The Race

The Salomon TMBT Ultra-Trail® Marathon 2018 will be held on Saturday, 1st September and Sunday, 2nd September, 2018.

The TMBT is Malaysia's oldest Ultra-Trail® Marathon with the inaugural race held in 2011. The acronym stands for "The Most Beautiful Thing", and makes reference to the iconic Mount Kinabalu, which at 4,100 m is one of Southeast Asia's highest peaks and a world heritage site. The TMBT course is set over the ridges and in the river valleys around the base of Mt. Kinabalu, with the highest elevation on the race course just under 2000m.

The event takes runners from the quaint native villages at the foothills on the western side of Mount Kinabalu towards the southern side of the mountain with the 30k and 50k categories finishing at the viewpoint to Mt. Kinabalu at the township of Pekan Nabalu. The 100k category continues around the base of Mount Kinabalu and to the South-Eastern ridges of the mountain to finish in the village of Kundasang.

The routes are challenging but beautiful and give runners an opportunity to experience remote villages and follow village trails through a varied landscape of forest and cultivated areas. Trails pass paddy fields and climb steep ridges clad in pineapples with amazing views to Mt. Kinabalu and over the surrounding ridges and valleys which are often shrouded in clouds. The routes cross numerous streams with refreshing water on a hot day, while most larger rivers are crossed via hanging, bamboo or log bridges. Part of the trails follow the old heritage trails that used to be a part of the old buffalo trading routes linking villagers from Kota Belud to Bundu Tuhan.

Race Categories

The 8th version of the TMBT Ultra-Trail® Marathon will include the original 4 distance categories ranging from 12 km to 100 km that start on Saturday morning plus an additional shorter 7.5 km loop that starts Sunday morning from the finish area for the 100 km at "Perkasa". The 7.5 and 12 km categories are designed to allow newcomers to experience the thrills of trail running. The 30 km and 50 km categories are designed for intermediate trail runners while the full 100 km category is catering for experienced trail runners.

The 2018 routes for the 12, 30, 50 and 100 km are similar to the 2017 courses. The additional 7.5 km course may be entered as a stand-alone race or as an "add-on" race to one of the 12, 30 or 50 km races at a discounted rate (please refer to registrations). The 7.5 km race is intended to give people a chance to experience a small section of the second half of the 100 km course. Although short, it has significant elevation loss and gain, and should not be underestimated. There are no age restrictions for children accompanied by a parent or guardian, and we will have a special category for kids (younger than 14 year) for this distance category. Maps and race course stats are shown under "Route Profile".

Qualifiers and Championship Points

In addition to being part of the Ultra-Trail World Tour Discovery Race series, the TMBT is a qualifying and point earning event to several races and championships.

Borneo ULtra Trails is a member of the International Trail Running Association (ITRA), and the TMBT courses of 30km and longer are rated under ITRA. This makes the TMBT a qualifying race for all races referring to the ITRA points for qualification such as for instance Ultra-Trail Mt. Fuji. In addition to this, the TMBT is a qualifying event to take part in large international races and also a point earning race in international and national championships as outlined below.   

Registration

Registrations for the Salomon TMBT Ultra-Trail Marathon are open.

Please note that when you get redirected to the Racematix registration page by clicking the link at the bottom of this page, you will see options for both the Borneo Ultra Trail Marathon (BUTM), which is still open for last minute, late registrations, and for The Most Beautiful Thing (TMBT). Please make sure you choose the correct race and category that you wish to register for.

For the 2018 version of TMBT, we are expecting to reach the maximum capacity of the race course and have to limit the number of competitors.

Please Note: Registrations will be accepted on a first-come, first serve basis for people who fulfill the requirements for participation until the race quotas have filled. A race slot is only confirmed after payment has been made.

Registration and payment is via the Racematix registration platform. You will be transferred to the Racematix registration page when you at the bottom of this page agree to the terms & conditions to proceed to registration. If you already have a profile with Racematix, you can log in to your profile to enter the race. If you do not have a profile on Racematix, you will need to first establish your profile with relevant details - it is a simple procedure that takes a few minutes. You can then select the race category and any add-ons (in this case the optional bus transfers) before proceeding to payment.

