The event offers five distances<\/strong>:<\/p>\n\n\n\n It\u2019s a race built by mountain lovers, for mountain lovers and it shows.<\/p>\n\n\n I first ran the Transylvania 50k<\/strong> back in 2017<\/strong>, pairing it with a sightseeing trip with my wife. We soaked up the culture, the hospitality, and the dramatic landscapes of Romania. I remember being on that course and telling myself I\u2019d be back one day to take on the 100k. That promise lingered in the background for years, and finally this year it was time to see it through.<\/p>\n\n\n There are countless ultras out there, but Transylvania 100k<\/strong> stood out. A friend had spoken highly of it, especially the warm local hospitality and affordability. The race entry, the food, the travel, it’s all very reasonable, especially compared to some big-name events. But it\u2019s not just the price tag. The people in Romania are genuinely warm, kind, and helpful, and that atmosphere feeds into the whole race weekend. This felt like an adventure, not just a race. Our host Juan looked after us the whole weekend and couldn\u2019t do enough for us. He was quick to offer suggestions for food and places to visit, along with if we needed a lift into town and after the race his wife washed all our dirty running gear and dried them ready for the flight home in the morning. Great host and the cheeky shots of home made Polinka went down well too!<\/p>\n\n\n This course demands total body preparedness, and success comes from being well-rounded across multiple challenges:<\/p>\n\n\n\n We’re talking extended, quad-busting ascents that can chew you up if you\u2019re not “hill fit.” You need more than fitness, you need muscular endurance built from time in the hills. Power hiking with intent is key.<\/p>\n\n\n It\u2019s not enough to survive the climbs, you\u2019ve got to be able to descend with control and speed. My legs had enough left in them to run the downs, even the slippery technical ones toward the end, but I lacked the confidence to really attack. That hesitation comes from needing more leg strength and technical practice, things I\u2019ll work on for future races.<\/p>\n\n\n There\u2019s something eerie and magical about flying through dense forests as night falls. But you need to be sure of your navigation. I ran mostly by GPX route, which worked well, but the terrain and light make it essential to be confident and adaptable. The night time also makes every other boulder, tree stump or shape look like a bear! There was a moment as the rain was pouring down I was convince there was a bear in the woods, just at that point a large section of the path wall gave way and I yelled with fright\u2026.. It was just a minor soil slip as it had been raining all night, still get the adrenaline pumping and heart racing\u2026.. I laugh about it now\u2026..<\/p>\n\n\n\n This is where things got tricky. The day started warm, spring sunshine baking the climbs, but the rain rolled in by evening and didn’t stop. My mistake? I\u2019d packed warm, waterproof gear in my drop bag but didn\u2019t swap it out because I \u201cfelt fine\u201d at the time. Classic error and of course I felt warm, it was mid-afternoon! I should\u2019ve known better. A quick gear change then would\u2019ve paid dividends through the cold, wet night that followed.<\/p>\n\n\n This race was a long time coming. It\u2019s one I\u2019d promised myself I\u2019d return to and honestly, it might have been one of my biggest regrets if I\u2019d never followed through. Now it\u2019s ticked off the list, and while I could\u2019ve been better prepared, I\u2019m proud I showed up, stayed present, and absorbed everything the experience had to teach me. We all finished as we started (together), I\u2019d caught the guys up at the final big checkpoint and they waiting until I was ready to head out together. We rolled over the finish line with a time of 30 hours 7 minutes, so with a \u201ccomfortable\u201d 53 minutes spare. Job done, but plenty of room for improvement by all of us.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The Transylvania 100k is no joke. It\u2019s an adventure, a challenge, and a masterclass in mountain ultra running. It\u2019s reminded me to keep training for the full spectrum, climbs, descents, weather, and mindset. And it\u2019s rekindled that fire for big mountain days, gritty races, and learning the hard way.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Until next time, Romania.<\/p>\n\n\n 5 full days away and 4 nights stay in Romania, we travelled out Thursday, Spent Friday sightseeing and getting checked into the race, Saturday 100k started at 5am, Sunday Finish and relax, before travelling back Monday. be definitely worth adding an extra day at the end if you’re running the 100k, or an extra day before to see more of this fantastic country.<\/p>\n\n\n Entries are conditional, for each race, on previous race experience, as follows: So for our evidence of completing a 60km trail run with +2,000m of elevation gain, we basically setup a training run with the relevant distance and climb (with a little extra to be sure) and submitted that. so no race evidence required. the trail route needs ideally to be in the mountains and we chose the Peak District for our training run see Strava activity link below<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n
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\n\n\n\nA Promise to Return<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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\n\n\n\nWhy This Race?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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\n\n\n\nAnatomy of the Beast: Breaking Down the 100k<\/h3>\n\n\n
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Long, Steep Climbs<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n
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Technical Downhills<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n
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Dark Forest Sections<\/strong> to Navigate<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Energy & Temperature Management<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n
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\n\n\n\nTakeaways and Lessons Learned<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
\n
Your ability to climb efficiently and without rest makes a massive difference. I was reminded how much time can be lost or gained<\/strong> simply based on your ability to keep moving uphill without breaks.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
My legs were capable, but I lacked the confidence to go fast on sketchy terrain. I\u2019ll be doubling down on downhill reps and strength training<\/strong> going forward.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
This was a tough reminder, prepare for the worst, not just the moment<\/strong>. I had the right gear, but left it unused in my drop bag. That\u2019s a lesson I won\u2019t forget anytime soon.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
Energy levels stayed relatively stable. I kept things simple and consistent, and that worked well this time around.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/onestopultra.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/image-1-1024x768.png\")
\n\n\n\nA Race Worth Waiting For<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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How much did it cost?<\/strong><\/h5>\n\n\n
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<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\nHow long?<\/strong><\/h5>\n\n\n\n
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Race Entry Requirements?<\/strong><\/h5>\n\n\n\n
– for 100k – have completed a minimum 60 km trail run (+2000m);
– for 80k – have completed a minimum 40 km trail run (+1000m);
– for 50k and 30k – have completed a minimum 20 km trail run (+500m);
– for 20k – experience is not required.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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<\/a><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/onestopultra.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/image-8-1024x768.png\")
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