Kodiak 100K

Race strategy

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

• 929m descent. Go easy, save your quads.
• High point at 3029m. Control your HR at altitude.
• 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 40.5km, then run your race pace.
• Start · 0.0km–1.5km · Race-day nerves push your heart rate up: don't follow the crowd, find your own rhythm.
• Settle in · 1.5km–26.5km · Climb of 929m. 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. At altitude your pace drops, and that's fine.
• Work · 26.5km–56.0km · Descent of 929m averaging 7%, high point 3029m. 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. Running pays off here: run wherever you can. At altitude your pace drops, and that's fine.
• Fade · 56.0km–58.9km · 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. Your heart rate drifts down on its own: don't chase your early-race numbers, go by feel.
• Home · 58.9km–96.7km · 37.8km 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

By gradient, 37% of the distance is uphill, 42% downhill and 21% flat. The longest climb runs 9.0km at an average 10.3% grade (929m of vertical). The longest descent runs 14.0km at an average 6.6% grade (929m of vertical). The steepest climb averages 21.0% over 0.4km. The steepest descent drops at 22.9% over 0.8km. Surface: 87% trail and 10% road. Flat-equivalent effort: 120.7 FlatKM.

Summits

The highest summit on the course is Sugarloaf Mountain (3029m), 26.6km from the start. Other named summits along the route: Snow Summit (2491m).

Poles

Poles bring little benefit here: only about 7.3km of pole-friendly terrain.

Quad damage

Quad damage risk is moderate (index 36 of 100), with 54% of the load in the first half: 1 descent deserves a plan and a couple of downhill sessions before race day.

• Ease into the early runnable section, save your quads on the descents until 40.5km, then run your race pace.
• #1 · 26.5–40.5 km · 929 m D−, -6.6% · 56.2 km ahead → control

Weather

On race day, start temperatures have historically ranged from 7°C to 20°C, with around 14°C at the highest point; the chance of precipitation is about 6%.

Results

424 finishers completed the 2025 edition. Men's winner: Kellen Blumberg (United States) in 8:30:06. Women's winner: Mary Denholm (United States) in 9:28:28.