Bandung Explorer Ace Arief Wismoyono, the 2015 Asia Trail Master champion, is back on top of the standings with a convincing victory in last Sunday's Coast To Coast Night Trail Ultra at Depok Beach in Yogyakarta, Central Java, Indonesia. In a very wet and therefore slippery and muddy race, he outpaced a strong Yohanis Hiareij and Belgian Gaspard Dessy. After three races in 2017, Wismoyono has 25 ATM championship points more than Dessy, and definitely looks ready to challenge again for the championship title this year. It was Arief Wismoyono 's fourth career ATM race victory after MRU 2015, MesaStila Peaks Challenge 2015 and Ijen Trailrunning 2016. 

In the women's race, Ruth Theresia once again proved she is one of the up and coming running talents in Indonesia. Theresia finished seventh overall and first woman by a clear margin. The 26-year-old Compressport Athlete collects her first 500 points of the season, and will be back in action in two weeks at the Beach Bunch Trail Challenge in Brunei. Mila Mirlani was a good second in CTC, ahead of Lily Suryani and Grandmaster Ina Budiyarni. Suryani collected another 425 points on top of the 300 scored in Tahura Trail in January, and is therefore the new points leader in the Asia Trail Master ranking for women this year.

The Coast To Coast Night Trail Ultra started at 9 pm and was run mainly at night time. The 70k Grandmaster distance was tougher than expected despite relatively modest elevation gain numbers (2300hm). Several climbs were very steep, and descents inside the rainforest very technical in places. Running pace was affected for most starters, and this led to a high DNF rate. Only 35 participants out of 95 starters on the 70k made it back to Depok Beach inside the cut off limit of 16 hours.

Full results and images are to follow.

It's already the third racing weekend in the 2017 Asia Trail Master Championship Series and the second in Indonesia. All eyes are set on the Coast To Coast Night Trail Ultra in Central Java's cultural heritage city of Yogyakarta, where we are likely to end the weekend with new points leaders in the ATM championship ranking. After their great runs in Bandung last month, Gaspard Dessy (third) and Arief Wismoyono (fourth) will be competing with each other again in the hills behind Depok Beach, and Lily Suryani (fourth) can hop ahead of Tahira Najmunisaa and Diorella Cerujano in the women's. 

On the menu is a 70 km trail course with quite a bit of up and down for 2300 hm of elevation gain in total. Important as well is that the majority of the race will take place in the dark as the start of the 70 k will be given at 9 p.m. Organised by Trail Runners Yogyakarta, Coast To Coast has a very experienced team that will ensure everyone will enjoy a great time. The battle for the race victory will certainly involve the abovementioned Arief Wismoyono and Gaspard Dessy, but also Yohanis Hiareij will find a course that suits him very well. 

In the women's race it will be important to see the performance of Lily Suryani, and especially how she fares vis-a-vis Ruth Theresia, who has been in excellent form since the second part of last year. Theresia is also scheduled to run in Brunei at the end of the month and could be a contender for this year's championship title. Also in Yogyakarta, though, are Grandmaster Ina Budiyarni and Mila Marlina. 

As always, you can follow the action this weekend via our dedicated social media channels. 

COMPRESSPORT runner Ruth Theresia begins her 2017 Asia Trail Master campaign in Yogyakarta, but Lily Suryani could claim the top spot in the female ranking this weekend. 

Belgium's Gaspard Dessy was a surprise 3rd in Tahura Trail last month and could put himself on top of the ATM championship ranking this weekend

The course map of the 70k race

Ultra Trail Nepal is a much-anticipated new entry in the Asia Trail Master championship series this year. The spring time version of this event takes place on 25 April - a Tuesday - and that is on purpose. On that day it will be precisely two years ago since Batase and the wider Kathmandu region was struck by a shattering earthquake that demolished villages and brought immense suffering to lots of local communities, many of which were cut-off from the rest of the world for days. UT Nepal has been set up to help get people back on their feet, and aid with the reconstruction and relief efforts. Som Tamang has been the driving force behind the UT Nepal organisation, which also had a 'winter version' last January. While now living in Australia, Som was born in Batase Village and was personally affected by the earthquake. His remarkable story is one of devastation and heartache, but also of inspiration and hope. Two things he very much conveys to his native community today, and UT Nepal is just one element of that. As the event date is coming closer, we recently were talking trail running with Som Tamang.    

By K. Van de Velde

Q: Where were you born and did you grow up ?
ST: I was born in Batase Village, in the Sindhupalchowk district of Nepal. Batase is on the edge of Langtang National Park and is a traditional village. Until the Earthquake hit Nepal, everyone was living in mud homes. the people of Batase are mainly farmers, living off the land

What do you do for a living?
I own a Fair Trade store in Cairns, Australia. I import handmade items from Nepal, and where possible I sell items made by people from my village. Along with my wife, I also run a company called "Take on Nepal", we take groups of volunteers to Nepal where they volunteer in remote village schools. I also take groups on trekking expeditions to some of the most popular parts of Nepal.

What made you move to Australia?
I moved to Australia in search of an education. I was able to attend school up until the age of 10 in Nepal and then I was forced to leave my village. i went to Kathmandu where I became a child slave for a wealthy family. I then became a street seller and eventually a porter and a trekking guide. I received sponsorship to come to Australia where I began my studies and in 2014 I graduated from University with a Bachelor of Creative Industries. I was the first person from my village to achieve.

