20K PINHATT

20K PINHATT

The loop stays in the southern forests of the Tuyen Lam Lake National Tourist Area. A steep up-and-down trail begins straight after the start and leads to the first aid station. From there the course climbs through primary forest, over streams and fallen trees, to Pinhatt Peak at 1,600 m — the second aid station is 1.5 km before the top, and the summit, with its view over the whole lake, is a check-in point. The descent follows the lower reaches of the lake back to the Clay Tunnel; open pine forest and red pine groves line parts of the loop.

The maximum time is 9 hours 30 minutes, a required pace of 25 minutes per kilometre. Runners must be 16 or older. The terrain is 45 per cent singletrack. The event is cup-less, crews may help only at the Maple Leaf aid station, pacers are not allowed, and finishers earn 1 Running Stone. The race page also gives 22.8 km in its details section; the headline figure is 24.1 km.

It finishes where it starts, and where the 100K and 50K runners also come in later the same day. On Livebib the runner shares a link to their own broadcast, opened in a browser with no app or account: position on the line, distance done and a finish estimate that updates as they climb and descend. Under the forest canopy, if the phone loses signal, the position is carried forward along the course and marked estimated rather than freezing. The runner chooses who can see it.