Important Note:  Please use your name as stated in your passport / IC for your registration in Racematix. This is important so we can match your registration with payments, indemnity release form etc. Your name and date of birth entered in Racematix will also be used for submission to the International Trail Running Association (ITRA) to register qualifying points for other races if you complete the 100, 50 or 30 km course within the stipulated cutoff time. Sensitive information such as your passport / IC number will NOT be submitted. 

Payment Options

Payment options on Racematix include Local bank transfers, Paypal and credit card. Please note that there are admin fees associated with Paypal and Credit Card. If you pay with Paypal / Credit Card, your confirmation will be immediate upon payment. If you pay via bank transfer, you will need to return to the Racematix registration page to upload a copy of the payment confirmation (bank slip, etc) once you have paid. This will then be verified and your registration confirmed within a 7 day period.

If you should have any questions or problems with the registration and payment, please email us here or call +60 10 933 4800

Entry Fees

The base entry fees for the 2018 TMBT Ultra-Trail® Marathon, including GST, will remain unchanged. An additional race category, the 7.5 km race on Sunday can be entered as a standalone race or at a discounted add-on race for those who have also entered on of the other race catetories (12km, 30km or 50km):

The 7.5 km race is an additional race that has been introduced for Sunday with start and finish at "Perkasa" (the finish line for the 100km race). It can be entered as a stand-alone race, or it can be entered as and additional "add-on" race at a discounted rate for those who are also taking part in the 12 km, 30 km or 50 km on the Saturday. To enter the "add-on" race, you will need to make two separate registrations in Racematix: The first for the 12 km, 30 km or 50 km race per normal procedure, and the second for the 7.5 km where you apply the coupon code: #TMBT7KAD2018. Please note that the coupon code will only work if you have first registered and paid for one of the other races. The 7.5 km "Add-on" race can be added at any time after your first registration (within the registration period).

Transport

Optional bus transfer services are available to get to get to the start and back to Kota Kinabalu from the finish lines. The transport fee is RM 50 each way, and is booked and paid for via the Racematix registration platform.

Additional transport options are available to family members and supporters who do not have own transport. Please refer to the "Transport & Logistics" page under "Race Info" on the main menu for details. 

Entitlements: 

For the 2018 event, Borneo Ultra Trails have teamed up with Salomon and other sponsors for prizes for the top 3 men and women in each distance category. 

The entry fee includes the following entitlements:

• Event tee
• Race bib
• Timing chip and timing during event
• Water and aid at all water stations
• Fruits, meals, snacks at selected aid stations on the course
• A meal at the finish line for 100 km, 50 km and 30 km categories
• Medical support during the event
• Logistical support for transfers of finisher and drop bags during race

Finishers of the race (having completed the full course within the set time limits) further receive:

• Finisher's medal.
• All finishers will be able to download their official e-cert stating their official time and standing in the event.
• 100 km, 50 km and 30 km categories will receive a finisher's tee 
• ITRA points and UTMB qualification points will be awarded to competitors who complete the 30k, 50k or 100k courses within the stipulated cutoff times. 
• The 100 km route is further a qualifying event for the Western States 100 mile Endurance Race
• The 100 km race collects points for the Asia Trail Master series
• The 50 km and 100 km races collect points for the Malaysia Ultra League Championship    
  
  

T-shirt sizing

T-shirts will be from Salomon. Sizes are unisex as provided in table below - please note measurements in centimeters. If you have already signed up for the event, please check your T-shirt size and update in Racematix if required.  

   

Transfers, Cancellation & Refunds

• Payments are non-refundable.
• No refunds are offered for cancellations or postponements of the event due to factor's outside and beyond the control of the organisers. 
• Runners may request a bib swap or transfer until the registrations officially close with an admin fee charge of RM30 per request. 
• Event shirt sizes may not be changed once a runner requests a bib swap/transfer with less than 60 days to go before the event date.

Terms & Conditions

Please take a moment to read the Terms and Conditions of the event by Borneo Ultra Trails Sdn Bhd before agreeing to proceed with the registration process.