How would you compare Nepal with Australia when you think of its citizens? 
Australia gave me opportunities that I never imagined were possible for a poor boy from Nepal. The people are amazing and have shown their kindness and compassion through supporting my humanitarian projects. Many Australians come to visit the people of my village and it shows that there are more similarities than differences between both cultures, we are all human and we try to be good people.

How did you get involved with running?
The Earthquake that destroyed Nepal in 2014 had a huge personal impact on me. My 24 year brother was killed as were many other people from my district. Every home in my village was destroyed. I came into contact with Samir Tamang, Samir is an accomplished trailrunner from Nepal. I started helping his village which was also destroyed by the Earthquake and through spending so much time with him, I started to develop a strong interest in trail running. I started running long distances and realised that it was helping to relieve the emotional pain and stress that I felt from the damage caused by the Earthquake. Once I hit the trails, my stress started to leave my body and this felt great. I then introduced trail running to the other villagers, who also recognised the benefits of running. 

What has been your biggest achievement as a runner yourself?
My biggest achievement has been to introduce the benefits of trail running to others and to then begin organising races in Nepal. I am not out to be a champion, I am doing it for the benefits and the connection to nature. Another achievement has been the hugely successful trail running events that I have organised in Nepal; many local and international trail runners have loved running in the mountains in my beautiful country.

Do you have any sports idols, athletes you look up to?
Samir Tamang is undoubtedly Nepal's best trail runner. He inspires me and motivates me, Samir is also a really great person, with a big heart. Lizzy Hawker is another athlete that I look up to, her achievements are unmatched; she shows true grit and determination in her ability to be the worlds greatest endurance runner. Lizzy is an inspiration to the village girls of Nepal who Lizzy supports and trains.

Do you often take part in trail races yourself?
Yes! I participate in races in Cairns, Queensland, Australia. I do this for enjoyment and participate whenever I can. As a race organiser, i am often too caught up with networking at other events to be able to participate.

In a nutshell, how would you describe UT Nepal? 
Ultra Trail Nepal, in my opinion, is a race that will appeal to anyone who is happy to challenge themselves and to humbled by the highest peaks in the world. UTN is unique, our runners pass through traditional villages and get a true understanding of the culture and the people of Nepal. UTN provides our local, talented runners with the opportunity to run with international runners, this is a rare opportunity in Nepal. UTN also aims to empower young women to hit the trails through providing running gear, support and entry into the race.

Is it a race that basically any runner can do, or do you need to have sufficient trail experience? 
This race is perfect for everyone! We encourage people of all ages and experience to participate. the trail is well marked with plenty of support along the way to ensure a successful outcome for everyone. Trail experience will of course allow the runner an easier and more enjoyable experience, we do recommend that you train well before participating.

When will you be a happy organiser? 
I will be happy when we can support our Nepali runners to race internationally, when the event is as popular as the big events in Europe, US and Australia, and when we have over 3000 runners running through our mountain villages who are gaining an understanding of the issues faced by the average person in Nepal. I also want to be able to fund the rebuilding of villages along the trails which has been affected badly by the Earthquake.

What would you advise for international runners who come to join UT Nepal in April?                 Do not have any expectations, come with an open mind and heart; this will ensure a positive experience for you. The trails are challenging but the rewards are greater. 

Two years after the big earthquake, how has reconstruction been going? 
The reconstruction is slow, most people are still living in corrugated iron shelters. Most schools have not yet been rebuilt. The country has a very long way to go to rebuild. I am the founder of the not for profit organistion "Friends of Himalayan Children Inc." and through our fundraising efforts, we have been able to assist in caring for 40 children who were left disadvantaged after the Earthquake. The charity also pays the wages of school teachers. In the wake of the Earthquake, we provided remote villages with a huge amount of emergency relief. 

How has the quake affected the spirit of the people?
The Earthquake has caused a huge amount of emotional turmoil for the people affected. My own Mother fell into a deep sadness and is only recently feeling better to cope. The people of Nepal are by nature resilient, life was tough before the Earthquake and now they have had maintain their strength to get through this difficult time. Everyone who visits Nepal are always taken by the kindness of the people of Nepal, and the Earthquake hasn't changed that.

How important is running for the Nepalese? Is it a big sport in media?  
Trail running is not a big sport in the media, the people of Nepal are naturally built for trail running but due to a lack of information and exposure to the sport, they are unaware of it. Ultra Trail Nepal is working hard at a governmental level, for trail running to be recognised as a sport in Nepal.  

What is the influence Mira Rai has had, and are there any potential successors?
Mira Rai is an amazing role model to many young girls in Nepal. Mira visited Batase as a guest at our first UTN event, she inspired our young people to get involved. There are many potential successors and we are working hard to provide them with the opportunities to gain much needed exposure to trail running events around the world. 

Can Nepalese runners in trail running become the equivalent of Kenyans and Ethiopeans on the track and road? What is needed to arrive at that situation? 
Absolutely! Due to our genetic make up, we are naturally built for running amongst the mountains! I strongly believe that Nepalese runners can dominate the trail running scene. What is needed is the correct training support which includes access to required nutrition, sports equipment and opportunities to challenge themselves in international events. Most people in Nepal are living in poverty, this prevents potential champions from being able to fulfill their potential and through UT Nepal, we want to support our runners to achieve their goals.

