Kosci50

Race strategy

Run the downhill at race pace, but focus on the climb.

• 715m descent. Go easy, save your quads.
• Final 644m descent. Save your legs to go all out on it.
• Ease into the early runnable section, save your quads on the descents until 16.0km, then run your race pace, and go all out on the final descent from 44.7km.
• Start · 0.0km–1.7km · Race-day nerves push your heart rate up: don't follow the crowd, find your own rhythm.
• Settle in · 1.7km–16.0km · Descent of 715m averaging 8%. Ease in: hold back more than feels necessary. The race is still ahead. 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 · 16.0km–37.7km · This is where the race is built: steady, solid effort. Running pays off here: run wherever you can.
• Fade · 37.7km–44.7km · Climb of 607m, high point 2013m. 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 · 44.7km–49.6km · Descent of 644m averaging 13%. No heroics: settle back into your own effort and hold it to the line. Long descent: keep it even and let go only near the end.

Course

By gradient, 30% of the distance is uphill, 35% downhill and 35% flat. The longest climb runs 7.1km at an average 8.6% grade (607m of vertical). The longest descent runs 8.5km at an average 8.4% grade (715m of vertical). The steepest climb averages 18.1% over 0.8km. The steepest descent drops at 30.2% over 0.2km. Surface: 81% trail, 12% smooth, and 6% road. Flat-equivalent effort: 63.0 FlatKM.

Poles

Poles bring little benefit here: only about 2.7km of pole-friendly terrain.

Quad damage

Quad damage risk is moderate (index 23 of 100), with 55% 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 16.0km, then run your race pace, and go all out on the final descent from 44.7km.
• #1 · 7.5–16.0 km · 715 m D−, -8.4% · 33.6 km ahead → control
• 44.7–49.6 km · 644 m D−, -13.3% · 0.0 km ahead → even, let go at the end

Weather

On race day, start temperatures have historically ranged from 5°C to 16°C, with around 13°C at the highest point; the chance of precipitation is about 43%.

Results

1,195 finishers completed the 2025 edition. Men's winner: Michael Dimuantes (Australia) in 4:04:08. Women's winner: Andrea Kolbeinsdottir (Iceland) in 4:24:48.