The TMBT Ultra-Trail® Marathon is an extreme outdoor trail race that caters for experienced runners who understand the risks associated with participating in such an event. Competitors also understand that by agreeing to the terms and conditions of participating in this event they accept the risks associated with such an event and also accept medical response to an emergency may be slow due to the difficult terrain. The  Ultra-Trail® marathon category is not for new or inexperienced runners as the race course is remote and the terrain difficult. For the 30k, the course is likewise challenging and somewhat remote and runners must be conditioned to be able to complete the course. The 12k category is designed to give new runners an introduction into trail running and a taste of the TMBT race course.

All runners must understand that the medical and emergency response time in this event may take longer than normal due to the remote locations of the race course and difficulty in gaining access to part of the course. If a runner cannot accept these risks, they are advised not to proceed with registrations for this race. 

1. Age restrictions for TMBT 2018:

2. All competitors are responsible for ensuring that they are medically fit to compete in this extreme event and do not suffer from any of the medical conditions stated below.

• Congenital or rheumatic heart conditions
• Hypertension
• Myocarditis and other heart conditions
• Coronary heart disease, coronary arterial disease
• Serious arrhythmia
• Diabetes
• Any other disease which can be aggravated by running
• Vertigo

It is the race director's and chief medical advisor's final decision to allow or exempt runners with medical conditions not listed above. It is important runners be truthful and honest about their medical conditions to avoid complications on the race course should there be a medical emergency.

3. It is the responsibility of each runner to ensure they arrive in Kota Kinabalu ahead of the registration time and date and to ensure they are able to attend the registrations. The race organization is not responsible for flight delays and other travel issues.

4. Competitors agree to abide by any technical decisions made by the race director, which will be final.

5. Competitors agree that the organisers and sponsors will in no way be held responsible for any loss of, or damage to property as a result of participation in the event. Supervised baggage storage will be provided at on the day of the event for participating runners (details will be Advertised) including size and weight limitations for ‘finish bags’ and ‘drop bags.’

6. Competitors understand and accept the race organization reserves the right to alter the date of the event, change the published course or the content of the event programme as deemed necessary for safety reasons at any time.

7. Competitors understand that for safety reasons and primarily for identification by medical staff, runners are prohibited from swapping, selling or transferring race slots/race entries/race bibs to another person without the express permission of the organizing team. An admin fee will be charged for any changes. Changes are accepted up to the given deadline for this event. Kindly check with the organization directly to find out the closing date for bib swaps ahead of the event.

The proper method to do a ‘race slot swap’ or ‘bib swap’ is to email the race organization with your full name, category, allocated bib number and a request to transfer your race bib number to another runner (provide the runners full name and email address) and to wait for approval.

8. Race bib numbers must be displayed at all times on the front of the competitors vest whilst competing in the event.

9. Complaints and Disputes: Complaints may be filed via email to info@borneoultra.com . The period to file a complaint or to refer to a dispute is within 48 hours of the end of the event for your category.

10. No refunds are payable for competitors of the TMBT Ultra-Trail® Marathon or TMBT Trail Run who withdraw, do not show up for registrations or do not turn up to compete in the event.  Uncollected event tee's will be put back on sale within 30 days of the end of the event. For runners unable to attend the event and would like to request for the organization to send their event tee's or paid merchandise to them, please contact the organization within 30 days of the end of the event (or before the event) for shipping charges to your destination. We do not ship to P.O. boxes or military addresses (APX).

11. Mandatory Kit: All competitors agree to abide with the stated mandatory kit list. Failure to do so during the event may mean time penalties or possible disqualification. The mandatory kit list is there for your safety.

12. Race Course Map/Race Course Profile/GPS Co-Ordinates: The race organization will update the race course maps for all categories upon confirmation of the final race course. Possible diversions or changes to the race course may be possible and any changes that are necessary will be done so and competitors informed accordingly. GPS co- ordinates will be released ahead of the event.

13. The race director reserves the right to postpone, delay the start of the event, hold runners at designated check points along the race course for as long as possible and/or modify the race cut off times if necessary if safety becomes an issue before or during the event.

The organizers do not share personal data such as email addresses or date of birth or mykard numbers with anyone outside of the organization and are kept private. Any lists' circulated to the authorities or various team leaders only contain medical information and your mobile phone numbers during the race only.