New in 2025
We are constantly trying to improve the Malnad Ultra experience and do our best to incorporate changes from the feedback that we receive. Many of us are runners ourselves and we are always on the lookout for best practices when we go to other events. Here are some changes that we will incorporate into our 2025 edition.
50 Km Night Edition
We are offering a 50 Km Night Edition!
Over a third of our participants are returing from previous editions and are seeking new experiences at our event. We have introduced a 50 Km Night category with a 4:30 PM Start Time in order to provide an opportunity for those runners who want to experience the thrill of running in the night without extending themselves to run 100 Km. Our event is also two nights after a New Moon this year! As a result, night runners can experience the amazing night sky in almost full darkness.
Some of our lady runners have requested for the provision of a pacer in the night. We have synchronised the 50 Km Night start with the second loop of the 100 Km so that runners can plan for a companion during the night as they run the second loop of their 100 K!
Lower Registration Fees
Yes, we are lowering our Registration Fees!
The Malnad Ultra is a not-for-profit venture driven by volunteers and we are committed to keeping it this way. We anticipate slightly lower costs this year since we are going to reuse signage and other material from the fresh batch that we made last year. As a result, we have reduced our registration fees by INR 500 in all categories.
GPX Files
We will provide GPX files to assist runners with their navigation this year.
We have not shared GPX files of our course in past editions for two reasons a) they possibly provide an advantage to runners with GPS watches b) we wanted to reserve the right to make last minute changes to the course because local conditions can change overnight due to inclement weather or animal movements.
We have used the current course for the last two editions and are now fairly confident that we will not be forced to make changes to the course at the eleventh hour. We have also observed that a majority of runners in the 50 and 100 Km category possess a GPS watch. Needless to say, it is much safer for a runner to have an additional guidance tool. As a result, we will publish GPX files of our final course well before our event to help participants plan their run and navigate with more confidence on the course.
As in the past, we will also provide course markers for those that do not have GPS watches. We do ask our participants to follow the course markers as primary navigation and rely on the GPS watch as a backup.
In the Works
From the feedback received last year, we are working on the following items and hope to have solutions before this year’s event:
- Local Transfers: Since Chikkamagaluru town is reasonably well connected by public transport, we are in touch with local bus operators to provide transfers from Chikkamagaluru to Mallanduru (our event veue)
- List of Local Accommodation: We are compiling a list of accommodation options in and around Mallanduru as well as Chikkamagaluru to help participants find accommodation during our event. This will save considerable time for our participants.