Pacific Trails 50K

Race strategy

Run the climb at race pace, build your speed on the downhill, and go all out at the finish.

• 419m descent. Go easy, save your quads.
• The finish is runnable. Save your legs to run it all the way.
• Ease into the early runnable section, save your quads on the descents until 22.4km, then run your race pace.
• Start · 0.0km–2.6km · Race-day nerves push your heart rate up: don't follow the crowd, find your own rhythm.
• Settle in · 2.6km–28.7km · Climb of 424m, high point 790m, descent of 419m averaging 7%. Ease in: hold back more than feels necessary. The race is still ahead. 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.
• Work · 28.7km–34.0km · Plus 1 more descent. This is where the race is built: steady, solid effort.
• Home · 34.0km–51.5km · 17.6km 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, 30% of the distance is uphill, 35% downhill and 35% flat. The longest climb runs 4.9km at an average 8.7% grade (424m of vertical). The longest descent runs 5.8km at an average 7.3% grade (419m of vertical). The steepest climb averages 16.8% over 0.2km. The steepest descent drops at 13.9% over 0.3km. Surface: 99% smooth. Flat-equivalent effort: 54.0 FlatKM.

Poles

The course is runnable enough that trekking poles are not needed.

Quad damage

Quad damage risk is low (index 19 of 100): a few descents worth noting, none of them decisive.

• Ease into the early runnable section, save your quads on the descents until 22.4km, then run your race pace.
• #1 · 16.6–22.4 km · 419 m D−, -7.3% · 29.2 km ahead → control
• 28.7–34.0 km · 372 m D−, -7.0% · 17.6 km ahead → your pace

Weather

On race day, start temperatures have historically ranged from 12°C to 20°C, with around 14°C at the highest point; the chance of precipitation is about 14%.