TOR330 and the Grand Adventure of “P’Lek” Natcha Phalee

TOR330 and the Grand Adventure of “P’Lek” Natcha Phalee

This year, KAILAS, the number one outdoor brand from mainland China, has elevated its collaboration with TORX®—one of the premier European trail running events held every September in the Aosta Valley in northwestern Italy—into a 5-year Premier Partnership. This is a great opportunity for both leading brands in the trail industry to join forces in creating and developing the world of trail running under the name “TORX® with KAILAS.”

In Thailand, the TORX® event has become increasingly well-known over the past 2–3 years, thanks to Thai trail runners, including KAILAS athletes "P’Natty" and "P’Lek," who have participated in the race. The race distances include:

TOR30 : Passage Au Malatrà - 30 km / 2,000+ m elevation gain / 8-hour total cutoff time.

TOR130 : Tot Dret - Groadus - 130 km / 12,000+ m elevation gain / 44-hour total cutoff time.

TOR330 : Tor Des Géants - 330 km / 24,000+ m elevation gain / 150-hour total cutoff time.

TOR450 : Tor Des Glaciers - 450 km / 32,000+ m elevation gain / 190-hour total cutoff time.

And for 2024, a special new distance has been added: TOR100 : Cervino - Monte Bianco - 100 km / 8,000+ m elevation gain / 40-hour total cutoff time.

It is well known that the TOR330 is the highlight distance of the TORX® event, or by its traditional full name, “Tor des Géants®,” which translates to “Tour of the Giants.” Regardless of the distance, the two essential pieces of equipment required are a strong body and a resilient spirit. This is ranked as one of the top 10 most challenging trail races in the world, not to mention the beauty of the landscape in Italy’s Aosta Valley, which is so stunning that words and photos cannot do it justice. The people involved in the event and the Aosta region are always ready to support one another to ensure the mission of conquering the "Tour of the Giants" succeeds. That is why this race, no matter how difficult, continues to challenge finishers—and those who have yet to complete the mission—to return year after year.

This includes “P’Lek” Natcha Phalee, an athlete from the Kailas Fuga Team Thailand, a tough, petite woman from Phuket who decided to return to the “TORX® with KAILAS” course again in 2024 for the TOR330. In 2023, after running 178 km, harsh storm conditions made it impossible for her to reach the checkpoint within the cutoff time, ending her race about halfway through. After that race, P’Lek firmly stated, “Next year (2024), I’m definitely coming back!”

They say we cannot conquer the mountain, but we can conquer ourselves to pass the mountain’s test. P’Lek’s intention for returning in 2024 was to correct the mistakes she learned from her first attempt—such as sleep management at aid stations, energy fueling, and pace management. Regarding her training, P’Lek changed things up: she reduced stress, focused more on relaxation, and prioritized recovery. As for her mindset, P’Lek suggested looking at it this way: since the 330 km race can take up to six-plus days, thinking about the sheer distance can be stressful. Instead, she chose to think of it as a vacation. The race defines itself as:

“330 is not a race, it’s an adventure.” It is more than just a competition; it is a grand adventure. Everyone, including P’Lek, knows this. While the ultimate dream of the race is to reach the finish line, what must never be forgotten is to enjoy the journey.

The week of the TORX® with KAILAS event ran from September 6–15, 2024. The main hub of the race remained in Courmayeur, the finish line for all distances. This year felt different because, beyond the vibrant atmosphere of the trail runners, the KAILAS brand was prominent everywhere—from sponsor banners and LED screens to the starting arch, the expo at the finish line, and local running shops that enticed runners with the launch of the new KAILAS Fuga Ex 330. This trail shoe is designed for long-distance cushioning and is an evolution of the Fuga Ex 3. The Fuga Ex 330 takes it a step further with 21% thicker foam for greater response, along with highly durable XDiMESH upper fabric. It reinforces its status as a top-tier trail shoe capable of handling the TORX® event, with its "330" name echoing the signature TOR330 distance. Nearly every athlete on the KAILAS Fuga Team used this model as their primary shoe for this year’s race.

The KAILAS Thailand team arrived in Courmayeur, Italy, on September 6th. As soon as we stepped out of the car, we met P’Lek, who was coming down from the mountain with other international KAILAS athletes. As we know, while KAILAS is a Chinese brand, the KAILAS Fuga Team is incredibly diverse, including members from China, Nepal, Malaysia, Thailand, and South America. This year, we saw many Italian and European athletes under the KAILAS Fuga Team banner. Most notably, there was Franco Collé, the local Italian athlete and 4-time consecutive TOR330 champion. Unfortunately, he suffered an injury before the race, causing him to miss his chance at a 5th title.

The morning of September 8th was the start of the TOR330. The KAILAS Thailand team waited to see P’Lek to offer encouragement and send her off to the starting line. Comparing P’Lek's size to the European runners, she truly lives up to her name ("Lek" meaning small). P’Lek was scheduled to start in the first wave at 10:00 AM Italian time, with the second wave at 12:00 PM. There was no stress or anxiety in P’Lek’s eyes—only the signature joy and liveliness she carries. This was the promise she made to herself before coming, and she was following through on it.

