We launched our race difficulty grading system to give competitors, especially those new to the world of ultra trail running, the ability to identify which race is most suitable for them.

We truly believe that anyone with the correct mindset and preparation can go from 5km runner to Ultra X finisher in a very short period of time.

Our scores are an amalgamation of the distance, elevation, technicality, and weather conditions of each race. Please note that scores are relative to the distance – 110km or 220km.

For example, Ultra X 110 Madeira is a 4/6 for a 110km race and Ultra X Jordan is a 4/6 for a 220km race. Obviously Jordan is double the distance and, whilst relatively flat, is very hot and sandy. However, once you factor in the 6,000+ metres of elevation in Madeira, we decided to grade it one step higher in line.

In summary, each race score is, we feel, an accurate reflection of the overall difficulty of each event.

If you have a specific question regarding our difficulty grading system, please feel free to reach out to us on contact@ultra-x.co.

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