Mountain Marathon is an adventurous, multi-day navigation race across hilly terrain. Teams navigate independently, on foot, along a fixed sequence of checkpoints in a fixed order, spread over 2 race days, with an overnight stay together at a shared campsite in between. Teams carry their own gear, food and drink fastpacking-style; the organisation takes care of transporting each participant's complete sleeping kit (tent, sleeping bag and sleeping mat).

 

Key terms:

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• Base time: the time we estimate for collecting all base (mandatory) checkpoints

• Moving time: the time a team is actually on the move (finish time minus start time)

• Penalty time: the extra time a team accumulates for certain reasons

• Bonus time: the reduced time a team accumulates by finding optional bonus checkpoints

 

Formats and categories

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There are 3 separate categories.

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• Long run: trail runners, ±40 km/day, ±5.5h base time per day

• Short run: trail runners, ±25 km/day, ±3.5h base time per day

• Walk: hikers, ±25 km/day, ±6.5h base time per day

 

In the Walk category, running is not allowed, only walking.

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Team composition

 

A team consists of 1 (solo) or 2 (duo) members.

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Eligibility requirements

 

Individual participants must be 18 years or older. All participants must be in sufficiently good physical condition to complete both race days (with an overnight stay in a tent in between) within the expected moving times per day.

Participants under 18 may take part if they are part of a team with at least 1 responsible adult. Keep in mind that the impact of a multi-day effort with an overnight stay in nature is greater for young people.

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The map and the terrain

 

During the race, a classic Topo25 map from the Belgian National Geographic Institute (NGI) is used, at a scale of 1:25000. Each race day, every team receives a new map with a new set of checkpoints.

 

Each participant receives 1 copy of this map per day. If it is damaged and unusable, no replacement copy is provided. The use of maps other than the provided race map is forbidden.

 

The map shows the following information:

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• All checkpoints, circled and marked with a letter, possibly with a bonus or penalty value in time noted alongside, divided into mandatory checkpoints and bonus (optional) checkpoints

• Locations where drinking water is available

• Any dangerous passages or off-limits terrain (private land, …)

• Emergency numbers

 

Every team receives exactly the same map and checkpoints. The mandatory checkpoints must be visited in the indicated, fixed order. The bonus checkpoints may be sought in any order of choice.

At each checkpoint itself, physically in the field, hangs a unique code slip (this is not shown on the map). This code must be noted on the team card next to the correct letter, as proof that the checkpoint was visited.

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Tracking system

 

At check-in, every team receives 1 GPS tracking device (tracker, via Legends Tracking) for which it is responsible. The tracker is attached to one of the team members and stays on during both race days and the overnight stay.

In case of loss or damage to the tracker, the team must report this to race officials as soon as possible. In case of loss or intentional damage caused by participants, a cost of €150 will be charged.

The tracker must be returned immediately after the race.

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Start of the race: briefing, map and start times

 

Before each race day, all teams receive a short briefing. Each team is assigned its own individual start time: teams start separately from one another, roughly every two minutes. The specific schedules (check-in, briefing, start and expected finish times) per format and per race day are published on the website for each edition.

Each team only receives its map immediately after its own starting signal. This means there is no preparation time for planning or tactics before the start.

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Teams may not remain behind the start line to determine their tactics or route: after the start, every team is expected to move several hundred metres away from the start line.

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A team's race time is counted from the moment of its own start time until its arrival at the campsite/finish. Anyone not present in time for the start may still depart, but will have less time to complete the course.

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Finding and searching for checkpoints

 

Each team searches for that day's checkpoints according to its own tactics and route planning. The mandatory checkpoints must be visited in the fixed, indicated order. The bonus checkpoints may be sought in any order of choice. Mandatory checkpoints count towards avoiding penalty time (minutes); bonus checkpoints earn bonus time (minutes).

 

Participants may not sit or rest within a hundred metres of a checkpoint or water point.

Duo team members must always stay together and may not split up during their movements. Both members must reach each checkpoint and arrive together at the campsite/finish at all times. Both team members spend the night together at the campsite. A duo team decides for itself whether to sleep together in one tent or each in their own tent.

 

Arrival on each separate race day

 

Upon arrival at the campsite (end of day 1) or the finish (end of day 2), the team hands in its completed team card to race officials. The arrival time (and thus effective moving time) and the checkpoints found are recorded at that moment. The race clock/tracker is the leading timing instrument here.