How do you see the future development of trail running in Nepal?
I recently met with the Minister of Sport in Nepal, he attended our last UT Nepal event; this is to provide him with an understanding of the sport in the hope of having a trail running association in Nepal in the near future. I am working hard on this one!

Running, and trail running, has seen a boom in popularity. Can the same be said about Australia?    
Trail running is becoming very popular in Australia. UTA is a huge event which attracts runners from all over the world. This event inspired me to start events in Nepal. It is nice to see more people getting off the roads and into natural environments!

Many athletics federations in Asia do not recognise trail running as a genuine discipline.How is this in Australia? 
I believe that Australia still have a long way to go in comparison to Europe. Australia does have a trail running association and we have many talented ultra runners who are not recognised by the media for their amazing achievements. I think within 10 years this will change!

What do you think of the Asia Trail Master series?
The Asia Trail Master series is fantastic, the concept of bringing all of the races together to culminate into a championship is amazing. We feel very excited and proud to be involved with the Asia Trail Master Series. The organiser, Kris Van Der Velde is a great organiser and also a wonderful humanitarian, he provides opportunities to people who are often in a position not to participate in such events.

What is your favourite piece of running music?
Would you believe that I don't listen to music when I run?!! I love tuning into my natural environment when I am running! When I'm not running, I love listening to the music of U2, my Irish wife influenced me there!

The event date for the 2017 edition for Ultra Tu Wenchuan has now been confirmed by the local authorities and it is going to be on 29 April, which allows for a long weekend trip to this majestic mountain area in Sichuan, Southwest China. The race itself will see significant modifications compared to last season, with the main event now a 60 km tough mountain run of approx. 5000 Hm of elevation gain! That implies the race is also valid for the Grandmaster Quest. 

"We happily present you an escalating course with the distance of 60km and 5000+ hm of climbing," says race director Ji Yang. "Apart from that challenging 60km race in individual or mixed duo team format, we also offer a shorter 30k (individual/mixed dual team), a 15k(individual) and a 5k LNT(Leave No Trace group for the family members and kids) group. So more diversity in choices this year! Note that the 60k is estimated to gain 4 ITRA points and 35k 2points as well."

Precise maps and profiles are available in due course. 

While the race day is on Saturday, the ceremony will be held on Sunday. "In addition, 'says Ji Yang, "we offer short sightseeing trip options for runners to delve into the Qiang culture of our Wenchuan area."

Wenchuan is of course the location of the big earthquake that devastated the area in 2008. A lot of work has been done in the region to reconstruct the villages and main town, showing the resilience of the people in this area close to Tibet. 

Last year the 50k race was won by Beijing's Bi Duanyang and Zhou Dongmei. You can read our extensive race report of that event here. All details of this year's upcoming edition will be posted on our cover page as they become available. 

We are happy to announce a new entry in the 2017 Asia Trail Master championship series on 9 April. The Sungai Menyala Forest Trail in Port Dickson, peninsular Malaysia, is brought to you by the experienced crew of Malatra Ventures led by race director Razif Yahya. It features a 50 km race for points in the ATM championship that will appeal to all levels of runners, and also has shorter distances of 25 km and 10 km, and even a kid dash, to allow for a weekend trip for the whole family. 

Sungai Menyala is a pristine forest near the coastal town of Port Dickson, which is roughly only one hour away from Kuala Lumpur. The trail course is relatively flat and expected to be very runnable with few technical sections. This means it is a race that appeals for beginning trail runners, road runners keen on a taste of trail, and experienced trail runners who want to work on their speed. Arguably the main challenge for this race will be heat and humidty, as often in Malaysia, and each participant's hydration strategy will be significant to finish this race in style. The start will be given at 7:30 a.m., which  means no need for a very early wake-up call neither. 

The most interesting part the route will go though the tribal village (Kampung Orang Asli) near the forest, which allows for plenty of cultural sightseeing. 

Race registration is open now. You can find more details as they become available on our ATM cover page as well. 

We are proud to announce COMPRESSPORT® as the official compression partner of the Asia Trail Master series starting now in 2017.  In only eight years since 2008, the Swiss brand has become a household name in sports communities all over the world. COMPRESSPORT®'s tag line says it all: “it’s all about Passion”. Precisely why it is such a good match with Asia Trail Master.

"We are very pleased to announce the partnership with the Asia Trail Master series," says Vishnu Metharam, General Manager of COMPRESSPORT® Asia. "We also thank you for your confidence with COMPRESSPORT®. We are present at the best races in the world and ASIA is the continent with the greatest growth rate in terms of participants. We want to be there to help everyone race: wherever you race we support you !"
 
At COMPRESSPORT®, everything is about passion. Passion in training, Passion for extreme races, Passion to push the limits. Its Passion goes along with a deep respect for YOU, professional athletes that lead the way in performance, and age group athletes who are out there every day juggling between family & work commitments and their passion for sport. And of course, there’s the Passion for the quest to develop the perfect product…Always looking for more improvement, more preciseness, more exclusivity.
 
