The inaugural edition of the much anticipated Shaman Trail has been scheduled for 1 October 2016 following the postponement due to the general elections in Myanmar last month. The event will be the country's first serious ultra trail run with a 70km main race distance from the Kalaw hills down to the great Inle Lake.

The trail is purely ethnic and used on a daily basis by the many local villagers you will come across during the run. In some of the villages a traditional shaman will greet the runners and expel all the bad spirits - and maybe even those blisters and muscle cramps.

Participants will gather the day before the race in Kalaw, a nice little town surrounded by hills, which has become the start or end point of many tourist trekking trips that are being organised in the area nowadays. While hikers take three to four days to get to the southern tip of Inle Lake, runners will do it in one day. The first part of the course is the most technical as you will be running through dense vegetation at times and there is some elevation gain as well. The second part is arguably more runnable as the terrain tends to be more flat and along various farm fields. Here and there one will pass a monastery, too. Just before the Lake there is still a rocky section before a descent towards the final kilometer of the race. The finish is right at the boat jetty.

After they have finished, runners can take a small boat up the lake towards the Inle Sanctum Resort, which hosts the participants as well as the after party with ceremony in the evening. Inle Sanctum is a five star luxury resort, so a perfect spot to relax after the race. Runners who wish to stay there longer can do so and plan accordingly via the race organisation.

The Shaman Trail event comes with a travel package that takes all hassle out of your race participation. You can find all information on the website. Registration goes via this link.

The first section is quite mountainous and very green

Whereas the second part has more open and runnable terrain

Inle Lake is the destination, where you will undoubtedly also be kindly greeted

There's some stunning golden temples to visit in Myanmar and at the lake

You can register immediately via this link.

The Shaman Trail in Myanmar opens registrations