Tropical Rainforest Run 2026

Tropical Rainforest Run 2026 took place on Sunday, 20 September 2026, in Tawau Hills Park, Sabah, with a challenging 28 km rainforest trail race and a newly introduced 10 km run. The event is organised by Sri Pelancongan Sabah Sdn Bhd, a subsidiary of the Sabah Tourism Board, with Sabah Parks. It showcases an internationally important protected landscape and the hills around the park's volcanic terrain.

Racing through the rainforest

The main 28 km course is a demanding out-and-back mountain route from the Tawau Hills Park start/finish area towards Mount Lucia. The official 2026 route map marks Hostel Lintagu at around 9.7 km, the Mount Lucia summit turnaround near 12.3 km, later checkpoints, natural water features and hot springs along the return. The course is steep and often wet underfoot, with marked checkpoints and an elevation profile published by the organisers. Runners need to manage long climbs, uneven trail and tropical humidity while carrying enough hydration between aid stations.

The 10 km category was introduced for 2026 to broaden participation. Its official route map shows a loop around the Bombalai Peak area, with distinct checkpoints and its own elevation profile. The course also includes natural trails and park roads; this was not a flat city-road 10K.

Start times and safety

The 28K started at 6:30 am, followed by the 10K at 7:00 am, Malaysia time. The 10 km race had a three-hour cut-off. Longer-distance runners faced intermediate summit cut-offs and separate final deadlines according to age and gender divisions. The event website contains inconsistent 28 km cut-off wording in two sections, so consult the published race-day schedule or official results rather than relying on a single conflicting figure.

The 28 km event offered men's and women's Open categories (18+) and a men's Veteran category (45+); the 10K had men's and women's Open categories (18+). Competitors were required to follow the marked trail and visit official checkpoints. Outside assistance, littering, unauthorised bib swaps and taking shortcuts were prohibited. The organiser recommended carrying personal hydration, suitable trail gear and emergency equipment, with water and aid stations generally placed several kilometres apart.

Race-day logistics and recognition

Organisers offered an early-morning shuttle departing Tawaurian Cafe in Tawau at 4:00 am for runners travelling to the park. Return transport from Tawau Hills Park was scheduled at several times through the afternoon. Race-pack collection took place on Saturday, 19 September, from 10:00 am to 6:00 pm. Two official pages disagree on the exact collection venue (Calvary Crown versus LA Hotel), so this archive listing does not treat either location as definitive.

The race pack included an event running T-shirt and medal for registered participants. 28 km finishers completing within the cut-off were eligible for a finisher T-shirt, while the 10 km category also included goodies. Cash prizes were offered to the leading runners across the competitive divisions.

An established Sabah sporting event

This was the fifth edition of the Tropical Rainforest Run. Local reporting on the eve of the event stated that more than 350 runners had registered, including returning competitive athletes. The organiser now provides a 2026 results and certificate lookup on its website. Registrations have closed and this listing is retained as a historical record of the race, not an invitation to enter a future edition.