Glen Lyon Ultra Marathon - 31 miles

The race starts and finishes at Loch Lyon Dam. Expect a race briefing about 15 minutes before the start, where final course updates and safety information will be given. You'll collect your timing chip and race number at check-in. The finish area will have refreshments and a friendly atmosphere to celebrate your 31-mile achievement.

The course is 85% off-road with six river crossings, so trail shoes with aggressive grip and quick drainage are essential. Waterproof shoes are optional—many prefer breathable shoes that drain well. Wear lightweight, breathable and wind-resistant layers, plus a waterproof jacket. Consider gaiters to keep debris out and use anti-chafe balm on your feet, as river crossings mean wet socks for much of the route.

The Glen Lyon Ultra features about 3,500 ft of ascent and six river crossings, so train on hilly trails with similar terrain. Include weekly hill reps and long runs with significant elevation gain. Practice power-hiking steep gradients and running on uneven, boggy ground. For the river crossings, do some training runs where your feet get wet so you know how your shoes and socks perform when soaked. Build up to back-to-back long runs on consecutive weekends to simulate race fatigue.

Yes, the Glen Lyon Ultra Marathon awards 2 UTMB points, which count toward qualification for the Ultra-Trail du Mont-Blanc (UTMB) events. To earn these points, you must finish the race within the official cutoff. After the event, your result is automatically reported to UTMB by the race organiser, and the points appear in your UTMB Index profile.