The race is a one-day long-distance running contest for both sexes which has individual and national team aspects.
The host for the event changes on an annual basis, with the minimum requirements for the challenge being that the course is no longer than 45 kilometres (28 mi) in distance, includes an uphill ascent of at least 1.6 km (1 mile), and has a rough duration of between one hour and forty-five minutes and four hours for the elite men.
The challenge does not take place on specially-made courses, but rather it is incorporated into pre-existing, traditional races.
[3] Since its inception, the challenge has been hosted at competitions including the Three Peaks Race in the United Kingdom, Switzerland's Jungfrau Marathon, and the Pikes Peak Marathon in the United States.
Beginning in 2021, the event was merged into the 2021 World Mountain and Trail Running Championships.