Winter Trail Małopolska.
On its longest course, the Winter Trail Małopolska sends you out in mid-December for 145 kilometres and around 8,000 metres of climbing around Mszana Dolna. Almost nothing here is flat, the night cannot be avoided, and your preparation stands or falls on whether your legs can still run steep descents after a hundred kilometres.
Winter Trail Małopolska 2026: Course, Elevation & Route Profile
The big loop starts and finishes just under 400 metres and turns serious early: within three kilometres you are on a steep climb of around 440 metres. Between the aid station in Dobra at kilometre 20 and Kasina Wielka at kilometre 45 come three more climbs of about 500 metres each. This first section is no warm-up; it is a mountain race in its own right.
The hardest passage starts at kilometre 66 at the Pod Szczeblem station: more than 600 metres at an average of 16 percent, then soon after almost 400 more in just two kilometres. From Rabka Zaryte at kilometre 78 the course works upward in stages through Obidowa, reaching its high point of nearly 1,300 metres around kilometre 100 before giving back around 700 metres.
The ending asks for everything again. From kilometre 121 there are more than 500 metres to climb, then the route drops to its lowest point, and at kilometre 135 the longest climb of the loop begins. It tops out about six kilometres from the finish, and the rest runs down into the valley. Between the villages around Mszana Dolna hardly any of the course is flat, and in December much of the journey happens in the dark.
| Start | Length | Ø | Max. | Gain | Cat. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| km 2.7 | 3.1 km | 14.2 % | 32.9 % | +440 m | Cat. 2 |
| km 20.7 | 2.8 km | 16.3 % | 34.5 % | +461 m | Cat. 2 |
| km 25.5 | 3.5 km | 13 % | 38.4 % | +459 m | Cat. 2 |
| km 34.7 | 4 km | 13.5 % | 28.2 % | +538 m | Cat. 2 |
| km 65.9 | 3.8 km | 16 % | 40.3 % | +614 m | Cat. 2 |
| km 72.6 | 2.1 km | 18.7 % | 39.8 % | +382 m | Cat. 2 |
| km 121.5 | 3.8 km | 14.4 % | 33.5 % | +542 m | Cat. 2 |
| km 135.3 | 4.7 km | 12 % | 24.6 % | +557 m | Cat. 2 |
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 Winter Trail Małopolska.
Start under control
Nearly half of the climbing sits not in the eight big ascents but in the short undulations between them. That rules out any plan built on recovering between the mountains, because there is no true recovery stretch. Walk the steep pitches from the start, even while you could still run them, and hold a pace on the rollers that you could still hold deep into the night.
Hold your rhythm
The race is decided in the last 25 kilometres. Two climbs totalling more than 1,000 metres meet legs that have already descended almost 7,000. If you overreach on the steep block from kilometre 66, the bill only arrives here, because the long staged ramp to kilometre 100 hides the problem at first.
Spend what is left
The biggest trap is the descending in the first 40 kilometres. On fresh legs it feels free; in fact it spends the quads you will need after kilometre 120. Run those descents loosely without hard braking, and allow for moving markedly slower downhill in the dark.
Training plan for Winter Trail Małopolska: 12-week build
Build the base
Expect 30 to 40 hours depending on your form, with at least one full night. The intensity stays low but the rhythm keeps breaking: steep hiking at a high heart rate alternates with running downhill, and even kilometres are rare. So your foundation is not mileage but time on your feet on steep ground.
Train race pace
Your key sessions are long weekends with two consecutive mountain days, the second being the harder. Put the steepest climbs deliberately at the end, because the race saves its longest climb for kilometre 135. Practise brisk hiking on ramps above 15 percent until it feels economical rather than like a rest.
Rehearse the course
Descending load matters just as much. Around 8,000 metres of descent will take apart unprepared quads long before the finish. Build strength work for that eccentric load into your week, and regularly run long descents on legs that are already tired.
Arrive fresh
The mid-December date is part of the plan. Cold, wet or frozen ground is possible above 1,200 metres, and the night is long. So train in the dark with a headlamp, test shoes and grip on your steepest descents, and practise eating and drinking with cold hands. One night session after a long day will show you most honestly what the race holds.
Courses
Download the Winter Trail Małopolska course as a GPX file for your watch or bike computer.
Let YOUB adapt your plan for Winter Trail Małopolska 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 Winter Trail Małopolska.
How long is Winter Trail Małopolska?
Winter Trail Małopolska is 145 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 Winter Trail Małopolska have?
Winter Trail Małopolska has around 8,011 m of elevation gain over 145 km. That affects pacing, muscular load, and preparation for late-race sections.
What is the route profile of Winter Trail Małopolska?
Winter Trail Małopolska is classified as Mountainous, averaging 54.9 vertical metres per kilometre. 6% of the route is flat, 18% climbs moderately (2 to 6%) and 29% is steeper than 6%.
What climbs does Winter Trail Małopolska have?
The hardest climb of Winter Trail Małopolska starts at kilometre 65.9, runs for 3.8 km at an average of 16% and gains 614 metres. Cycling-convention rating: Cat. 2. 8 climbs are mapped in total.
Is Winter Trail Małopolska a loop course?
Yes, Winter Trail Małopolska is laid out as a loop: start and finish are in the same place.
Is there a GPX file for the Winter Trail Małopolska course?
Yes. The Winter Trail Małopolska 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 Winter Trail Małopolska?
Preparation for Winter Trail Małopolska should account for 145 km, 8,011 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 Winter Trail Małopolska?
The pacing strategy for Winter Trail Małopolska should reflect 145 km, 8,011 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 Winter Trail Małopolska take place?
Winter Trail Małopolska takes place on December 12, 2026.
Where does Winter Trail Małopolska take place?
Winter Trail Małopolska takes place in Mszana Dolna, Poland.
Which distances does Winter Trail Małopolska offer?
Winter Trail Małopolska offers 5 distances — WTM 140: 145 km; WTM 105: 109 km; WTM 64: 67 km; WTM 45: 51.5 km; WTM 16: 13 km.
How do I register for Winter Trail Małopolska?
Registration runs through the organiser: utm.run. YOUB shows you the course, elevation profile and training plan for your preparation.
