WRC – Waligóra Run Cross

The WRC – Waligóra Run Cross is a tough mountain trail race held in early spring in Głuszyca, a small town in Lower Silesia close to the Czech border. It takes its name from Waligóra, the highest peak of the Góry Suche, the "Dry Mountains" of the Central Sudetes, and is organised by the Stowarzyszenie Walim Na Żądanie association, which also runs other mountain races in the area. The ultra's roll of honour goes back at least to 2016 and features Polish, Czech and Spanish winners.

Four formats start from Primary School No. 3 on Kolejowa Street in Głuszyca, which also hosts the finish. Droga Tytanów, the "Road of the Titans" and the newest addition, covers 82 km with 3,750 m of ascent, starting in the dark at 4:00 with a 20-hour limit. Ultra WRC, 53 km with 2,900 m of climbing, sets off at 8:00 with a 14-hour limit and a 6-hour cut-off at kilometre 28, at Leśne Źródło. Half WRC, 28 km and 1,350 m of ascent, starts at 10:00 and must be completed within 8 hours. Finally, Sztafeta WRC turns the 53 km ultra into a three-person relay, with legs of 12.5, 25 and 14.5 km and changeovers at the Andrzejówka mountain hut; it starts at 11:00, provided at least ten teams enter.

The terrain explains the race's reputation. The courses cross Głuszyca, the Góry Suche and Sokołowsko, in the area between Mieroszów, Wałbrzych and Jedlina-Zdrój, on forest trails, rocky sections and brutally steep climbs, some of them above 45% according to the organisers. The half is billed as one of the hardest in Poland and the ultra as serious preparation for the big Alpine ultras. The event awards ITRA points and counts towards the UTMB Index in the 100K, 50K and 20K categories. It is aimed at adult runners who are at ease in the mountains and able to keep going for many hours, partly by headtorch on the two longest distances.

The setting is wooded, sharply cut upland where one summit follows another with little respite. The Andrzejówka hut, at the foot of Waligóra, is the hub of the event and hosts several aid stations, as does the Kamieniołom reservoir a few kilometres before the finish. On Droga Tytanów, runners also pass through Grzmiąca and the outskirts of Wałbrzych before reaching the heart of the range.

On the practical side, race registration at the school opens the evening before and again on race morning from 3:00; a bag drop runs all day and a recovery meal awaits finishers. Mandatory kit includes a water supply (1 litre on the ultra and Droga Tytanów, 0.5 litres on the half), a survival blanket and a charged phone with the numbers of the organisers and GOPR, the Polish mountain rescue service, plus an elastic adhesive bandage and a headtorch with spare batteries on the two longer distances. No cups are provided, and any littering leads to removal from the results. Poles are allowed and the field is capped at 600.