COMPRESSPORT®was launched and is still headquartered today in Switzerland, and has its main Asia-Pacific office in Singapore.  Coming from a medical research background and being specialists in sports compression, the brand has always combined the most advanced new technologies with latest trends. Innovation and surprise for the athletes is what made COMPRESSPORT® so valued and loved by professional and amateur athletes alike. The company staff make it their business to respond to the problems that athletes face on a daily basis. Whether to improve performance, enhance recovery or to help them travel in the best possible conditions. COMPRESSPORT® contributes to  the overall well-being of athletes in everyday life. All products use fabrics and yarns that meet the Oeko-Tex® Standard 100: Independent controls on harmful textile substances to make sure the products do not pose any health risk.
 
Trail runners on the Asia Trail Master circuit will now get fully exposed to the benefits of compression apparel by COMPRESSPORT® . In particular, runners who are aiming for the Grandmaster Quest.
 
The Grandmaster Quest, geared by COMPRESSPORT®
 
To become an Asia Trail Grandmaster, runners need to accomplish six races of minimum 70 km or 4500 hm within 24 months. A remarkable achievement that will be fully acknowledged and celebrated by COMPRESSPORT®. All current and new Grandmasters will receive a COMPRESSPORT® trail gear set consisting of up to fifteen items. That is not all: Grandmasters will be the protagonist of an official COMPRESSPORT® professional photo shoot! A reward for your Passion of trail running.

In addition, the top ten of the 2017 Asia Trail Master championship will be receiving COMPRESSPORT® prizes, as wel as the 2017 National Trail Masters and podium placers at Asia Trail Master points races. Runners will be able to get to know COMPRESSPORT®'s wide range of products at several events during the Asia Trail Master season as well. 

Find out all details about COMPRESSPORT® via their comprehensive website. In due course, custom-made Asia Trail Master compression products will also be made available for purchase. 

One week after his surprise DNF at Tahura Trail in Indonesia, the 2016 Asia Trail Master champion Manolito Divina has bounced back during the Rizal Mountain Run in his native country of Philippines. Divina won the tough 50 km race in just under 6h30 and joins Abdoullah Mitiche at the top of the 2017 ATM championship with 500 points. He beat some prime runners in the process yesterday: last year's winner of this race Kristian Joergensen was able to resist for a while but eventually still lost 17 minutes to the champion. Still, Joergensen himself did a fantastic run, as he was almost an hour ahead of Mark Koi Grey, with whom he battled so fiercely for victory in this race last year! Another great performance was delivered by Thumbie Remigio, who despite significant rib injuries succumbed before the start made it to fourth place today! Kyle Antolin and Ernani Occiano were next up, followed by Malaysia's Abang Jamadi Rosli. 

Diorella Cerujano was fastest woman, seventeen minutes ahead of Patricia Morota and last year's winner Cheryl Bihag. Majo Liao opted not to start this year and instead help out with the race organisation, which received praise from the participants. In particular and to note were the excellent marshals and markings, and the adequate medical staff which made runners feel safe and secure on the sometimes quite technical parts of the race course. 

The men's podium. Credit: D. Salongo dela Cruz

Manolito solo in the lead. Credit: MGM productions

Just one week after the Tahura Trail, the 2017 Asia Trail Master tour already pitches its tents in the Philippines for the second points race. As last week's event in Indonesia, the Rizal Mountain Run is another Candidate Race that has moved up to our championship calendar this year. The 50 km in the Rizal mountains east of Manila is a tough rollercoaster with 2800 hm that seems to favour punchy runners. Kristian Joergensen, Danish but residing in the country, and Koi Grey fought a great battle last year and are back this weekend to open their 2017 campaign. However, one cannot look past Asia Trail Master champion Manolito Divina as top favourite for the men's race. Especially since Divina has something to make up. A DNF at Tahura by getting lost was an unexpected non-result last week! Instead of taking the new championship by the horns straightaway with two potential top points hauls, the pinoy star will have to make do with the Rizal Mountain Run this Sunday to get in the mix. At least one thing was obvious in Bandung: Manolito Divina is on the pace again. Race winner Abdoullah Mitiche was not finished with him yet, but that's trail running for you. 

The women's race will see Majo Liao competing more or less on home soil. Liao was second in the Asia Trail Master championship last year despite suffering from an injury for a large part of the season. Tahira Najmunisaa already showed everyone how strong she is again last week, can Liao do the same this weekend? Last year's winner Cheryl Bihag will also return to Rizal. 

Via our social media channels you can stay tuned to the race developments this weekend. 

A nice but tough 50 km loop in the Rizal Mountain area

2016 Asia Trail Master runner-up Majo Liao is the top favourite in the women's race

Kristian Joergensen won last year's edition after a splendid dual with Koi Grey

The first points race in China this year takes place in the Southwest of the country in Yunnan Province. The region known for its touristic highlights and not in the least because of its coffee and tea plantations. Pu'Er is one the world's best known tea varieties for its health benefits, and on 18 and 19 February you have the chance to run through and around the Pu'Er tea area! Organised by China Ultra and On World Sports, the 2nd edition of the event has now opened international registration via Racing The Planet. On offer are the two traditional trail distances of 100 km and 50 km. 

There is considerable elevation gain of 4800 hm on the 100 km, but the cut off time is quite ample with 30 hours. Read more event details via our event cover page. 

To make the most out of your visit to Pu'Er and Yunnan, there are optional bespoke sightseeing trips available. The following 8 options by Citymaster are all unique and a great add-on to your experience. 

