| Distance raced: 13.5 kilometers | Distances available: 10/20/40 kilometers | Overal impression: Great, but room for improvement |
Koh Tao Mountain Trail Race 2022 – Quick overview
This year was only the first edition of the Koh Tao Mountain Trail Race, and while the race was fun, there also was some room for improvement. The surroundings were obviously amazing (what else would you expect at Koh Tao?), the atmosphere was fun, and I even managed to get a place on the podium. But for the distance I raced (10K which was actually 13.5km), there was a bit too much road for my liking, and it seems the other distances also had some small issues. Read on for all the details.
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The Organization
The Koh Tao Mountain Trail Race was organized by RunRun Team and Even Running, both experienced organizations mainly known for their events in Tak province. So there was definitely know-how and a base to build on for the event on Koh Tao. The main, and most important, elements of the race were well taken care of. The BIB collection, the race briefing, route marking, aid stations, … Everything that a good race should have was there. That being said, there definitely could be some points of improvement in my opinion.
For example, the ribbons used to mark the route were not always super visible, and they were used quite sparsely. I didn’t get lost (like I used to do before at other races), but I really had to focus and actively search for the next ribbon. Ideally, I should just be able to passively follow the route without too much effort. While it wasn’t a big problem for the distance I did, the race could probably do with more aid stations. Because of the heat and the humidity, you lose a lot of fluid. And based on feedback from other runners on the longer distances, this was definitely an issue. I believe the organization is already aware of these issues. So for the next edition, I am quite confident that it will be perfect.
The Koh Tao Mountain Trail Route
Besides the points above, the route is another point that could be better. Of course, I can only speak for the 10K race. While there were definitely nice views and scenic spots, there were relatively few real trail sections. A quite big part of the route was on concrete roads, and other sections were on smaller paths. Most of the time, these paths were not really trails but rather concrete hotels that connect different resorts. As the name of the race is Koh Tao Mountain Trail, I was really looking forward to the “nature” part. Of course, Koh Tao is a small island, which probably limits the choices. But I feel the focus should be more on the natural inland of the island.
I did receive feedback from runners who did the 20K and 40K, and their experience was different. They definitely spent more time in the jungle. So if that is what you are looking for, consider registering for one of the longer distances. However, be careful what you wish for, as these longer distances, and the 40K in particular turned out to be very brutal. They definitely did get the jungle feeling of the island, as well as very steep climbs and descents. Because of this a lot of people spent more time running than they anticipated. And this is where more aid stations would probably have helped the runners a lot.
An important note is that the route of this race is possibly not accessible year-round. As you run through some hotel premises, I am not sure if this is possible outside of the race event.
Atmosphere and Surroundings
In terms of surroundings, you can’t go wrong with Koh Tao, which is arguably one of Thailand’s most beautiful islands. Along the route, there were some nice views of the sea and beaches, with a couple of beaches to cross as well. Even the sections on the road were actually quite fun as you can get a feeling of local life on the island. You get to see a side of the islands that you would not necessarily see. Locals going to the market, people doing their shopping at the market, etc. It definitely provides some fun distractions as you run along. Thanks to the race, I even spotted a local restaurant for rice porridge that turned out to be a hidden gem for breakfast!
As I briefly mentioned, the longer distances went deeper into the inland, and they crossed some epic viewpoints. Besides the surroundings, the atmosphere was fun and friendly. Both the people involved in the organization as well as the locals on the island were visibly happy and proud to organize this race. And I am sure that it can grow into a successful yearly event. However, I believe it will always be a smaller event compared to other races. Partly because of the limited capacity of Koh Tao, but also because it costs considerable time and money to reach the island.
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