Pirin Ultra 160K

Race strategy

Hold a steady pace and save energy for every section.

• Big early climb with 1.7km gain. Hold your pace, save your legs for later.
• 1348m descent. Go easy, save your quads.
• Final 836m descent. Save your legs to go all out on it.
• Long race. Control your HR and effort. Early mistakes cost the most.
• Control your HR on the first mountain, save your quads on the descents until 113km, then run your race pace, and start the final descent from 145km under control, then go all out near the bottom.
• Start · 0.0km–1.4km · Race-day nerves push your heart rate up: don't follow the crowd, find your own rhythm.
• Settle in · 1.4km–13.8km · Climb of 1681m. Ease in: hold back more than feels necessary. The race is still ahead. Climb by heart rate or breathing, not pace. At altitude your pace drops, and that's fine. Hike the steepest pitches.
• Work · 13.8km–84.0km · Descent of 1348m averaging 13%, descent of 903m averaging 19%, high point 2667m, descent of 1830m averaging 16%. Plus 3 more climbs and 1 descent. This is where the race is built: steady, solid effort. Climb by heart rate or breathing, not pace. This descent is hard on the legs: short steps, stay in control, poles if you have them. At altitude your pace drops, and that's fine. Hike the steepest pitches.
• Fade · 84.0km–145km · Descent of 1185m averaging 14%, climb of 1408m, descent of 970m averaging 18%. Plus 3 more climbs and 2 descents. Your energy fades, and that's normal: hold a steady effort and stop counting the miles. Climb by heart rate or breathing, not pace. This descent is hard on the legs: short steps, stay in control, poles if you have them. Running pays off here: run wherever you can. At altitude your pace drops, and that's fine. Hike the steepest pitches. Your heart rate drifts down on its own: don't chase your early-race numbers, go by feel.
• Home · 145km–158km · Descent of 836m averaging 7%. No heroics: settle back into your own effort and hold it to the line. Very long descent: first half under control, then even, let go only near the end.

Course

The course climbs 11000m+. With 69m/km of climbing, this is a true mountain course with sustained climbs and descents. By gradient, 46% of the distance is uphill, 45% downhill and 9% flat. The longest climb runs 19.5km at an average 5.0% grade (982m of vertical). The longest descent runs 12.8km at an average 6.6% grade (836m of vertical). The steepest climb averages 43.7% over 0.2km. The steepest descent drops at 41.3% over 0.6km. Surface: 65% trail, 20% smooth, and 11% road. Flat-equivalent effort: 302.4 FlatKM.