The present route description is based on the 2024 routes. We are looking at route changes to give repeat runners a new trail experience. This is ongoing and will be informed as it progresses. The central start/finish area at Pekan Kiulu is expected to be maintained, and the distance categories will be maintained similar, i.e. ~100 km, ~50 km, ~30 km, 5-10 km. In addition to this we are looking into one or more very short courses for kids only - this will be further informed.
All present and expected future courses have start and finish at the riverside at Pekan Kiulu. Outlines of the current routes and elevation profiles are provided below together with course details. Any further updates and more detailed route descriptions will be provided to all competitors as final checking and optimisationo is completed.
The Water (Aid) stations are numbered W1 to W10 based on the 100 km course. The current 30k course will skip W1 to W5 and go to W6 from the start - please refer to the course maps below.
The current 2024 routes have been ITRA rated with 5 points for the 100k, 3 points for the 50k and 2 points for the 30k routes. Mountain ratings of 6 for the 100k and 5 for the 50k and 30k routes. The 100 km BUTM 2025 course will also be a qualifying race for the Western States 100-mile Endurance Race in 2026 and be part of the ITRA National League Championship, see also under general information.
You may note that the accumulated elevation gains in the ITRA ratings are lower than in the course details below. This is due to a filtering process performed by ITRA where they filter out smaller undulations in the GPS elevation record which could be caused by inaccuracies in the measurements. We have kept the data from the original GPS tracks in our course data as we know that many parts of the flatter looking sections have these small ups and downs which can be felt when you are out on the course, but which are filtered out by the ITRA data filtering process. The experience from many wrist GPS watches is that they will show slightly longer distances and sometimes higher elevation gains.
NOTE The distances and elevation gains/losses provided are measured with a Garmin GPS64. You may find that you get different data if you are carrying a gps or other device to measure distances and elevations during the race. You will most likely record longer distances. This is due to a combination of inaccuracies in the GPS recording through for instance loss of signal under forest canopies, additional distance travelled around aid stations etc as well as a loss of distance when the course is filtered by being represented by linear segments between GPS points. Wrist-type gps devices may also not achieve as good reception and be as reliable as the larger GPS units.
9 km Route
The "Short Course" is intended as a non-competitive "family-oriented" run with a good opportunity to introduce the next generation to trail running. The current course is 9 km, which by some is considered too long for kids, but we have in past races often seen the parents struggle more than the kids - give them a chance and you may be surprised. The current 9 km route starts at the Kiulu Riverside and runs through town to join the main road for just under 1 km before turning off onto a gravel road. A gradual climb on the gravel road is followed by a steep climb on a dirt road up a recently cleared hillside to the ridgeline. This is followed by a descent through young rubber plantations to a river crossing to reach a smaller trail that leads to a larger river crossing. Should the rivers be too high to cross safely, competitors will be redirected to an alternative route. After the second river crossing, the route follows small trails alongside padi fields and through a rubber plantation to reach CP1 at the crossing of the main sealed road. After short road and trail sections, the route joins the 100 km route through a mixture of forest, pineapple/rubber plantations and alongside padi fields to the finish line.
30 km Route
After a short run through town, the 30 km route starts straight into one of three major hills on the 30 km course - see profile below. The first stretch is on concrete road followed by a gravel road that has plenty of space for overtaking to allow participants to sort themselves out in terms of speed before getting into the smaller trails with less space for overtaking. Enjoy the views to Mount Kinabalu and surrounding valleys from the ridgeline.
A steep downhill on washed out dirt road followed by a gravel road lead to W6 across a stream which can be used to refresh and cool down in if required before the second hill. Straight after W6, a track quickly turns into a small track that leads steeply uphill through old rubber, forest and across cleared, planted areas. At the top, the course will follow the ridgeline back down to cross the main river valley and then follow a tributary upstream to W8. When leaving W8 the course runs briefly alongside the river - if overheated it is strongly recommended to take a quick breather to cool off before the last major hill on the course. This climbs steeply, initially on a washed-out dirt track, then going into trails through forest and bamboo to follow a ridgeline before descending steeply on trails through mixed forest and old rubber plantations. At the bottom, the course follows an undulating gravel/dirt track to W9. The course then rejoins the main Kiulu river valley and follows mixed trails up-river to the finish line at Kiulu.
"50" km Route
The 2024 50k route was changed to follow the first (blue) loop of the 100 km route - see further below under 100k description. This is currently planned to be repeated for 2025, although additional changes may be introduced. A final announcement of this will be made well prior to the race.
The "50k" route initially follows the same route as the 30k and then cuts to the left about half-way up the hill for a steep downhill section on gravel to follow the main gravel road out to the main river valley. The river is crossed on a hanging bridge to follow an undulating gravel/dirt road to W1. A short distance after W1 the course follows a gravel road up a 300 m climb, then steeply downhill to cross a river via a ford or hanging bridge. This is a good chance to cool off on a hot day. A short steep climb is followed by a gradually steepening dirt road to W2. After W2, a small technical trail is followed through forest with several stream crossings for a 400 m climb followed by a 600 m descent over a mix of trails and a short stretch of dirt road to cross a hanging bridge back over the main river to reach W3. The river is the last chance to cool off before the largest hill on the course with a 700 m climb on gravel and dirt roads to the highest point on the course, followed by an 800 m descent to CP1 on a mix of concrete, gravel, dirt and trails with W4 halfway down. From CP1 (also water station W7 for 100 km), it is a small technical trail through a mix of cultivated landscape and forest, crossing streams, to reach the dirt and gravel road back to the finish line at the riverside.
100 km Route
The "100k" route resembles a figure 8 with the start/finish and halfway station (W5) centered in the middle, see figure below. The blue loop with the largest hills and the most technical section on the course will be completed first to ensure daylight on the technical sections. Competitors then return to the start/finish area, which also works as half-way station with access to the competitor's half-way drop-bag and provision of the main halfway meal. This will be followed by the yellow loop. The first loop has the largest hills and is considered the harder part of the course on the section between W2 and CP1.
The first loop of the "100k" course is identical to the "50k" route - please refer above. Instead og going all the way to the finish line after CP1, the 100k competitors check in to the halfway station of W5 at the hall where registration is carried out in the morning prior to start.
The second (yellow) loop of the 100k is an extension of the 30 km route with two extra sections - see map below. From the top of the ridgeline above W6, the 100km follows the ridgeline uphill rather than downhill before taking a gravel/dirt road along a separate ridgeline down to W7 located along the main river - an excellent spot for a quick refresher to cool off on a hot day. The course then follows trails along the river valley before rejoining the 30km course towards W8 and to W9. After W9, the 100 km course diverts from the 30 course to travel upriver along a trail with several river crossings before climbing steeply on a washed out dirt track to reach a larger gravel road on top. This is followed over a short section of sealed road to reach CP2 (not marked on map) and then continues over dirt tracks and a short trail to reach W10 along the main Kiulu river. A short stretch on sealed road brings the 50k back to rejoin the 30k route to follow trails upriver to the finish line at Kiulu.
