[Editor’s Note: This article was written by Gancho Slavov. If you’re interested in writing about trail running where you live, please contact iRunFar!]
Why?
Maybe you are tired of running the same races and looking for something different, or perhaps you will be traveling to Bulgaria for work, or maybe this idea struck you as so outlandish that you may actually give it a go. In any case, Bulgaria is a small, mountainous country on the Balkan Peninsula, and it has plenty to offer.
Where?
There are many options, depending on your preferred distance and terrain. We have to start with the classic Bulgarian ultramarathon, the Vitosha 100k. Dating back to the early 1980s, this race is the Bulgarian version of Western States. (At least this is how I feel after running, watching, or reading about it for 16 years.) The course (D+, two qualifying points for UTMB) is a relatively fast and runnable loop, but the cumulative elevation gain of about 2,000 meters (about 6,500 feet) is just enough to test your hill legs. The race has historically been fairly competitive, and after a lull during the post-socialist transition years, this tradition was restored. Next, the organizers are trying to raise the international profile of the race. Things could hardly be simpler, logistics-wise, with the start/finish line located just a short drive away from Sofia Airport and accessible through public transportation. And if you like a nice, long warm-up, you can race the course by mountain bike during the day, rest for a few hours, and run the race starting at midnight. (Special prizes are available for the double.)
Top Bulgarian trail runner and orienteer Hristina Kozareva on her way to winning the 2013 Skyrun Maliovitsa. Photo: Georgi Radev
The other Bulgarian ultra is Persenk in the Rhodopes. With its roughly 5,000 meters of vertical over about 120k (D+, three qualifying points for UTMB), Persenk is definitely much tougher than the Vitosha 100k. The inaugural race in 2013 was run in unseasonably cold, stormy weather, yet most people talked about coming back. The course is spectacular and the race is organized with a lot of enthusiasm, so I expect that this event will rapidly be gaining popularity.
If you prefer shorter distances, there is plenty for you to do as well. A year-round series of trail races, with distances ranging from six to about 20k, takes place in various mountains and hills near Sofia. In addition, Salomon is sponsoring/organizing several ascent-only races to the summits of Vitosha and the two highest mountains of Bulgaria (Rila and Pirin). The first skyrunning event in Bulgaria, Skyrun Maliovitsa, has been a real hit, and other similar races will probably start popping up in the near future.
With Whom?
The trail racing scene in Bulgaria is as diverse as anywhere: from ‘proper’ runners, elite orienteers, and cross-country skiing Olympians, to people who just like to go out for a run and prefer to do it off road (and everything in between of course). The popularity of trail running in Bulgaria is growing very fast, and the days when I used go to a race and know most people are long gone. Several Facebook groups (e.g., ultrarunners, runners in Sofia, casual runners) and specialized websites exist where people communicate and organize training runs. If you are planning a trip, contacting one of these groups would be a good first step (and do not feel like you have to do this in Bulgarian). Bulgarians take pride in their hospitality, and runners are a particularly friendly bunch, so if you get in touch early enough, you might be able to get a place to crash and a ride to/from a race.
Kiril Nikolov (Disl) is a world-class orienteer and mountain runner. (e.g., sixth at the 2013 Dolomites Sky Race), who is also setting/attempting some very ambitious fastest known times in the mountains of Bulgaria. Photo: MtK Sport Ltd.
Shaban Mustafa is one of the best Bulgarian road marathoners, but he also does extremely well in the
mountains (e.g., eighth at the 2013 Jungfrau Marathon). Photo: unknown
Sochi cross-country skiing Olympian Andrey Gridin leading (and eventually winning) the 2013 Skyrun Maliovitsa… Photo: Georgi Radev
…but these two guys, Bozhidar Antonov (left) and Toni Petkov (right), made him work hard for the win. Photo: Vladislav Terziiski
Maria Miteva Nikolova won the 2013 Vitosha 100k and has had very solid finishes at Lavaredo Ultra Trail and UTMB. Here at Skyrun Maliovitsa. Photo: Vladislav Terziiski
So What?
Bulgaria has outstanding natural resources and trail networks, as well as a rapidly growing and fervent trail running community. I hope to see you at some of our races or training runs!
Call for Comments (from Meghan)
- Are you a trail runner in Bulgaria? If so, can you tell us more about the trails, races, and community that make your country’s trail culture special?
- Have you traveled to Bulgaria for trail running or racing? What kinds of trail opportunities did you find there?