The first race of the new Asia Trail Master championship series took place in Bandung, Indonesia, last weekend and was a worthy opener with two fantastic winners. Abdoullah Mitiche had to work hard on the very muddy and slippery course but repeated his victory from last year, while defending female Asia Trail Master champion Tahira Najmunisaa Muhammad Zaid delivered another superb run to take the women's race convincingly. The fifth edition of the event saw over 1700 participants spread over four race distances, all of whom had to spend time washing their shoes afterwards as heavy rain on Saturday night turned most of the trail course into a mud pool. 

The mud was good for the hardcore trail runners, but less so for the fast "road"runners who use the not-so-technical Tahura Trail to gain experience offroad, or simply because it is such a good event.  Algeria-born COMPRESSPORT athlete Abdoullah Mitiche is primarily a triathlete who does Tahura Trail year after year as it fits his schedule. Mitiche won last year, and was determined to repeat that feat last Sunday, even with established trail heroes such as Asia Trail Master champion Manolito Divina, Arief Wismoyono and Alan Maulana at the starting line. After a fast start, he and Margono - second place last year - opened up a small gap over his main rivals, but then took a wrong turn that put him back behind and on the chase. Divina was going well in his first ever race in Indonesia, until he also lost the right trail. Disaster struck for the Filippino star, as he was unable to find his way back to the right path and eventually was guided to the 21 km race course by a marshal. No ATM points for Divina in his first race this year. In trail running, you never know and bad things also happen to the best. Manolito Divina will aim to bounce back next weekend already at the Rizal Mountain Run. 

Ari Masrudi, a rather unfamiliar name on the trail circuit, was putting the pressure on in the mean time. A road runner first and foremost, Masrudi kept Wismoyono, Margono and the surprisingly quick Gaspard Dessy behind as the leaders entered the final 10k to the finish. However, when Mitiche started his final charge Masrudi had no answer. Given the treacherous conditions, it was amazing to see the winning time of Mitiche being virtually the same as last season: 4:02:16, six seconds ahead of Masrudi and almost five ahead of Dessy. 2015 ATM champion Arief Wismoyono opened his new account with 4th place and Margono settled for fifth. 

In the women's race, Malaysia's leading trail lady Tahira Najmunisaa had no match on the weekend. Taking charge on the first hill climb of the day, she gradually opened up a big gap to the other women and finished in an amazing time of 4:36:11, just 34 minutes slower than Mitiche in the men's! Second place went to Ninie Hauschild, mainly known as a triathlete as well, and third place to last year's Indonesia Trail Master Shindy Patricia. The women's field was also very competitive. 

On our facebook page, you can check pre and post race interviews with some of the protagonists of this year's Tahura Trail in Bandung. Both race winners are of course also the first leaders in the 2017 Asia Trail Master points championship. The next race is already taking place next weekend in the Philippines: the Rizal Mountain Run! 

The new year's holiday has come to an end already, and for sure all of you are on fire to kick off your new trail racing campaign by now! The 2017 Asia Trail Master Championship   series begins this weekend in the most appropriate manner: a top event in an exciting location and a trail course that is perfectly designed to shake off that winter stiffness! The 5th Tahura Trail in Bandung, West Java, Indonesia is on this Sunday, and the highly popular event is honoured by the participation of the two defending Asia Trail Master champions: Manolito Divina (Philippines) and Tahira Najmunisaa Muhammad Zaid (Malaysia)! 

Organised by the running division of Indonesia Biking Adventure, the Tahura Trail is arguabky the most popular trail event in Indonesia looking at pure participation numbers. The event of course caters for absolutely everybody: the experienced and top athletes have the 42k marathon distance, but less ambitious or beginning runners also have a wide range of options from 21k to 10k, family run or a new nocturnal race. For the Asia Trail Master championship, only the 42k provides finisher and performance points, 500 as maximum total for the male and female winners of the race. 

When one says Bandung, trail runners obviously think of The Bandung Explorers, the local trail running team that features a.o. 2015 Asia Trail Master champion Arief Wismoyono. Having home advantage, they will be the ones to beat. It will be interesting to see the dual between Wismoyono and Manolito Divina on Sunday. Divina had the Bandung ace in his pocket two months ago in his home territory in Clark, but the freshly married Wismoyono has seemed rejuvinated and might just as well equal the score on Sunday. 

Plenty of other race favourites this weekend, though. Not in the least Algeria-born Abdoullah Mitiche who won Tahura Trail last year. As Mitiche explained in our Talking Trail Running series this week, he just loves this race. Although primarily a long distance triathlete, Mitiche always makes a goal of Tahura and anyone who wants to win on Sunday will need to get passed him. Running speed is important in this race, as the distance of 42 km is obviously no 100 km long haul. It provides excellent runners with perhaps less technical trail wherewithal such as Mitiche with chances of upsetting the established trail elite. The relatively short distance should also play in the hands of Malaysia's Lim Wen Shan. And what to expect of Yohanis Hiareij and Margono, two other Indonesian runners known for their fast legs? 

Rhenaldi Firdaus, the youngster and winner of MesaStila 4 Peaks Challenge (65km) last October, is on the start list as well. Has he recovered from his fantastic efforts in Hong Kong last week during the UTWT race over there? Plenty of names, plenty of action to be expected on Sunday morning!

