Grail of Trail
Two Otter Events
The Otter TERREX Trail presented by EasyEquities takes place annually and runs in the opposite direction each year. The Otter - Classic Edition traverses East to West, starting in Storms River and finishing in Natures Valley, with the Otter - Retto Edition Running West to East, from Natures Valley to Storms River.
The 42km route features rugged Indian Ocean coastline trails, indigenous forests, river crossings, spectacular scenery and 7,000 steps on average. Every year, we host two cut-off time-graded events:
- Otter - Challenge - Fearsome 11hr cut-off
- Otter - Race - Extreme 9hr cut-off
Grail of Trail
Otter Grail of Trail
Classic EditionStorms River Start
All athletes will be transported to the starting point at Storms River. There are three cut-off points en route where participants failing to arrive on time will be removed from the course.
TrailFactor of 2.0
Four River Crossings
Route Profile
Pace Chart and Medal Times
Otter Grail of Trail Classic Route.gpx
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Otter Grail of Trail
Natures Valley Start
TrailFactor of 2.0
The Otter TERREX Trail, presented by EasyEquities, has a TrailFactor of 2.0. What does this mean? Simply put, TrailFactor measures how much tougher a trail is compared to a flat road. A TrailFactor of 2.0 means the Otter could take you twice as long to finish as a road marathon.
Four River Crossings
You’ll take on four river crossings along the route, each one adding to the adventure. The legendary Bloukrans River, known for its wild beauty, includes a swim that’s both thrilling and unforgettable. Where the challenge is greatest, we’ve got you covered. Our safety team will be on site with equipment to support you, and life jackets will be available for those who need them to ensure a safe and confident crossing.
Route Profile
The full route features over 2,600m of elevation gain and around 7,000 ascending steps. You’ll take on eleven climbs with more than 50 meters of elevation gain, including three that rise over 100 meters. It’s a serious test of strength and endurance, with gradients that challenge even the fittest runners.
Pace Chart and Medal Times
Click here to plan your perfect Otter. Use the pace chart to lock in your pacing strategy, stay ahead of all on route cut-offs, and give yourself the best shot at earning the medal you’re chasing.
Sept Training Plans
Strength Training
Train Your Gut
Strength Plan 2.0
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26 - 23 Weeks to go
30 - 27 Weeks to go
Otter Training
The Otter TERREX Trail, presented by EasyEquities, is no ordinary race. With over 40 km of rugged terrain, 2,400 m of elevation gain, and more than 7,000 ascending steps, it’s twice as tough as a road marathon. Whether you’ve signed up for the Race with its 9-hour cut-off or the Challenge with 11 hours to finish, smart, consistent training is key to getting across the line.
This is where the Flat Rock Endurance team comes in. The plan is led by Toni McCann, a three-time Otter winner, professional athlete, and performance coach, and backed by coaches Erin van Eyssen and Brendan Lombard, who bring deep expertise in endurance, strength, and athlete health. Together, they have developed a course-specific training plan to help you prepare confidently, regardless of your starting point. With seven months of expert support and structure, this is your roadmap to your best Otter yet.
Endurance Nutrition
Fuelling looks different from person to person. What works for one person might not work for another. Practice makes perfect. Try and test some of our tips below to see what fits best for you!
1. Nutrition: Leading up to race day
The first thing to keep in mind when considering the right nutrition to complement a rigid training routine is variety. We must eat a varied diet that has a balance of all the macronutrients and fruits and vegetables. Variety in our diet ensures that we are getting in the nutrients that our bodies need in order to function at our best while staying healthy.
Our body’s primary source of fuel is carbohydrates. We need to ensure that we are including them in our diet to ensure that we are fueling our bodies for the work it is doing - especially in the context of endurance sports. To train and race well, we need to replenish muscle glycogen stores - this is one of the areas where carbohydrates are stored in our body, and when we exercise, our bodies use these glycogen stores for fuel - just like a car would use petrol. If we do not eat adequate amounts of carbohydrates, these stores do not get filled up again and we end up with insufficient glycogen. Essentially, that means we run out of fuel. Just like a car without petrol, this won’t take us very far, and performance will be affected. However, we also need the correct amounts of protein and fats.
What we eat is just as important as the distribution of our food throughout the day. For example, there is little benefit in eating all your protein at dinner time but not eating any in the first half of the day. You want to make sure that your nutrient distribution throughout the day makes sense. This is important for a variety of reasons: to ensure that blood sugar response is balanced, which will leave you more satisfied and prevent highs and lows in terms of energy levels.
2. Hydration: Leading up to race day
Individual hydration needs will differ from person to person, and it is difficult to give a ‘one size fits all’ recommendation here because sweat composition differs from person to person.
Some people are ‘saltier’ and heavier sweaters than others, and this will mean that their hydration needs will be different. When we sweat, we don’t just lose water, we also lose electrolytes like sodium, potassium, and magnesium and it’s very important that we replace these lost electrolytes.
