Green 45k

Race strategy

Run hard on the first mountain, but save energy for the second.

• Big early climb with 1.3km gain. Hold your pace, save your legs for later.
• 1047m descent. Go easy, save your quads.
• Steep 30% wall. Control your pace and stay focused.
• Final 526m descent. Save your legs to go all out on it.
• Control your HR on the first mountain, save your quads on the way down from it until 27.9km, then run your race pace, and start the final descent from 37.8km under control, then go all out near the bottom.
• Start · 0.0km–1.3km · Race-day nerves push your heart rate up: don't follow the crowd, find your own rhythm.
• Settle in · 1.3km–15.0km · Climb of 1258m, high point 1945m. Ease in: hold back more than feels necessary. The race is still ahead. Climb by heart rate or breathing, not pace.
• Work · 15.0km–27.9km · Descent of 1047m averaging 8%. This is where the race is built: steady, solid effort. This descent is hard on the legs: short steps, stay in control, poles if you have them. Hike the steepest pitches.
• Fade · 27.9km–37.8km · Climb of 608m. Your energy fades, and that's normal: hold a steady effort and stop counting the miles. Climb by heart rate or breathing, not pace. Running pays off here: run wherever you can. Hike the steepest pitches. Your heart rate drifts down on its own: don't chase your early-race numbers, go by feel.
• Home · 37.8km–44.1km · Descent of 526m averaging 8%. 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 2450m+ and descends 2450m−. With 54m/km of climbing, this is a true mountain course with sustained climbs and descents. By gradient, 42% of the distance is uphill, 43% downhill and 15% flat. The longest climb runs 15.0km at an average 8.4% grade (1258m of vertical). The longest descent runs 12.8km at an average 8.1% grade (1047m of vertical). The steepest climb averages 30.9% over 0.3km. The steepest descent drops at 27.4% over 1.2km. Surface: 71% trail, 18% road, and 10% smooth. Flat-equivalent effort: 64.6 FlatKM.

Summits

The highest summit on the course is Bjelogrivac (1970m), 13.6km from the start. The course also passes close to Lumer (1877m) and Dekovac (1312m).

Poles

Poles bring little benefit here: only about 8.2km of pole-friendly terrain.

Quad damage

Quad damage risk is moderate (index 29 of 100), with 28% 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 way down from it until 27.9km, then run your race pace, and start the final descent from 37.8km under control, then go all out near the bottom.
• #1 · 15.0–27.9 km · 1047 m D−, -8.1% · 16.3 km ahead → control
• 37.8–44.1 km · 526 m D−, -8.3% · 0.0 km ahead → even, first half under control, let go at the end

Weather

On race day, start temperatures have historically ranged from 18°C to 29°C, with around 19°C at the highest point; the chance of precipitation is about 34%.

Results

49 finishers completed the 2025 edition. Men's winner: Krešimir Mrčela (Croatia) in 4:53:39. Women's winner: Varvara Shikanova (Russia) in 4:37:08.