Moving over to the women, one cannot look past the presence of defending champion Tahira Najmunisaa. Unbeaten in five races on the Asia Trail Master tour, it is only logic she goes into Tahura Trail as the woman to beat. While admitting to being fatigued after the grueling Indonesia SuperTrail at MesaStila a few months ago, Tahira can be expected to be back at the top of her game this weekend. The local opposition will be there, though, as well. 

The first race of the 2017 Asia Trail Master season will be followed extensively on our usual social media channels as of the race briefing and champion's ceremony on Saturday afternoon. 

Upcoming weekend the 2017 Asia Trail Master Championship series begins in Indonesia with the Tahura Trail. Taking place in Bandung, West Java, and one of the most popular races in the country, the fifth edition will see loads of strong runners at the starting line this Sunday morning. Both defending Asia Trail Master champions Manolito Divina and Tahira Najmunisaa will begin their new campaign, and will face strong local opposition in the 42 km race. Not in the least by Abdoullah Mitiche. Born in Algeria, Mitiche won the race last year as a triathlete in love with Tahura Trail. Now residing in Jakarta, Mitiche is determined to give the established trail running stars a run for their money again this weekend, and does not even exclude going after the Asia Trail Master Championship title himself one day. Currently, though, Mitiche's season planning sees him focusing first and foremost in long distance triathlon and IronMan. We were talking trail running with Abdoullah Mitiche, and disovered a genuine athlete with a very interesting story. 

By K. Van de Velde

ATM: Where were you born and did you grow up ?

AM: Algiers, a hilly city on the Mediterranean sea and the capital of Algeria, a country with a tradition of middle-distance running (800m to 3000m) and a home specialty in the 1500m: 4 Golds at this track race in the last 6 Olympics have been won by Algerian runners (2 men and 2 women). 

ATM: Was running something you have always done, or is it a recent hobby?

I’ve always loved Running, but haven’t regularly practiced it until 6 years ago.
Growing up, I loved the instant feeling of freedom and speed it provided and the rewarding sense of achievement at the top of a hill.
Back in high school, I joined a sprint team for almost one season, which was completely different from the running I do now: Training for 200m and 400m races, we didn’t do long runs (we didn’t have to), but we learned the ABC’s of running drills, clearing hurdles, and most importantly: Sucking up pain outside one’s comfort zone!
And after trying many other activities recreationally in the following years (basketball, parkour, hiking, tennis and even ultimate Frisbee), it’s not until end of 2010 (at age 28) that I became a runner, thanks to an Australian runner, Stephanie, then Minister Counsellor at the Australian High Commission in Port Moresby, who persuaded me I could run further than I thought I could.

ATM: What do you do for a living?

I’m a Risk Management consultant in the telecom industry; my office job takes most -if not all- my daytime but has also enriched my experience and taken me to uncommon yet wonderful places: Haiti, Jamaica, Papua New Guinea and for the last 4 years: Indonesia.

 ATM: You are mainly a triathlete. Have you completed an IronMan already?

I’ve been a triathlete for the past 4 years; and after a couple of experimental and introductory short course races (Novice, Sprint, and then Olympic distance), I soon realized I’m more suited to long course events and enjoy them much more; I’ve done 10 since: 8 Half-Ironman distance (70.3) and 2 Full Ironman, all of them in South East Asia.

ATM: What is your ambition as a triathlete?

4 years ago, I would’ve answered: “Getting faster” but then Joe Friel, my Triathlon guru, taught me better: “Goals should be event outcomes, not vague statements about your dreams of success. They should be well-defined, measurable … and just out of reach” to quote him. So my mid-term triathlon goals –Brace yourself for some geekiness- are: to improve my swimming to sustain a 1:45/100m pace for 1h, increase my cycling FTP (Functional Threshold Power) to 305 watts, and run a 3h15 marathon off the bike in an Ironman race.

ATM: Are you member of a sports club?

No, but I’m a proud member of the Indonesian sport community that welcomed me to its family and treated me as one of its own. “Indorunners” is the running community I joined as soon as I started calling Jakarta home; Triathlon Buddies is my triathlon community; When it comes to Trail, I was lucky enough to have met Om Wailan, a fellow-member of both those communities, who knows the local trails like his pocket and likes exploring new ones. He showed me around my first trail runs in Indonesia.

ATM: Do you have any sports idols, athletes you look up to?

My early idol would be my father, former national record holder of Triple jump and a true amateur who combined between his athletic passion, medical studies and surgery profession.
My encounter with Morceli, 3-times 1500m world champion and Olympic champion, left quite an impression on me as a 12 years old boy: I saw him training in one of Algiers’ running tracks, he called me and my cousin when he was done, handed his autographs to us and told us: “Chase your dreams!”
Other sport idols are Kilian Jornet and Javier Gomez.

 ATM: When did you discover your talent as a runner?

It must have been my marathon debut: The Sahara Marathon, in February 2012; a 100% sand trail race in the Algerian desert, that I didn’t train or taper for specifically as I was training for my first 100km Ultra 2 months later; Ultra training means back-to-back long runs and I wouldn’t let a “C race” compromise my training for my “A race”, so I went for a 3h run the day before; to my surprise, on the next day: I clocked 3h24 in my first 42k and ranked 9th overall in an international field; It did hurt but all I remember now is how much I loved it, I thought: "I  might be good at this endurance stuff! I should do more of it!"

