Tryavna Ultra

Q: What is Tryavna Ultra 100km? A: Tryavna Ultra 100km is a Balkan mountain loop starting and finishing in Tryavna, a historic National Revival-era town in Bulgaria's Gabrovo Province. The course delivers 4,000m D+ over ~97-100km (40 m/km; D+/km rank 261/~390 -- upper two-thirds of the DTR database) through architectural park Bozhentsi, eco-park 'Bulgarian Woman' (Bulgarka Nature Park), and dozens of Balkan mountain villages. The race starts Saturday 21:00 (night start) with a 20-hour cutoff (Sunday 17:00). UTMB 100K Index (2025: 97.2km / 4,000m D+ / 140 finishers). ITRA 4 points. 8 aid stations including drop bag at Mladost (km 60.6, 14-hour cutoff). Entry 72-100 EUR (2026 tiered). Organised by iRun.bg since 2015.

Q: Does Tryavna Ultra 100km count for UTMB qualification, and how hard is the course? A: Yes -- Tryavna Ultra 100km is UTMB 100K Index listed (2025: 97.2km / 4,000m D+ / 140 finishers). Difficulty: D+/km rank 261/~390 (40 m/km -- upper two-thirds of the DTR database), with moderate-to-moderately steep average climbing (AvgUphill rank 262/~390) and notably gentle average descent (AvgDownhill rank 118/~390 inverted -- top ~30% gentlest). The course is more mountainous than ~61% of the DTR database (PctFlat rank 151/~390). It is not a technical alpine race -- the descent gradient is accessible and the loop terrain follows Balkan forest trail and village paths without extreme rocky sections. The primary challenges are: 40 m/km across 100km on a loop; night start at 21:00 (first 6-8 hours in darkness); July heat during the day (20-30 C); and the Mladost 14-hour cut-off at km 60.6 which requires consistent pacing.

Q: What are the aid stations and drop bag options at Tryavna Ultra 100km? A: 8 aid stations provide food and beverages throughout: Bozhentsi (11.2km), Sechen Kamak (19.4km), Yabalka (35.9km), Shipka (49.2km), Mladost (60.6km), Balgarka (70.6km), Stanchov Han (84.9km), Plachkovtsi (94km). The one intermediate time barrier is at Mladost (km 60.6): 14-hour cut-off. Drop bag access is available at Mladost (km 60.6) only. Important: there are no plastic cups at aid stations -- bring your own reusable cup. Mandatory equipment includes a 1L water container (required to receive water at aid stations), waterproof jacket, headlamp (2 light sources), whistle, survival blanket, first aid kit, and 500 kcal of food. Missing mandatory items incur 1hr penalties (whistle, food, jacket, under-capacity water container) or disqualification (no water container).

Q: What are the entry fees and registration process for Tryavna Ultra 100km? A: Entry 2026 fees for 100km (tiered by registration date): 72 EUR early (until 09 Feb 2026) / 82 EUR regular (10 Feb-25 May 2026) / 100 EUR standard (26 May-29 Jun 2026). Registration closes 29 June; no on-site registration. Registration is not finalised without completed payment. All participants undergo a mandatory on-site medical check-up before race pack collection (no extra cost). If the medical team deems a runner unfit, 100% of the entry fee is refunded. Entry includes: water, medical care, aid stations, electronic results, branded Tryavna Ultra shirt, and a finisher medal for sub-cutoff completers. Part of the BG Ultra Slam #UltraCube challenge (collect 6 Bulgarian ultra medals 2025-2027). 2027 pricing TBC.