ESD 20K

Race strategy

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

• Final 770m descent. Save your legs to go all out on it.
• Steep 38% wall. Control your pace and stay focused.
• Control your HR on the first mountain, and start the final descent from 10.2km under control, then go all out near the bottom.
• 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–10.2km · Climb of 650m, high point 1119m. Ease in: hold back more than feels necessary. The race is still ahead. Climb by heart rate or breathing, not pace.
• Home · 10.2km–21.2km · Descent of 770m averaging 7%. Build to the finish: leave whatever you have left out on the course. Very long descent: first half under control, then even, let go only near the end. Hike the steepest pitches.

Course

By gradient, 44% of the distance is uphill, 23% downhill and 33% flat. The longest climb runs 10.2km at an average 6.4% grade (650m of vertical). The longest descent runs 11.0km at an average 7.0% grade (770m of vertical). The steepest climb averages 23.2% over 0.2km. The steepest descent drops at 38.1% over 0.5km. Surface: 48% trail and 37% road. Flat-equivalent effort: 29.2 FlatKM.

Poles

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

Quad damage

Quad damage risk is low (index 11 of 100): a few descents worth noting, none of them decisive.

• Control your HR on the first mountain, and start the final descent from 10.2km under control, then go all out near the bottom.
• 10.2–21.2 km · 770 m D−, -7.0% · 0.0 km ahead → even, first half under control, let go at the end

Weather

On race day, start temperatures have historically ranged from 10°C to 16°C, with around 12°C at the highest point; the chance of precipitation is about 24%.

Results

840 finishers completed the 2025 edition. Men's winner: Chaohai Qi (China) in 1:40:16. Women's winner: Chunxia Li (China) in 2:12:31.