DECATHLON Yagodina Cave Ultra 50km: Rhodope's Hardest 50km Starts with a 50% Wall

The DECATHLON Yagodina Cave Ultra 50km -- officially the Thracian Ultra 50k -- is a mountain loop ultra starting and finishing at the Shiroka Laka Primary School of Arts in Bulgaria's Rhodope Mountains. The course covers 50km with 2,630m D+ (52.6 m/km), with a 07:00 start and 12-hour cutoff running entirely in daylight. It is part of the broader DECATHLON Thracian Ultra festival, which also offers 95km, 21km, and 12km distances. The race is ITRA-certified (3 points, Mountain Level 7) and UTMB Index listed. The defining character: the course opens with a near-vertical climb (50% max gradient) at the start line before reaching the Perelik ridge (1,980m) by km 11. Women's course record was set by Elena Borisova in 2024 (improved by 1h04min). First edition: 2021.

Harder than most 50km races. The course has 2,630m D+ (52.6 m/km), a 11.82% distance-weighted average uphill gradient (MID tier, 10-15%), and only 14.1% flat terrain -- meaning roughly 86% of the course is either climbing or descending steeply. It opens with Climb #2 immediately at the start line: 578m of ascent in 3.06km at 18.89% average with a 50% maximum gradient. There are only 3 intermediate aid stations (at km 11, 24, and 40), and no drop bags. Mandatory gear includes a bear bell due to active wildlife in the area. The 12-hour cutoff is achievable for fit trail runners but there is very little recovery terrain. Runners who have primarily trained on flat or rolling 50km courses should expect a significantly higher physical demand from the gradient intensity alone.

The 2026 edition was held on May 30, 2026 (now completed). The next edition is expected in late May 2027, consistent with the event's annual late-May calendar. Registration typically opens in the autumn-winter period preceding the race on ultramarathons.bg. The event is not a sellout race -- 83 slots remained available as of late May 2026 -- so advance registration pressure is low. Refund policy: 100% refund before February 28; 50% refund before April 30; no refund after April 30 of race year.

The 95km is the primary distance in the DECATHLON Thracian Ultra event. The 50km (Thracian Ultra 50k) is the second distance and typically has fewer participants. Both races start from the same venue at Shiroka Laka and share similar gradient character: both have distance-weighted average uphill gradients in the MID tier (50km at 11.82%; 95km at approximately 11.0%), and both traverse the same Rhodope mountain terrain. The 50km is a fully self-contained race with its own ITRA points (3 pts, Mountain Level 7) and course records. For runners not ready for the 95km distance or an overnight effort (the 95km runs through the night), the 50km offers the same technical Rhodope terrain in a single-day format with a 12-hour cutoff.

Plovdiv Airport (PDV) is approximately 106 minutes by car from Shiroka Laka -- the closest practical option and well under the 180-minute IS FAR threshold. Sofia Airport (SOF) is a further alternative at approximately 2.5-3 hours. There is no practical public transport to Shiroka Laka from either airport; car hire or pre-arranged transfer is strongly recommended. Shiroka Laka is a small mountain village at 1,050m in Smolyan Province -- accommodation options are limited locally, with more availability in Smolyan town (~30 minutes away). The start/finish venue is the Shiroka Laka Primary School of Arts (NUFI), a distinctive stone building central to the village. May in the Rhodopes: daytime highs 18-25 C at valley level, cooler above 1,000m. Pack for variable conditions including possible rain and cold at the 1,980m Perelik high point.