 

For safety reasons, we set a cut-off time on the total moving time for day 1, equal to double the expected base time for 1 day. For the different formats, this works out as follows:

 

Long run day 1

• Expected base time = 5.5h after start time

• Cut-off moving time = 11h after start time

 

Short run day 1

• Expected base time = 3.5h after start time

• Cut-off moving time = 7h after start time

 

Walk total day 1

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• Expected base time = 6.5h after start time

• Cut-off moving time = 13h after start time

 

A team that exceeds the cut-off moving time on day 1 may still continue to take part on day 2, but will no longer be included in the final ranking (DNF).

 

Limit for the total race and penalty time

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Day 1 and day 2 together form one continuous race. Only at the end of day 2 is the total moving time (day 1 + day 2) added up, along with all checkpoints found and any bonus time or penalty time.

 

The total moving time of the race is likewise subject to a cut-off time, equal to double the expected base time for 2 days. For the different formats, this works out as follows:

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Long run total race

• Expected base time = 11h after start time

• Cut-off moving time = 22h after start time

 

Short run total race

• Expected base time = 7h after start time

• Cut-off moving time = 14h after start time

 

Walk total race

• Expected base time = 13h after start time

• Cut-off moving time = 26h after start time

 

A team that exceeds the cut-off moving time will no longer be included in the final ranking (DNF).

 

Total finish time of a participating team

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A team's finish time is calculated as the sum of:

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• Moving time day 1

• Moving time day 2

• Penalty time (missed mandatory checkpoints)
  − Bonus time (bonus checkpoints found)

• Each missed mandatory checkpoint: penalty time (minutes) according to the value shown on the map/card at that checkpoint (varies per checkpoint depending on difficulty)

• Each bonus checkpoint found: bonus time (minutes) according to the value shown on the map/card at that checkpoint (varies per checkpoint depending on difficulty)

 

The team with the lowest total finish time wins its category. In case of a tie (exactly the same finish time), the order is determined as follows:

1. the team that found the most checkpoints in total,

2. if still tied, the team that found the most bonus checkpoints,

3. if still tied, the team with the shortest effective moving time, disregarding penalty and bonus time.

 

Unsuccessful participation (DNF)

A team is not included in the final ranking:

• Upon arrival outside the cut-off moving time on day 1

• Upon arrival outside the cut-off moving time of the total race (measured at the end of day 2)

• In case of disqualification (see below)

• In case of not completing the race for medical or other reasons

If a participant is deemed unfit to continue for medical reasons, the organisation reserves the right to withdraw this participant.

 

Disqualification (DSQ)

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Disqualification follows after any of the following:

• Using a mobile phone, watch or GPS navigation to determine a route to or between checkpoints

• Using maps other than the official race map

• Using vehicles to move around (bike, car, moped, wheelbarrow, ...)

• Deliberately causing damage to private property and the environment

• Leaving waste and equipment behind in nature

• Passing on and/or receiving checkpoint solutions to/from another team

• Not complying with the safety measures

• Using drugs or doping

 

The campsite

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Between day 1 and day 2, all teams spend the night at a shared campsite with sanitary facilities, a first aid post and a campfire. For each participant, the organisation transports the complete sleeping kit (tent, sleeping bag and sleeping mat) to the campsite (see 'Fastpacking and carried gear'). A duo team chooses for itself whether one shared tent or two separate tents are transported. Let us know when you check in on Saturday.

At the campsite, soft drinks and other non-alcoholic drinks are sold in the evening. In the morning, coffee and tea are available, provided by Coffeecrusader.be. Nothing else is sold. Drinking water is available: teams can use this water to prepare the food they brought with them, using their own cooking gear. Teams manage their evening meal and breakfast completely autonomously and carry it themselves, this is part of the bivouac experience.

After the race, on arrival at the finish, there are both toilets and showers. Every participant is also offered a hot meal (pasta) and one drink. Extra drinks can be bought on top of that.

 

Mobile phone use

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Mobile phone use is only allowed: to take photos along the way, to alert the emergency services in case of a serious accident, to alert the organisation in case of problems. Participants' mobile phones stay switched on during the race.

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Navigation tools

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The use of a compass and a map ruler is allowed. The use of handheld GPS devices, GPS navigation on a sports watch or mobile phone (via apps), altimeters or pedometers to determine a route to or between checkpoints is forbidden. GPS watches may be worn, but must be set to 'Adventure mode'.

 

Safety measures and gear

 

Every participant is responsible for their own safety and is required to have their own accident insurance. The organisation is not responsible for accidents during the race.