MTC Macha.
MTC Macha is day three of the 14-day MizMal: 76 kilometres from Killarney through County Kerry to the coast at Ballybunion. The route is only partly signed and hardly ever truly steep, so what it asks for is a steady running rhythm held for many hours, and navigation that still works when your head is tired.
MTC Macha 2027: Course, Elevation & Route Profile
You leave from the Killarney Court Hotel and finish at the Cliff House Hotel in Ballybunion, with no loop and no way back in between: a one-way journey through Kerry that ends at the coast. For anyone running the whole MizMal, that finish is only a stage end. Four checkpoints divide the day, the first after a little over 14 kilometres, the last after 58. The route is not fully signed, so you guide yourself with the route file the organiser supplies.
The first 16 kilometres roll between a little over 90 metres and almost sea level. At kilometre 17 comes the only long climb: just under three kilometres at a little over five percent on average, up to the day's high point at around 170 metres. Less than four kilometres later you are back at about 20 metres.
From there the race turns long and low. As far as kilometre 49 the course barely rises above 50 metres, and for the last eight kilometres of that stretch only a few metres above the sea. Two short ramps around kilometre 50 lift it to about 60 metres, where it rolls on until kilometre 65. Then it drops almost to sea level again, and the final approach to the finish tilts gently upward.
| Start | Length | Ø | Max. | Gain | Cat. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| km 0.6 | 0.8 km | 4.8 % | 9.8 % | +39 m | — |
| km 3.3 | 0.4 km | 3.1 % | 3.4 % | +11 m | — |
| km 6.2 | 0.4 km | 4.6 % | 8.3 % | +16 m | — |
| km 11.1 | 0.4 km | 4.1 % | 4.8 % | +16 m | — |
| km 16.9 | 3 km | 5.4 % | 10 % | +159 m | Cat. 4 |
| km 31 | 0.6 km | 3.5 % | 4.6 % | +19 m | — |
| km 49.5 | 0.5 km | 5.2 % | 7.3 % | +24 m | — |
| km 50.8 | 0.6 km | 6.2 % | 8.5 % | +36 m | — |
Climb categories follow the road-cycling convention and rate the terrain itself (length and gradient) regardless of sport: Cat. 4 marks the easiest rated climbs, Cat. 1 the hardest, and HC (hors catégorie, “beyond categorization”) is reserved for the most brutal ascents. Short climbs below the Cat. 4 threshold stay unrated.
How to pace MTC Macha.
Start under control
Less than two percent of the course is truly steep and nearly half is flat, so the terrain almost never forces you to walk, and that is exactly where it bites: any limit on your pace has to come from you. Break the day into the sections between checkpoints and set each one at an effort you could still hold on the flat stretch after kilometre 41.
Hold your rhythm
The day is decided between the third and fourth checkpoints. From kilometre 39 to 58 there is no checkpoint, the two ramps sit in the middle of it, and another 18 kilometres to Ballybunion follow. Enter that section with enough supplies and the patience to take the ramps calmly, rather than racing the flat ground before them.
Spend what is left
The trap comes earlier. At kilometre 17 your legs feel fresh, the gradient touches ten percent, and the long way down invites you to let go. Push there and you pay for it on the long flat. Allow time for checking the route as well, because a wrong turn late in the day costs more than any hill. Inside the MizMal the sums change again: after this day, eleven more are waiting.
Training plan for MTC Macha: 12-week build
Build the base
Expect eight to twelve hours, depending on how much of it you run and how surely you navigate. At under nine metres of climbing per kilometre this is almost entirely a steady aerobic effort without big spikes, so it rewards how long you can hold an easy running pace far more than climbing strength.
Train race pace
Two places deserve specific preparation, and they sit far apart. The climb after 17 kilometres calls for controlled uphill running, and the descent that follows loads the quads with more than two thirds of the distance still ahead. The ramps around kilometre 50 arrive after hours with almost no gradient, when your muscles have long since settled into flat running.
Rehearse the course
That sets the focus: long runs, flat to rolling, with a short hill late in the session, plus regular quick downhill running. Practise eating and drinking to a plan while carrying your kit, because after the third checkpoint you are on your own twice for roughly 18 to 20 kilometres. Anyone taking on the whole MizMal also needs blocks of several long days in a row.
Arrive fresh
Since the route is not fully signed, navigation belongs in training too. Do some long sessions on unfamiliar ground following only a track, so you read junctions as surely in hour ten as in hour one. An early May date puts your longest sessions in March and April, which means the base work starts in winter.
Courses
Download the MTC Macha course as a GPX file for your watch or bike computer.
Let YOUB adapt your plan for MTC Macha dynamically
Ben connects your goal, the course, current load, recovery, and calendar. Your plan stays pointed at race day even when real life is not perfectly plannable.
Everything about MTC Macha.
How long is MTC Macha?
MTC Macha is 76.18 km long. That distance shapes how much aerobic endurance, pace durability, and race-specific work belong in the training plan.
How much elevation gain does MTC Macha have?
MTC Macha has around 675 m of elevation gain over 76.18 km. That affects pacing, muscular load, and preparation for late-race sections.
What is the route profile of MTC Macha?
MTC Macha is classified as Rolling, averaging 8.9 vertical metres per kilometre. 46% of the route is flat, 26% climbs moderately (2 to 6%) and 1% is steeper than 6%.
What climbs does MTC Macha have?
The hardest climb of MTC Macha starts at kilometre 16.9, runs for 3 km at an average of 5.4% and gains 159 metres. Cycling-convention rating: Cat. 4. 8 climbs are mapped in total.
Is MTC Macha a loop course?
No, MTC Macha is a point-to-point course: start and finish are in different places.
Is there a GPX file for the MTC Macha course?
Yes. The MTC Macha course is on this page as a free GPX download — ready to import into Garmin, Wahoo, Komoot, Strava or any other app that reads GPX.
How should I prepare for MTC Macha?
Preparation for MTC Macha should account for 76.18 km, 675 m of elevation gain, current training load, and available training time. An adaptive plan helps place key sessions without ignoring recovery and real life.
What pacing strategy works for MTC Macha?
The pacing strategy for MTC Macha should reflect 76.18 km, 675 m of elevation gain, and your current fitness. Start controlled and keep margin for sections where the profile or fatigue makes target pace harder.
When does MTC Macha take place?
MTC Macha takes place on May 9, 2027.
Where does MTC Macha take place?
MTC Macha takes place in Killarney, Ireland.
How do I register for MTC Macha?
Registration runs through the organiser: ultrarunningltd.co.uk. YOUB shows you the course, elevation profile and training plan for your preparation.
