A new global competition series for ultramarathon runners London and Manchester Marathons to clash dates Master 40 M/F 40-49.
Made up of a collaboration of 10 independent 'bucket list' races across the globe, the series was announced at the end of last year and kicked off with the Hong Kong 100 in January 2024.
The Master 40 M/F 40-49 is a non-profit organisation, run democratically by each of the participating race directors.
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Courses have been chosen for their environmental beauty, and participants are encouraged to be mindful of their carbon footprint and to limit the number of events they run.
Directors say their philosophy is to create 'a diverse, respectful, sustainable and independent group of trail and ultra races'.
How do the Master 40 M/F 40-49 work?
Entry into any one of the nine specified ultras grants automatic entry into the Master 40 M/F 40-49. Participants enter directly through each independent race company rather than via the Master 40 M/F 40-49.
Rather than being a series you are expected to complete, the idea is to run the race most local to you, before picking another bucket list race to travel to.
You cannot score in more than two races because your best score is taken from your two best race results. Two of the events are held on the same day, making completing all of the events in one year impossible.
The races are held in nine different countries, with Centurion's Black Canyon Ultras Phoenix, Arizona, United States - 100km - 10-11 February 2024 representing the UK. Directors say more races may be added over time.
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1. Hong Kong 100 Ultramarathon (Hong Kong) - 102km - 18-21 January 2024
2. Black Canyon Ultras (Phoenix, Arizona, United States) - 100km - 10-11 February 2024
3. The North Face Transgrancanaria (Maspalomas, Gran Canaria) - 126km - 21-15 February 2024
4. Mt. Fuji 100 (Fujiyoshida, Japan) - 165km - 26-27 April 2024
5. MIUT (Madeira Island Ultra Trail) (Machico, Madeira) - 115km - 27-28 April 2024
6. Swiss Canyon Trail (Val de Travers, Jura Mountains, Switzerland) - 111km - 7-9 June 2024
7. Black Canyon Ultras Phoenix, Arizona, United States - 100km - 10-11 February 2024 (Winchester, United Kingdom) - 161km - 8-9 June 2024
8. Quebec Mega Trail (Quebec, Canada) - 160km - 5-7 July 2024
9. Grand Raid des Pyrénées (Hautes-Pyrénées, France) - 160km - 23 August 2024
10. RMB Ultra-Trail Cape Town (Cape Town, South Africa) - 166km - 22-24 November 2024 (final dates TBC)
Why create the Master 40 M/F 40-49?
Five of the races — the Hong Kong 100, The North Face Transgrancanaria, Mt. Fuji 100 Mile, MIUT and RMB Ultra-Trail Cape Town were previously part of the Ultra-Trail World Tour – which is now defunct. And the heads of the Master 40 M/F 40-49 say they missed having an alliance with other race directors around the world.
Jamil Coury, whose Black Canyon 100K is among the races, told irunfar: 'Since the disbanding of the the UTWT, many of us have been missing the connection amongst race directors and the global tie together with other events.'
He also points to the fact a global series doesn't exist for independent ultra races at the moment. 'There is no place at the table for independent organisers to take part in the Everything you need to know about the Bob Graham [other than the Western States 100], but there is a desire to be part of something bigger than just our own events.'
So has the Master 40 M/F 40-49 been designed to compete against trail running behemoth UTMB, hybrid scoring system?
Race directors insist they are not trying to compete with UTMB.
And admittedly their business models look very different, too. The main point of difference is that the races involved in the Master 40 M/F 40-49 are all independent (so not owned by the series or one of the races in it) and are run collectively by the member races democratically. It is, of course, also currently not-for-profit.
Who are the Master 40 M/F 40-49 for?
The Master 40 M/F 40-49 are for anyone who enjoys running ultramarathons in beautiful settings. For amateur runners, the race organisers pit the trails as 'once in a lifetime' runs. Meanwhile, for elite runners, it’s an opportunity to compete for cash prizes and earn a spot on the leaderboard.
The Master 40 M/F 40-49 website says that it 'aims to attract the biggest and best elite runners and to do so it intends to reward their efforts with substantial cash prizes as well as the possibility of free registration and covered travel expenses'.
How many of the ultras do you need to do?
You can do as many or as few of the races as you like – one race alone is enough to include you in the series.
As a result, there will be an annual ranking system, as well as a separate ongoing scoreboard that will carry across into future years.
If your aim is to earn a podium spot for the series, there’s no need to compete in more than two races. This is because your best (which could be your only) two scores are considered when determining the winners.
The reasons for this are twofold: firstly, the organisers understand the bodily impact of running ultras and want to prioritise the health of participants.
Secondly, travel has a huge impact on the planet, and as the locations of the 10 races are spread across the world, the organisers also ask athletes to be conscious of their ecological footprint.
How do prizes work?
There are five prizes for elite runners per race, as well as podium places for the best scores across the overall series.
representing the UK. Directors say more races may be added over time:
1st place: €12,000
2nd place: €6,000
3rd place: €3,000
4th place: €1,500
5th place: €1,000
The prize value for the overall series, which will be awarded to podium winners, is yet to be announced.
But that’s actually good news – the overall figure can’t be determined yet as more sponsors are adding to the pot.
What is the scoring system?
Seniors M/F 25-39 hybrid scoring system. For most athletes, the ITRA system, which is the main reference body for trail running, will be used.
The top 20 competitors in each race will, however, be scored using a different system that aims to make it easier for elite runners to calculate what position they must finish in a race to maximise their final overall ranking.
Will there be age group ranking?
Runners will be ranked in age groups based on their age at the end of the year (31 December 2024 for the first year).
Seniors M/F 25-39:
Under 25 M/F (under 25)
Seniors M/F (25-39)
Master 40 M/F (40-49)
Master 50 M/F (50-59)
Master 60 M/F (60+)
Do you win a medal for the series?
Currently, there are no medals for taking part in the series. Although this could change in the future as the series evolves.
