Pirin Extreme 38K

Race strategy

Hold a steady pace and save energy for every section.

• Big early climb with 2.0km gain. Hold your pace, save your legs for later.
• 918m descent. Go easy, save your quads.
• Steep 39% wall. Control your pace and stay focused.
• Final 1779m descent. Save your legs to go all out on it.
• Control your HR on the first mountain, save your quads on the descents until 18.7km, then run your race pace, and start the final descent from 24.2km under control, then go all out near the bottom.
• Start · 0.0km–1.8km · Race-day nerves push your heart rate up: don't follow the crowd, find your own rhythm.
• Settle in · 1.8km–13.7km · Climb of 1973m. 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 · 13.7km–18.7km · Climb of 226m, high point 2891m, descent of 918m averaging 29%. Plus 1 more 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 · 18.7km–24.2km · Climb of 768m. Your energy fades, and that's normal: hold a steady effort and stop counting the miles. Climb by heart rate or breathing, not pace. At altitude your pace drops, and that's fine. Your heart rate drifts down on its own: don't chase your early-race numbers, go by feel.
• Home · 24.2km–37.1km · Descent of 1779m averaging 14%. 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. At altitude your pace drops, and that's fine. Hike the steepest pitches.

Course

The course climbs 3300m+. With 87m/km of climbing, the course is exceptionally steep, with long hiking-grade sections. By gradient, 49% of the distance is uphill, 46% downhill and 5% flat. The longest climb runs 13.7km at an average 14.4% grade (1973m of vertical). The longest descent runs 12.8km at an average 13.9% grade (1779m of vertical). The steepest climb averages 39.4% over 0.3km. The steepest descent drops at 38.9% over 0.6km. Surface: 60% trail, 12% extreme, 9% road, 7% technical, and 5% smooth. Flat-equivalent effort: 76.2 FlatKM.

Poles

Trekking poles are worth taking: about 7.5km of the course favours them.

Quad damage

Quad damage risk is moderate (index 34 of 100), with 34% of the load in the first half: 1 descent deserves a plan and a couple of downhill sessions before race day.

• Control your HR on the first mountain, save your quads on the descents until 18.7km, then run your race pace, and start the final descent from 24.2km under control, then go all out near the bottom.
• #1 · 15.5–18.7 km · 918 m D−, -28.9% · 18.4 km ahead → control
• 24.2–37.1 km · 1779 m D−, -13.9% · 0.0 km ahead → even, first half under control, let go at the end

Weather

On race day, start temperatures have historically ranged from 12°C to 21°C, with around 10°C at the highest point; the chance of precipitation is about 25%.