Timpohon Run 2026

Timpohon Run 2026 takes place on Saturday, 17 October 2026, inside Kinabalu Park, Kundasang, Sabah. This approximately 9.8 km mountain and forest run is the accessible companion race to the 33rd Mount Kinabalu International Climbathon, which takes place the following day. Organised by Sabah Tourism Board through Sri Pelancongan Sabah Sdn Bhd, Timpohon Run gives runners a chance to experience the world-famous national park's misty montane forest, climbing roads and paths without entering the separate 24.5 km summit race.

Route through Kinabalu Park

The organiser describes the course as starting from the Kinabalu Park Main Gate, climbing towards Timpohon Gate, using the Mempening Trails, passing Liwagu Restaurant, and finishing near Kinabalu Hall. The official 2026 route map also labels the Kinabalu Hall area as the start/finish and marks an estimated 9.8 km circuit, with a course profile showing a substantial early climb and a later descent. Participants should follow the final start-line instructions on race morning, as the general route description and route-map labels differ slightly on the exact starting point.

Runners move through a UNESCO-listed protected landscape. Temperatures at Kinabalu Park headquarters are generally cooler than coastal Sabah, but rain, slippery trail sections and changes in conditions are possible. The event is not a flat, certified road 10K: its approximately 9.8 km route mixes paved and trail sections and rises to the Timpohon area before returning.

Race-day programme

Participants should report to the Main Gate at 5:30 am, with the single 7:00 am flag-off applying to both Men's Open and Women's Open divisions. The official cut-off is 11:30 am, allowing 4 hours 30 minutes. The schedule anticipates the first finishers at around 8:30 am, prize presentation at 10:30 am and the event closing at 12:30 pm. Any runner behind the compulsory time limit may be withdrawn by course marshals.

Entrants must be 18 years or older on race day. The organiser explicitly excludes athletes who have already secured an entry in the following day's Mount Kinabalu International Climbathon. Runners must display their allocated race bibs, pass official checkpoints and stay on the marked course. Trekking poles, unauthorised outside assistance, littering and collecting plants or rocks are prohibited inside the protected park.

Hydration, prizes and preparation

The organiser plans water and aid points roughly every 2–3 km, and recommends carrying a personal hydration pack even though water bottles may be available. The published entitlements include a race T-shirt, medal and e-certificate. Men's and women's Open prizes each pay RM500 for first, RM400 for second, RM300 for third, RM200 for fourth and RM150 for fifth. These amounts are for the 2026 Timpohon Run, not the separate Climbathon.

Registration closed on 17 September 2026. Current-edition entry fees were not independently established from the organiser's accessible information, so none are assumed from previous years.

Race-pack collection and travel

Race-pack collection is Friday, 16 October, from 10:00 am to 6:00 pm at Kinabalu Hall, Kinabalu Park. The course is in the Kundasang/Ranau highlands, not in Kota Kinabalu city, so visiting runners should allow sufficient time for the early start and arrange transport or nearby accommodation. The listing's map coordinates identify the approximate Kinabalu Park entrance, not an independently measured start gantry.