 ATM: What does your training plan look like? How does trail running fit in?

I’m a big advocate of scientific and structured training, and think it’s the most efficient, fastest and safest way to optimize fitness and performance. I divide (or periodize) my season into periods: Base, Build and Peak, then divide periods into blocks, then divide blocks into 3 to 4 weeks, each block would culminate with either a recovery week where volume backs off or a race; races are ordered by priority from A to C. My weekly training volume ranges between 13 and 19 hours depending on the period and the block.
I love trail! I feel close to nature there, “The meditation of the trail” as Jack Kerouac beautifully puts it; I would do most my running on trails if I could, but I live in Jakarta, one of the most urban metropolis in the world, and I could only run trail occasionally on weekends or holidays, in either Sentul (around 50km south of Jakarta) or Bandung (180km southeast). For 2 years in a row, I’ve been dedicating my end of the year holiday to trail running as an Off-season activity; in fact, I’m just back from a multi-day ultra-trail in the Sahara where my friends and I covered around 120km over 4 days in the breathtaking Algerian desert; during which we were at least 100km away from the nearest electricity socket, water tap, mobile tower or civilization sign we otherwise take for granted; my face got sunburned, my hands and feet froze in -3° at night, but I got my fix of trail endorphins (and sand).

ATM: Where do you do cycling training?

As a triathlete, cycling represents at least 55% of my training volume; I used to be do all of it outdoors (the “old school” way), at crazy hours as early as 4am to avoid Jakarta’s epic traffic and reduce my exposure to pollution. I now do around half of it indoors on my Kickr smart trainer that adjusts resistance according to the specific wattage I want to achieve in my effort and recovery intervals; I even embraced a virtual reality technology recently called Zwift that allows cyclists to ride together on virtual islands with climbs and descents and even races. I do most my outdoor cycling with my KGB (Kelapa Gading Bikers) friends, on the hazy roads and flyovers of Jakarta city center on weekdays and in Sentul hills on weekends.

 ATM: Do you pay attention to your food before a race? Are there any special products you take in preparation for your race?

I take nutrition pretty seriously, we call it Triathlon's 4th discipline; when one sets off on an endurance event that lasts the entire morning (or the entire day), our food intake before and during the event has direct impact on our performance. I never skip my race morning breakfast, I usually have it early (2h before the start), and keep it simple, high carb, low-fat, low-fiber.
No pre-race special products really, but my usual race morning breakfast is: a banana (or couple of dates), milk (chocolate or plain), toast with honey, black coffee. I’d have lost some fluids by the time I finish my warm-up and line up at the start-line, so I either down a gel with some water or sip from a small bottle of electrolytes drink while waiting for the gun to go off. 

ATM: What is your best time on the road marathon?

With my focus on multi-sport events, it's been over 2 years since I last ran a stand-alone road marathon: Jakarta Marathon 2014 is the last one I ran and remains my PB in 3h06, way off my Sub-3 target! My "lame excuse” is that I raced Ironman Malaysia 4 weeks before the marathon and hadn't recovered from it, but I want to have a crack at the 26.2  either late 2017 or early 2018. As a Jakartan runner, one of my targets is to run Sub-3 Jakarta and Bali Marathons; heat and humidity are always going to be hindering factors in our tropical climate, but we just have to deal with it.

ATM: Do you often take part in trail races, or was Tahura Trail 2016 rather an exceptional event for you?

I race trail whenever I can fit the event into my training and racing calendar. I must admit things used to be more spontaneous and much simpler when running was my only discipline, but the questions I now have to answer before putting any stand-alone race on my calendar (not only running but also cycling races) are: Does the date fit in my blocks? How far is it from my “A race”? Does its distance fit into the program? Will I be able to do a long ride and swim the day before/after? ...etc. But with the right planning, I could fit around 8 running races a year, probably half of which are Trail.
 
ATM: What do you like about Tahura Trail?

Tahura is a Classic event in the Indonesian Trail Running calendar. It’s a race I never missed since its first edition in 2013, here is why:
It's only 2-3h drive from Jakarta.
It’s a full-fleshed Trail Race that features breathtaking 45% climbs, mud, rocks, water crossings, bushy single tracks, treacherous descents, slippery cobble-stone, alleys through kampungs, cabbage and eggplant farms, and an epic elevation gain; a real all-terrain trail.
It grew to become one of the best and most popular trail events in Indonesia, thanks to its organizers commitment to improve it every year: smooth registration, a punctual start, a very well-marked trail, sufficient water stations and marshals on course, accurate timing system, quick results. I've seen all these aspects improve year after year.
I usually meet my big trail running family in this event (even many triathlete friends), and catch up with them in a pleasant festive ambience.
The last reason is not objective and rather bias: I stood on Tahura's podium a couple of times but it took me 4 attempts, 4 years in a row to finally win it; it's my story of stubbornness.

ATM: What is your favourite type of trail race?

Long course, diverse terrain and hilly profile.

ATM: What is your dream as a trail runner?

