ITRA Points: Everything you need to know about how they work and how to earn them

How does it work? 🤔

No need to pull out the calculator—you’re not facing a math test! 🧮 Here, you’ll only need your trail shoes, the mandatory gear and a good pair of poles to push on the climbs 📈. The ITRA looks at distance and positive elevation gain to award a score of 0 to 6 points to each trail race 🌲. To do this, it uses the concept of “km-effort”, which means adding the distance in kilometers to one hundredth of the positive elevation gain (100 mD+ = 1 km-effort) 📐. For example, if you conquer a long trail of 50 km with 2,000 mD+, you’re actually achieving a performance of 70 km-effort 📏.

ITRA points define the overall difficulty of your adventure ⛰️. The bigger the number, the more your calves will suffer—but the prettier your score 😇. It’s an objective assessment that tells whether you ran a jog on asphalt or on a monumental construction site 🏗️. The performance index system then rates your speed on that race ⏱️. It’s a bit like your overall average for the baccalaureate, but with mud up to your knees 😅. This is calculated by comparing your time to the best theoretically possible time on that course ☝️. If you finish right behind a runner with the abilities of a mountain goat 🏃‍♂️, your score will smash through the ceiling ⬆️. If you stop at every aid station to enjoy Beaufort for twenty minutes, the bill will be higher 🧀.

What’s it actually for? 😅

Why bother with these numbers? 🤓 First, for your ego—let’s be honest 👀. It’s always nice to see your curve go up after months of intervals in the rain 🌧️. But above all, it’s your passport to access legendary races like the “Diagonale des Fous” of the Grand Raid, where they want to be sure you won’t DNF, “did not finish”, after two hours 🥵. Organizers need guarantees before sending you onto trails where even goats hesitate to go 🐐.

The biggest ultra-trail events use this ranking to harmonize levels and ensure your safety 🛡️. It’s proof of the experience you’ve built up on technical trails all over the world 🗺️. It also helps you access priority start corrals so you don’t get stuck behind someone taking photos of the scenery 🌸. Picture yourself on pole position, ready to jump at the gun without having to elbow your way through 🤩. In short, it’s the key that takes you from Sunday runner to respected trail runner 👑.

How do you earn them? 🏆

The answer is simple: “run, Forrest, run!”. But not just anywhere 🏃. You need to choose a race labeled by the International Trail Running Association 🏷️. For that, check our trail race calendar to find the races that pay off big 💎: Trail du Cirque du Fer à Cheval, Trail de Haute Provence (THP), Swiss Canyon Trail, KAILAS FUGA Dolomiti Extreme Trail... In the mountains of France, around lakes, in the middle of forests, lost deep in nature... 🍃 There’s no shortage of race options to rack up ITRA points! 🤪 But don’t think a small flat loop of 10 km will earn you 5 points—you’ll have to climb a bit 🧗. The longer and steeper the course, the more valuable points you’ll stack on your profile 🆙.

Be careful: these points have a 36-month expiration date, so don’t rest on your laurels 💤. If you stop running for two years, your score will melt like snow in the sun ☀️. You need to go back to the grind regularly to maintain your level ⛏️. It’s the perfect opportunity to mix things up and test your limits on varied terrain, from wet forest to scree fields in the Alps 🏔️. Book your bib to plan your season and aim for the summits 🎯. Also think about race management: going out like a rocket and blowing up halfway could ruin your index, even if you cross the finish arch 🏁. Consistency is the key to becoming a war machine 😎.

The bosses of the game 💪

Today, aliens like Jim Walmsey 🇺🇸 and Remi Bonnet 🇨🇭 among the men, and Tove Alexandersson 🇸🇪, Courtney Dauwalter, or Katie Schide 🇺🇸 among the women, are out in front with scores that make us look like hikers 😂. They hover around 900 points, which is technically close to absolute perfection 🌌. But don’t worry—the important thing is to improve at your own pace on your own path 👣. Trail running is first and foremost you against yourself (and a bit against gravity) 🍏.

So, see you on the start line to pump up your stats? 🔥