When it comes to hydration, there is a common misconception that water alone is enough. This is not true, and often athletes are actually dehydrated in a race - does cramping, throwing up, dizziness, headache, or nausea sound familiar? These are all common signs and symptoms of dehydration. The solution? Make sure you include electrolytes in your bladder.
One of the functions of electrolytes is carbohydrate absorption so if you are not adequately hydrated, your body will not be able to absorb carbohydrates to fuel yourself.
3. Nutrition & Hydration: The day before eat normally
- There’s no need to bulk up on carbs. Don’t eat any foods you are not used to.
- Stay hydrated: Take note of how frequently you go to the loo, as well as your urine colour. It should be a pale yellow, and you should go to the bathroom frequently.
4. Nutrition & Hydration: During the race
Adequate fueling during an event is paramount to getting the best out of your body. The Munchie Point aid station, around the halfway mark, will be well stocked to ensure you have a selection of nutrition to choose from.
First off, it’s important to note that your race-day nutrition should not be different from what you do in training. You must practice your race day nutrition in training. Exact timing as well as quantities. Practicing it in training won’t only help you to see what works for you in terms of taste and gut tolerance, but it will also help you to know exactly what to do on race day without having to think about it or second guess yourself.
Individual requirements will vary from person to person, but a good rule of thumb is to aim for about 0.8-1g of carbohydrates per kg of body weight PER HOUR of exercise or 1g of carbohydrates per minute of exercise e.g. 60g per hour and upwards. Make sure that you progress towards this. Don’t start at 60g per hour if you are not used to this, as you may experience gut discomfort. Your gut needs to be trained, too, so build it slowly.
5. Recovery: What to eat after the race
It is essential to ensure that you fuel your workouts before and recover after. A good guideline for after is aiming for a carb-to-protein ratio of 3:1 within 1h-1h30 of finishing the session (quick and easy: chocolate milk - a crowd pleaser). You want to aim for 20g of protein.
After training, your body has an increased ability to replenish glycogen stores, so the sooner you get that post-recovery snack/meal in, the better.
Note: These guidelines are general, and a more individually tailored nutrition plan is something you can get from a qualified dietitian who can help you tweak your nutritional needs specifically for you.
Otter Nutrition Plan
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26 - 23 Weeks to go
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Compulsory kit
Weather factors affect compulsory kit levels
Compulsory Kit - Level 1
Fine, mild, hot but dry
To carry water, extra nutrition and compulsory equipment
Compulsory Kit - Level 2
Cool and/or wet
To carry water, extra nutrition and compulsory equipment
Compulsory Kit - Level 3
Cold, wet and/or windy
To carry water, extra nutrition and compulsory equipment
Compulsory Kit - Level 4
Very cold, and/or heavy rain
If conditions higher than Level 3 are predicted all kit required for Level 3 is compulsory.
In this case the official race will not take place, parts of the course will be rerouted & time delays should be expected.
Cancelled Event - Level 5
High winds, flooding and/or violent storm conditions with dangerously high seas.
Book in advance
There are many variables to running and managing the Otter but one thing we can guarantee is that your legs will be dying for a massage after finishing the race! The Southern Cape has some of the most highly rated sports masseurs, Jo-Anne van Vuuren and her colleagues from Aromaflex.
Make sure you book your massage in advance via email aromaflex2@gmail.com or 082-8209960.
Pre-race Breakfast
Launching soon
Award Ceremony Dinner
The dinner, followed by the award ceremony, will be held at Cattle Baron Restaurant, Storms River. The dinner for athletes is part of your entry fee and does not have to be booked! However if you wish to bring a partner to dinner, you would need to pre-book via the Otter shop as there is limited space.
Supporters Activity
Activity Bus for Supporters
We will once again be offering family and friends the opportunity to observe the dramatic Bloukrans River Crossing. Hikers will be collected from the Khoisan Village (The entrance to Tsitsikamma Khoisan Village is located 1 km East of the Bloukrans bridge) on the morning of the event (Departure Times TBD) and transported to the top of the E6 Emergency Exit above the infamous Bloukrans River mouth. From there, you will hike the 200 vertical meters down to the Otter Trail and onto the pebble beach where you will see the participants attempt the crossing. Participants of the Bloukrans Bus are not guaranteed to catch the same runners at the finish line in Natures Valley as there is simply not enough time.
Medal Categories
Race Athletes
Seven Time-based Medal Finisher Categories
Time Categories:
- Sub 4:00hrs
- Sub 4:30hrs
- Sub 5:00hrs
- Sub 6:00hrs
- Sub 7:00hrs
- Sub 8:00hrs
- Under 9:00hrs (Otter in a Day)
Two Time-based Medal Finisher Categories
Time Categories:
- Sub 8:00hrs
- Otter in a Day
FAQ
We can offer a 90% refund of your entry fee until 31 July 2026. Thereafter, we will review it on a case-by-case basis. Your refund will be processed via the same payment method you used to pay for your entry on Howler. Depending on your bank, your refund may be processed as a purchase reversal or a deposit.
