Quito 80K Oso

Race strategy

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

• Big early climb with 2.9km gain. Control your HR at altitude.
• 787m descent. Go easy, save your quads.
• Final 878m descent. Save your legs to go all out on it.
• 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 58.4km, then run your race pace, and start the final descent from 65.6km under control, then go all out near the bottom.
• Start · 0.0km–1.8km · Race-day nerves push your heart rate up: don't follow the crowd, find your own rhythm.
• Settle in · 1.8km–47.9km · Climb of 2892m, high point 3758m. 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.
• Fade · 47.9km–65.6km · Descent of 787m averaging 7%, climb of 502m. 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 · 65.6km–74.8km · Descent of 878m averaging 10%. 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.

Course

By gradient, 60% of the distance is uphill, 31% downhill and 9% flat. The longest climb runs 38.2km at an average 7.6% grade (2892m of vertical). The longest descent runs 10.5km at an average 7.5% grade (787m of vertical). The steepest climb averages 44.8% over 0.4km. The steepest descent drops at 39.0% over 0.2km. Surface: 43% trail, 26% road, and 21% smooth. Flat-equivalent effort: 106.9 FlatKM.

Poles

Poles bring little benefit here: only about 15.2km of pole-friendly terrain.

Quad damage

Quad damage risk is moderate (index 35 of 100), with 23% 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 58.4km, then run your race pace, and start the final descent from 65.6km under control, then go all out near the bottom.
• #1 · 47.9–58.4 km · 787 m D−, -7.5% · 16.4 km ahead → control
• 65.6–74.8 km · 878 m D−, -9.6% · 0.0 km ahead → even, first half under control, let go at the end

Weather

On race day, start temperatures have historically ranged from 25°C to 27°C, with around 7°C at the highest point; the chance of precipitation is about 24%.

Results

141 finishers completed the 2025 edition. Men's winner: Joaquin Lopez (Ecuador) in 8:07:34. Women's winner: Rebeca Pusay Chiriboga (Ecuador) in 11:39:16.