PTR 108

PTR 108

The PTR 108 is a loop that starts and ends in the historic centre of Paraty. It heads through the coastal mountains toward the Taquari neighbourhood, where the organiser says the community welcomes the runners, then climbs to the highest points of the Serra do Mar and crosses a series of hills to the summit of Pedra da Macela. The descent passes the Janela do Mar and follows the historic Caminho do Ouro back into town. Published ascent is 4,850 m, descent 4,779 m.

The name says 108 but the published distance is 101 km. Starting at 19:00, the whole field climbs into the Serra do Mar in the dark and runs the first night in the forest. With 30 hours allowed, the cut-off falls at 01:00 on Sunday, so the last finishers come down the Caminho do Ouro well into a second night. It is a race for runners who have already finished a mountain 100K or similar, and who are steady on wet stone and roots.

For family in Paraty, the question is when to be at the finish, and the answer moves all night. On Livebib the runner shares a link to their own broadcast, opened in a browser without an account or an app: position on the course line, distance covered and a finish estimate that updates as the race goes. In the forest and on the high ground the phone will lose signal. The position is then carried forward along the course and marked as estimated instead of freezing.