Monte Rosa Trail

Race strategy

Hold a steady pace and save energy for every section.

• Steep 53% wall. Control your pace and stay focused.
• 876m descent. Go easy, save your quads.
• Final 1662m descent. Save your legs to go all out on it.
• Long race. Control your HR and effort. Early mistakes cost the most.
• Control your HR on the first mountain, save your quads on the descents until 58.8km, then run your race pace, and start the final descent from 65.3km under control, then go all out near the bottom.
• Start · 0.0km–1.2km · Race-day nerves push your heart rate up: don't follow the crowd, find your own rhythm.
• Settle in · 1.2km–12.1km · Climb of 1198m. Ease in: hold back more than feels necessary. The race is still ahead. Climb by heart rate or breathing, not pace. Hike the steepest pitches.
• Work · 12.1km–38.7km · Descent of 401m averaging 11%, climb of 1151m, descent of 876m averaging 11%. Plus 1 more climb and 1 descent. 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 · 38.7km–65.3km · Climb of 1366m, descent of 1215m averaging 13%, climb of 1100m, high point 2676m. 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. At altitude your pace drops, and that's fine. Hike the steepest pitches. Your heart rate drifts down on its own: don't chase your early-race numbers, go by feel.
• Home · 65.3km–79.8km · Descent of 1662m averaging 11%. 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. At altitude your pace drops, and that's fine. Hike the steepest pitches.

Course

The course climbs 6300m+. With 77m/km of climbing, the course is exceptionally steep, with long hiking-grade sections. By gradient, 45% of the distance is uphill, 39% downhill and 16% flat. The longest climb runs 12.1km at an average 9.9% grade (1198m of vertical). The longest descent runs 14.5km at an average 11.5% grade (1662m of vertical). The steepest climb averages 53.3% over 0.6km. The steepest descent drops at 45.6% over 0.3km. Surface: 75% trail, 15% road, and 6% smooth. Flat-equivalent effort: 136.0 FlatKM.