Chiang Dao 160

Race strategy

Hold a steady pace and save energy for every section.

• Big early climb with 1.2km gain. Hold your pace, save your legs for later.
• 1426m descent. Go easy, save your quads.
• Final 1671m descent. Save your legs to go all out on it.
• 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 125km, then run your race pace, and start the final descent from 140km 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–15.9km · Climb of 877m. Ease in: hold back more than feels necessary. The race is still ahead. Climb by heart rate or breathing, not pace. Running pays off here: run wherever you can. Hike the steepest pitches.
• Work · 15.9km–80.7km · Descent of 502m averaging 14%, descent of 1426m averaging 12%, descent of 1174m averaging 6%. 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. Running pays off here: run wherever you can. Hike the steepest pitches.
• Fade · 80.7km–140km · Descent of 668m averaging 13%, descent of 1149m averaging 8%, climb of 1209m. Plus 3 more climbs and 1 descent. 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. Your heart rate drifts down on its own: don't chase your early-race numbers, go by feel.
• Home · 140km–164km · Descent of 1671m 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. Hike the steepest pitches.

Course

By gradient, 40% of the distance is uphill, 41% downhill and 19% flat. The longest climb runs 14.9km at an average 8.1% grade (1209m of vertical). The longest descent runs 23.7km at an average 7.0% grade (1671m of vertical). The steepest climb averages 37.6% over 0.3km. The steepest descent drops at 42.4% over 0.2km. Surface: 43% smooth, 34% trail, and 21% road. Flat-equivalent effort: 255.4 FlatKM.

Poles

Trekking poles are strongly recommended: about 19.5km of the course is steep enough for them to pay off.

Quad damage

Quad damage risk is high (index 74 of 100), with 45% of the load in the first half: 5 critical descents, the last of them run on already damaged legs. Downhill-specific preparation and a controlled early pace pay off here.

• Ease into the early runnable section, save your quads on the descents until 125km, then run your race pace, and start the final descent from 140km under control, then go all out near the bottom.
• #3 · 15.9–19.4 km · 502 m D−, -14.3% · 144.1 km ahead → control
• #1 · 34.3–46.1 km · 1426 m D−, -12.0% · 117.4 km ahead → control
• #2 · 62.1–80.7 km · 1174 m D−, -6.3% · 82.8 km ahead → control
• #4 · 92.1–97.2 km · 668 m D−, -13.0% · 66.3 km ahead → control
• #5 · 111.7–125.3 km · 1149 m D−, -8.4% · 38.2 km ahead → control
• 139.8–163.5 km · 1671 m D−, -7.0% · 0.0 km ahead → even, first half under control, let go at the end
• Plus 1 more notable descent not listed: your pace.

Weather

On race day, start temperatures have historically ranged from 18°C to 25°C, with around 17°C at the highest point; the chance of precipitation is about 12%.

Results

377 finishers completed the 2025 edition. Men's winner: Aleksei Beresnev (Individual Neutral Athletes) in 21:14:01. Women's winner: Antonina Iushina (Individual Neutral Athletes) in 22:34:21.