The start signal marked the beginning of every runner’s adventure. Even with 330 km remaining, the atmosphere and cheering spurred everyone on as if it were a fun run. P’Lek was the same. After high-fiving the team, her challenging and fun-filled adventure began.

For the TOR330 distance, runners travel through the Aosta Valley, passing through various towns and towering mountains. The constant challenge is climbing over each "Col" (mountain pass), which marks the peak of that section—usually reaching 2,500–3,000+ meters above sea level. These passes are often technically difficult, especially the descents, which can make your legs shake just looking at them, but they are rewarded with the unique beauty of Italy. There are plenty of checkpoints (CP) along the way to rest and refuel, ranging from city facilities to high-mountain refuges (Rifugio). However, the most critical points for TOR330 runners are the "Life Bases" (BaseVita). There are 6 in total, and they provide everything a runner needs: full meals, warm beds, medical and physical therapy units, support team stations, and most importantly, the yellow TOR dropbags containing spare gear and personalized supplies like energy gels and batteries, so runners don't have to carry everything on their backs.

At 11:30 PM Italian time, 13:30 hours into the race, the team received a message from P’Lek as she reached Valgrisenche (49 km in), the first Life Base. “Can I sleep?” was the question, as we knew she was anxious about resting too long after the previous year’s experience and was trying to be disciplined. After a short rest, she left Valgrisenche at 1:00 AM, holding a 6-hour buffer from the cutoff time. From here began the first long night of the TOR330, which showed no mercy to runners as heavy rain persisted from the day before. By her second day, the highlight was the climb up Col Loson, the highest point of the TOR330 at 3,294 meters. P’Lek shared that it was snowing by then and the wind was so strong it ripped her raincoat. Despite this, she managed to reach the next Life Base at Cogne (104 km in) safely just before midnight. P’Lek messaged the team saying it was an incredibly long journey, asking the same question: “I can sleep, right? Two hours?” The team replied, “How about an hour and a half? To be safe.” We agreed on that before heading to sleep.

The next Life Base was Gressoney, but the real focal point was Rifugio della Barma (km 175). This was where P’Lek’s journey ended in 2023 when she missed the cutoff due to the storm. She called it her “cursed spot.” If she could pass this point, it would mean overcoming her own limitations. The highlight of her 4th day was reaching Rifugio della Barma at 12:30 PM, extremely close to the 1:00 PM cutoff. She was able to continue, and although we could tell from her entry time that she had barely rested, we were all delighted that P’Lek made it through—reaching the halfway mark of the TOR330. Everything after this was a bonus, proof that this version of her could go further than the last. Ultimately, her 2024 TOR330 adventure concluded after grappling with another main issue for long-distance runners: digestion. After 4 days and 3 nights (106 hours), the extreme cold and the struggle to eat unfamiliar food led to vomiting. She reached Niel - Dortoir La Gruba (officially km 190, though her watch recorded 224 km), but missed the cutoff, ending her journey for 2024 there.

After returning to rest, the Kailas Thailand team visited P’Lek to hear about her adventure. After sharing the details, she said, “I’m not sad, but I feel disappointed that I didn’t make the cutoff.” When asked if she would come back, “Of course! I have to. Once I’ve started, I have to finish it,” she replied with a laugh. At this point, even the author understood her, as I am also a runner who competes in this event (in the smaller TOR130 distance) and failed to finish for the second time this year. If asked the same question, I would say, “I’ll definitely be back.” It reinforces that once anyone joins “TORX® with KAILAS,” they fall under the spell of the vast, beautiful mountains, the warm hospitality, and the challenge that carries more meaning than just reaching the finish line.

The Kailas Thailand team would like to congratulate all Thai runners who participated in “TORX® with KAILAS” this year—both those who became finishers and those who are waiting to return to earn their finish in the coming years. If you can’t wait, there’s a surprise at the end of this year: KAILAS has announced the first TORX® CHN100 2024 in Asia! It will be held on December 28–29, 2024, in Shenzhen, China. TORX® CHN100 is a 100 km trail race that is part of the Shenzhen100, which Kailas sponsors. The first interesting feature is that the start and finish lines are at Dameisha Beach in Shenzhen, China. The male and female winners of the TORX® CHN100 will automatically earn a spot to compete in the TOR330 - Tor des Géants® in Italy in 2025.

For fellow runners who want to welcome the New Year while enjoying a trip, you can sign up for the TORX® CHN100 at

https://t.saihuitong.com/url/N7B7ji. You will get to know the definition of the phrase, “It’s not a race, it’s an adventure.”

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Article compiled by Nattawut Suttiwichai (Kailas Thailand Team / REV RUNNR / Trail Dogs – The Explorer)