Sassi di Matera 140K

Race strategy

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

• 282m 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 35.0km, then run your race pace.
• Start · 0.0km–1.6km · Race-day nerves push your heart rate up: don't follow the crowd, find your own rhythm.
• Settle in · 1.6km–31.1km · 16.2km of runnable trail, high point 505m, descent of 282m averaging 8%. Plus 1 more climb. 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 · 31.1km–35.0km · Descent of 305m 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.
• Home · 35.0km–144km · 109km 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, 22% of the distance is uphill, 30% downhill and 49% flat. The longest climb runs 2.1km at an average 10.9% grade (228m of vertical). The longest descent runs 3.9km at an average 7.8% grade (305m of vertical). The steepest climb averages 25.4% over 0.4km. The steepest descent drops at 23.9% over 0.4km. Surface: 43% trail, 25% smooth, and 23% road. Flat-equivalent effort: 183.4 FlatKM.

Summits

The course also passes close to Monterrone (386m).

Poles

Poles bring little benefit here: only about 3.1km of pole-friendly terrain.

Quad damage

Quad damage risk is moderate (index 35 of 100), with 62% of the load in the first half: 2 descents deserve a plan and a couple of downhill sessions before race day.

• Ease into the early runnable section, save your quads on the descents until 35.0km, then run your race pace.
• #1 · 16.2–19.9 km · 282 m D−, -7.7% · 124.1 km ahead → control
• #2 · 31.0–35.0 km · 305 m D−, -7.8% · 109.0 km ahead → control

Weather

On race day, start temperatures have historically ranged from 13°C to 18°C, with around 17°C at the highest point; the chance of precipitation is about 32%.

Results

142 finishers completed the 2025 edition. Men's winner: Marek Causidis (Czech Republic) in 13:36:37. Women's winner: Anastasia Davydova (Individual Neutral Athletes) in 16:35:08.