecast; keep the shell accessible if race week looks similar.
• •Even at cut-off pace you finish 3 hours 37 minutes before sunset. This one is run entirely in daylight.
• •Consider bringing poles. The course averages 43 m of gain per km and the longest climb averaging over 5% runs 5.3 km; if you have trained with them and the organiser allows them, use them on the climbs and stow them on runnable ground.
• •The climbing is stacked into the first half. Start easy; even with less climbing later, the descents and accumulated fatigue still have to be managed.

Aid stations

• •Food is available at Lavender (km 4) and Clay House (km 10). Decide what you need before reaching the table; without a planned special task, collect food and fluids and leave within 60-90 seconds. Finish eating on the next calm, suitable section.
• •Crew support is permitted only at Lavender (km 4) and Clay House (km 10). This is not the same as a drop bag: plan equipment and food hand-offs around these stations, then verify wristband, bag and transport rules with the organiser.
• •The heaviest leg runs from Lavender (km 4) to Clay House (km 10): 6 km with 321 m of climbing. Treat it as the slowest part of your day and get your food out before it.
• •Medical support is available at Start (km 0), Lavender (km 4), Clay House (km 10), and Finish (km 11). If something is wrong with your feet or your stomach, deal with it there rather than pushing on.
• •The climbing starts the moment you leave Lavender (km 4): the steepest roughly 250 m section averages 24%. Choose food you know you digest easily and fill the bottles, then begin the climb under control.
• •The overall cut-off is 5h, including all checkpoint stops. Build the plan around the official leg budgets below, not a flat-course average pace.

Aid station details come from the list published by the organiser; confirm them at the official source before race day.