Quad Rock 50mi

Race strategy

Hold a steady pace and save energy for every section.

• 503m descent. Go easy, save your quads.
• The finish is runnable. Save your legs to run it all the way.
• Long race. Control your HR and effort. Early mistakes cost the most.
• Ease into the early runnable section, save your quads on the descents until 39.6km, then run your race pace.
• Start · 0.0km–1.9km · Race-day nerves push your heart rate up: don't follow the crowd, find your own rhythm.
• Settle in · 1.9km–15.3km · Descent of 370m averaging 10%. Plus 1 more climb. Ease in: hold back more than feels necessary. The race is still ahead. 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.
• Work · 15.3km–39.6km · Descent of 503m averaging 7%, high point 2159m, descent of 396m averaging 7%. Plus 2 more climbs. 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.
• Fade · 39.6km–71.0km · Climb of 502m. Plus 2 more climbs and 3 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. Your heart rate drifts down on its own: don't chase your early-race numbers, go by feel.
• Home · 71.0km–79.5km · 8.5km of runnable trail. No heroics: settle back into your own effort and hold it to the line. Running pays off here: run wherever you can.

Course

The course climbs 3060m+. With 38m/km of climbing, this is a rolling, mostly runnable course. By gradient, 42% of the distance is uphill, 41% downhill and 17% flat. The longest climb runs 8.2km at an average 5.5% grade (452m of vertical). The longest descent runs 6.9km at an average 7.3% grade (503m of vertical). The steepest climb averages 19.6% over 0.2km. The steepest descent drops at 20.1% over 0.2km. Surface: 98% trail. Flat-equivalent effort: 104.9 FlatKM.

Summits

The course also passes close to Arthurs Rock (2067m).

Poles

Poles bring little benefit here: only about 11.8km of pole-friendly terrain.

Quad damage

Quad damage risk is moderate (index 39 of 100), with 49% of the load in the first half: 3 descents deserve a plan and a couple of downhill sessions before race day.

• Ease into the early runnable section, save your quads on the descents until 39.6km, then run your race pace.
• #2 · 11.4–15.2 km · 370 m D−, -9.7% · 64.3 km ahead → control
• #1 · 20.7–27.6 km · 503 m D−, -7.3% · 51.9 km ahead → control
• #3 · 33.6–39.6 km · 396 m D−, -6.6% · 39.9 km ahead → control
• 47.7–51.4 km · 325 m D−, -8.9% · 28.1 km ahead → your pace
• 67.8–71.0 km · 268 m D−, -8.5% · 8.5 km ahead → your pace
• Plus 1 more notable descent not listed: your pace.