Get familiar with the race plan

Service and organising in Landmannalaugar before the race

Most participants will arrive at the start line in Landmannalaugar by the race bus. Everyone that wants to have a bag waiting for them at the finish line in Husadalur, Thorsmork must bring it with them to Landmannalaugar. Staff officials will notify participants where they can drop the bag off upon arrival in Landmannalaugar. For more information go to the luggage page.

Before you drop off your finish line bag you need to take into account the most recent weather forecast and information about necessary clothing provided by the race director. There are a few toilets in the cabin by the start line in Landmannalaugar but there will also be portable toilets. No other service or indoor facilities are available for the participants by the start line.

Colour-coded groups of runners will start the race every 5 minutes. Make sure that you know which one you belong to by going to the page, start groups and race numbers. You can study the race day program here.

Nutrition and food wrappings

Even though there are refreshment stations along the course it is important that all participants have a drinking flask with them no matter what kind of weather is expected. No paper cups or glasses will be provided at the drinking stations but the race officials will be there to assist you in filling your own bottle or glass if you need help. It is also important to bring along energy gels or other nutrition.

Leaving litter on the course is strictly forbidden. Litter is, energy gel packages, banana peels, cups, plastic wrappings, human waste or anything else. Participants need to carry their litter with them to the next drinking station where there will be a bin.

We kindly ask participants to put their energy gels in bottles on their waist belts to limit the possibility of unwanted litter on the course. This is also good from a nutritional point of view since you will this way be able to use the gel over a longer period of time by storing it on your belt in between sips. By avoiding, as best we can, to damage or leave litter on the trail we help keep this natural environment clean and healthy so that this race can take place for years to come. You can read more about what will be available at the drinking stations here.

Quitting before the end of the race 

The Laugavegur Ultra Marathon is a 55 km long race and it is assumed that participants have trained for that distance and by signing up for the race, they are committed to finishing the race. As previously stated participants are disqualified from the race if they are not able to leave the drinking station at Alftavatn or Emstrur within the time limits but otherwise quitting is not possible unless the participant is either sick or injured. Transferring participants between places is time-consuming and only thought of as an emergency aid. Those who are forced to put an end to their participation in the race must report to a race official. This is very important since otherwise an individual might be wrongly considered missing and that is something we want to avoid at all costs.

Weather

The average temperature on the Laugavegur trail in July is around 7-8°C. We can not have any effects on the weather and therefore, participants need to be prepared for a sudden change in conditions. We expect all participants to follow the race organisers' instructions on what to wear. When running a 55 km course in cold and wet weather your body can reach dangerously low temperatures, even life-threatening.

Gear

What to wear during the race depends on the weather forecast. All participants must be able to add clothes to their attire before the race if the race director thinks it is needed. Read more about the necessary gear here.

Cut-off time

Time limits are set for safety reasons for the runners. The Laugavegur Ultra Marathon is for runners that are able to finish the race in 9 hours and 15 minutes which will give them 370 ITRA points. After that time limit has passed, the race organisers and officials are allowed to turn off and remove all timing equipment from the finishing area in Husadalur, Thorsmork. As stated in the race rules, the cut-off time for leaving the drinking station at Alftavatn, lake cabin (22 km) is 4 hours and the cut-off time for leaving the drinking station by the Emstrur cabin (38 km) is 6 hours and 30 minutes. Those participants that do not make the cut-off time are not allowed to continue the race and there will be no exceptions to this rule. Read this page for further information.

Husadalur, Thorsmork after the race

When runners cross the finish line their baggage from Landmannalaugar should already be in Husadalur. Bags should be collected from the tents by the shower area. They will be sorted by gender of runner and by race number. Showers are available (divided by gender) at the finish area and you might also have access to a hot tub but we can't promise that the water will be hot due to fast-changing conditions. But participants are encouraged to bring their swimsuits. We politely ask participants to spare water so everyone can take a shower. At the finish area, participants can find shelter, both in the tents put up by the race staff as well as in the main hut. The warm meal will be served soon after the first participant crosses the finish line.

Travel service is running in Husadalur every day throughout the summer and participants in the race as well as the race staff are an addition to other guests in Husadalur, Thorsmork. A part of the framework of the race is the tents put up by the race staff with tables and chairs as well as important equipment. This all is a costly service.

Attention: The tents are only for participants in the Laugavegur Ultra Marathon and not for their families and friends. This also applies to any food that is included in the entry fee.

The race buses depart from Thorsmork between 18:00 and 20:00. After finishing the race runners who have ordered and paid for a seat on the race bus should show up by the bus sign. The first bus leaves when it is full and the last bus at 20:00. Bus tickets for those who have not booked a seat online are sold at the information desk in the main hut. For those who would like to stay longer in the magnificent Thorsmork then accommodation in Husadalur can be ordered from the Volcano Huts. Further information at volcanohuts.com