Reading the ultra-trail literature out there played a big role in getting me into running, so it’s always been a dream to run an iconic race from that literature like Western States 100 one day.
In Indonesia, Mount Rinjani Ultra (MRU) in the beautiful island of Lombok is a trail race I’ve always wanted to do, but could never make it as it usually conflicts with a key triathlon race in Bintan island I always commit to; I hope I can run it one day and have a go at breaking its course record.

ATM: Running, and trail running, has seen a boom in popularity also in Indonesia recently. How did you experience this?

I’ve seen it grow exponentially: Back in 2012, runners down the street used to be a rare sight, running events could be counted on fingers and I used to see much more bikers than joggers on Jakarta’s weekly Car Free Day (CFD). Runners grew in numbers in the past 4 years; there are running events almost every weekend now (sometimes more than 2 on the same day), some of which draw thousands of participants, most running events are Road, but increasingly Trail too; many Jakartan cyclists avoid Car Free Day on Sunday, “It’s been taken over by runners” they mutter.
The running boom in the country is in my opinion only the tip of the iceberg, research studies show obesity has been rising rapidly in Indonesia and is becoming a major threat to public health; While urgent policy work is required to address the problem, I think we runners should play a leading role and be part of the solution: Raising health-consciousness, advocating running-friendly cities, demanding a minimum of green space “square meters per capita” in urban areas, sidewalks, trails …etc.

ATM: How do you see the future development of trail running?

I believe trail running will continue to grow in popularity in the region and the world, not only because health awareness and runners’ numbers will continue to increase, but also because more road runners continue to look for less urban and more beautiful sceneries, cleaner air quality, and just runs that are more pleasant and more fun; all that can generally be found when we return to nature and run trail; with this comes a responsibility to protect environment, keep our trails clean and keep them green, “Leave nothing but footprints”.

ATM: Many athletics federations in Asia do not recognise trail running as a genuine discipline. Is this holding the sport back?

Definitely, would any cycling federation stop recognizing MTB as a cycling discipline?! It’s unthinkable; MTB is a well-established and fully recognized part of cycling.
The same terrain differentiation applies to Trail running; I really hope its growing popularity will convince Athletics Federations in the region to regard it more progressively, recognize it, support it and nurture its young talent; Trail is not Track, nor Road, not even Cross-country, but it’s still Running.

ATM: Should trail running become recognised as an olympic sport?

Yes; Going back to Road vs Off-road cycling comparison, Mountain Biking (MTB) was born in the 70’s, then became an Olympic discipline in 1996; BMX followed and made its Olympic debut in 2008.
When it comes to Trail Running, even though the sport is relatively new, the activity itself is not only older than its track and road siblings, but as ancient as humans themselves!
I think IAAF recognition of Trail Running as an official running discipline in 2015 is a step in the right direction and would eventually lead to the sport becoming Olympic.

ATM: How is triathlon organised in Indonesia? Are there many events?

Triathlon is a relatively new sport in Indonesia, but one of the fastest growing; many pure runners and pure cyclists like to go outside their “comfort sport” and take up a multi-sport challenge that adds 2 more disciplines to what they are familiar with; they represent the bulk of people taking up triathlon. Finishing a triathlon is also becoming the next box to tick after a runner finishes a full marathon, or a cyclist completes her first running race, and as fun and addictive as it is, many stick around and sign up for the next (generally longer) triathlon event. I find this quite inspiring! It reminds me how I started and why I love Triathlon at the first place. Which brings us to triathlon events, Top 5 yearly events:

• Sungailiat Triathlon (Bangka) [Distances: Sprint, Olympic, Long course]: born as a Duathlon in 2012, it never stopped improving, adding new distances and drawing more participants each year.
• Triathlon Buddies Mini-Tri (Jakarta) [Distances: Novice, Kids]: is my community’s anniversary, it strives to introduce Triathlon to newbies (I was one of those newbies when I joined it 4 years ago).
• Ironman 70.3 Bintan [Distance: 70.3, Iron-kids]: The first Ironman race in Indonesia in 2015, it’s making endurance Triathlon more popular.
• Bali Triathlon [Distances: Sprint, Olympic]
• Bintan Triathlon [Distances: Sprint, Olympic, Kids, Youth]

ATM: What do you think about the Asia Trail Master series? Could you see yourself tring to win the ATM championship one year?

I think it’s a brilliant idea to bring the Asian Trail Running scene together and connect quality races in different Asian countries into one series system that rewards runners of all capabilities, it certainly adds to the sense of achievement we get from practicing the sport we love; which makes me think: there should be something similar in triathlon on national or regional level!
I love endurance sport and intend to do it as long as my heart beats and legs move; so I do have in mind, at some point, to dedicate a season or 2 to single-sport events; winning ATM championship would be an exciting goal to aim for in the running year(s)!

ATM: Will you compete again in Tahura Trail next week?

Of course! Not only to try to defend my title, but to stay true to my tradition since Tahura’s first edition 4 years ago.

ATM: Finally, what is your favourite piece of running music?

I’m not a big fan of headphones while running, and find the sound of my breath and footsteps to be very musical, but I do find inspiration in some songs lyrics, like Mano Chao’s: “Il faut courir tous les jours, il faut courir. Il faut gagner tous les jours, il faut gagner. Il faut subir tous les jours, il faut subir”. It translates to: “One has to run every day, one has to run. One has to wineveryday, one has to win. One has to endure everyday, one has to endure”