UTMB World Series Major · Vielha, Spanish Pyrenees, Spain
HOKA Val d'Aran by UTMB
Val d'Aran by UTMB is the Pyrenean UTMB World Series Major, held around Vielha in Spain. It has the most climbing for its length of the six Majors, with more than 30 percent of the terrain above 2,000 m.
- Where
- Vielha, Spanish Pyrenees, Spain
- Month
- July
- Region
- Europe
- Longest race
- Torn dera Val d'Aran (VDA), 163 km, about 10,000 m of climbing
- Conditions
- High alpine: long climbs, hot valleys, cold and windy ridges.
- Official site
- utmb.world
Dates, distances and qualification rules change every year, so confirm on the official site before you plan.
What is the Val d'Aran course like?
The Aran Valley faces north, so the lower slopes are green with beech and fir, and the high ground opens into meadows, glacial cirques and lakes. The Peades d'Aigua passes the Colomèrs cirque, the largest group of glacial lakes in the Pyrenees. Peaks near the route pass 3,000 m.
What are the Val d'Aran distances?
| Race | Distance | Climbing | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Torn dera Val d'Aran (VDA) | 163 km | about 10,000 m | 9 July |
| Camins d'Hèr (CDH) | 110 km | about 6,400 m | |
| Termières dera Libertat (TDL) | 75 km | about 5,100 m | 7 July |
| Peades d'Aigua (PDA) | 55 km | about 3,300 m | |
| Experiència d'Aran (EXP) | 32 km | about 2,100 m | 11 July |
| Baqueira Beret (SKY) | 18 km | about 900 m | |
| Vielha 10K | 10 km | about 500 m |
How do you fuel the Val d'Aran?
High alpine: long climbs, hot valleys, cold and windy ridges.
- Eat on the climbs. Slow, steep climbs are where many runners stop eating. Set a timer and eat every 20 to 30 minutes.
- Plan for hot and cold in one day. Valley afternoons can be hot while ridges are cold. Plan fluids for the warm parts and warm food for the high points.
- Allow for altitude. Above 2,000 m appetite can drop, so favour easy foods and drinks.
- Plan the long races by station. For the 110K and 163K, work out what each long stretch needs.
Work out your numbers
- Ultra fuel plan calculator: A whole race plan: per hour, hour by hour, race totals and a rough fuel budget.
- Heat adjustment calculator: Heat index, WBGT and how much more to drink and salt in hot, humid weather.
- Aid station and drop bag planner: What to carry between aid stations and what to pack in each drop bag.
- Night ultra nutrition
- How much to drink in an ultra
- Gut training for ultras
What does a Major give you?
Majors award double Running Stones for the UTMB World Series Finals in Chamonix. See the official Majors page for the current rules, and the comparison of all of them.
Frequently asked questions
When is Val d'Aran held?
In July.
Does it count towards the UTMB World Series Finals in Chamonix?
As a Major it awards double Running Stones, which are entries to the Finals lottery. The top 10 men and top 10 women in the 50K, 100K and 100 mile races also get automatic entry. Rules change, so check the official Majors page.
How hard is the longest race?
The VDA is 163 km with about 10,000 m of climbing.
The other races
- HOKA Canyons Endurance Runs by UTMB (April)
- HOKA Ultra-Trail Australia by UTMB (May)
- Wildstrubel by UTMB (September)
- HOKA Kodiak Ultra Marathons by UTMB (October)
- HOKA Chiang Mai Thailand by UTMB (November)
- UTMB World Series Finals in Chamonix (August)
General information, not medical or dietary advice.