Substitutions (entry transfers) are not part of our standard policy for standard entries and are only allowed at our discretion. Premium and corporate entries allow one transfer/substitution per ticket.
Should we accommodate substitutions, we do not allow private or direct substitutions; instead, we refund any returned entries. We then facilitate the transfer process by issuing a new entry to the substitute participant.
Any available entries by way of substitution will be offered to those already on the waiting list, to ensure fairness to those still waiting to secure a spot.
This year’s race village is based in Storms River. If you cannot find accommodation directly in Storms River we recommend looking at Natures Valley (where the start venue is located) or Plettenberg bay, which is about a 20 minute drive away from Natures Valley.
A free shuttle service is available for all runners and is included with your entry. Please note however that this is for runners only, and does not cater to spectators. Shuttles for the Challenge will depart from the Race Village (in Storms River) between 4:30am and 4:45am, and shuttles for the Race will depart between 5:00am and 5:15am.
Parking the Start: You are welcome to drive yourself to the start in Natures Valley. Please note that there is limited parking available at the start venue at Natures Valley Beach. Please be mindful of parking on private property, as it is prohibited. Although we offer shuttles to the start, we do not offer shuttles back to Natures Valley for those who chose to drive themselves to the start. Should you need a shuttle back, you can arrange this directly with Jansen Travel: +27 81 775 2187.
Unfortunately, no. The Otter TERREX Trail, presented by EasyEquities, runs through restricted private and protected land, which means only our accredited team members with the necessary permits are allowed on the route. While this limits supporter access along the trail, it’s also part of what makes the Otter so unique, as runners are fully immersed in untouched wilderness, far from crowds and distractions.
We encourage all supporters to bring their gees to the Race Village and help create an unforgettable atmosphere at the finish line as runners emerge from the trail and cross that iconic covered finish!
You may be having difficulty getting access to Howler and finding your entry because you have not completed the registration process yet.
If you can’t find the Howler confirmation email that has the link to complete the process, we can resend your confirmation email.
Please reach out to raceoffice@otter.run for assistance.
It could be that our emails are going to your spam/junk folder.
We can check which email address we have on record for you, and if it needs to be updated.
Alternatively, it could be that you’ve unsubscribed from getting our emails. You can resubscribe here: [insert subscription link]
Contact raceoffice@otter.run and we can make sure you stay in the loop.
The Prologue is a short seeding race held the day before the Otter. Your time in this event determines your start position, with the fastest runners qualifying for Abengeni (and therefore prize money eligibility). Important to note is that you are free to run the Prologue anytime between 10:00am and 4:30pm for the Challenge and 10:00am and 3:00pm for the Race. There is no designated start time, and it is timed mat to mat.
The Prologue is a key tactical element of the race: you’ll want to push hard enough to secure an appropriate batch, but not so hard that you drain your legs before race day. PS: there are no rules about re-running the Prologue should you not be happy with your seeding.
You can run the Prologue anytime between 10:00am and 4:30pm for the Challenge and 10:00am and 3:00pm for the Race. If you opt not to run the Prologue you will simply be seeded in the last batch, with no additional consequences. Please note however that should you opt out of the Prologue you are then not eligible for prize money or category prizes.
Both the Race and the Challenge take place on the same course, over the same week, with identical logistics, support, and structure, including a Prologue event followed by the trail marathon the following day. The key difference lies in the cut-off times and competition level.
The Otter Race has a stricter 9-hour cut-off and offers prize money, attracting a highly competitive, elite field. The Otter Challenge, with an 11-hour cut-off, provides a more achievable yet still demanding experience for committed trail runners and weekend warriors alike.
The Otter Trail runs from Storms River to Nature’s Valley, which is also the traditional hiking direction. When we refer to the Classic direction, we mean the race that follows this original route.
In contrast, the Retto direction refers to the reverse, starting in Nature’s Valley and finishing in Storms River. Each year, we alternate directions, giving rise to what we call “the two Otters.” Interestingly, the Classic tends to produce faster times, as the technical boulder sections come early, followed by more runnable terrain toward the finish.
You can email us to apply: email raceoffice@otter.run.
Included with entry is a buffet lunch after the finish and an awards ceremony dinner (a buffet-style dinner with various meat options, salads, and other sides). Vegetarian and vegan options will be available.
In addition, we’re hosting a pre-race burger night (optional for participants).
Meal tickets for the pre-race burger night and for any additional friend or family members who would like to join participants at the pre-race burger night or the awards ceremony dinner will be available for purchase online via Howler (from 31 July), or at registration.
There will be small food stalls on-site offering light meals and snacks.
Participants are responsible for arranging their own meals outside of these options. We recommend making use of nearby restaurants or self-catering where possible.
Please note that for those camping and glamping, the park does offer a shared kitchen facility with refrigeration options.
Our 2026 entry dates are as follows:
Phase 1 entries open on the 24th October 2025 and are available to the following three groups:
2025 Otter Participants only
Corporate Entries only
Premium Entries only
Phase 2 entries open on the 31st October 2025. They are open to all and are sold on a first-come, first-served basis.