Lake Bled 80K

Race strategy

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

• Big early climb with 1.9km gain. Hold your pace, save your legs for later.
• 920m 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 59.5km, then run your race pace.
• 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–31.2km · Climb of 1881m, high point 2166m. 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 · 31.2km–43.2km · Descent of 920m 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.
• Fade · 43.2km–59.5km · Descent of 1319m averaging 10%. Plus 1 more climb. 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. Hike the steepest pitches. Your heart rate drifts down on its own: don't chase your early-race numbers, go by feel.
• Home · 59.5km–78.0km · 18.4km 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 4100m+. With 51m/km of climbing, this is a true mountain course with sustained climbs and descents. By gradient, 32% of the distance is uphill, 36% downhill and 32% flat. The longest climb runs 15.0km at an average 12.6% grade (1881m of vertical). The longest descent runs 13.6km at an average 9.7% grade (1319m of vertical). The steepest climb averages 35.6% over 0.4km. The steepest descent drops at 35.5% over 0.3km. Surface: 72% trail and 24% road. Flat-equivalent effort: 115.3 FlatKM.

Summits

The highest summit on the course is Mali Stol (2187m), 31.2km from the start. Other named summits along the route: Potoški Stol (2017m). The course also passes close to Kamnitnik (1858m).