Speedgoat 50K

Race strategy

Hold a steady pace and save energy for every section.

• 1083m descent. Go easy, save your quads.
• Steep 36% wall. Control your pace and stay focused.
• High point at 3370m. Control your HR at altitude.
• Final 1049m descent. Save your legs to go all out on it.
• Control your HR on the first mountain, save your quads on the way down from it until 24.4km, then run your race pace, and start the final descent from 40.8km under control, then go all out near the bottom.
• Start · 0.0km–1.7km · Race-day nerves push your heart rate up: don't follow the crowd, find your own rhythm.
• Settle in · 1.7km–15.4km · Climb of 1328m. Ease in: hold back more than feels necessary. The race is still ahead. Climb by heart rate or breathing, not pace. At altitude your pace drops, and that's fine.
• Work · 15.4km–24.4km · Descent of 1083m averaging 12%. 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. At altitude your pace drops, and that's fine.
• Fade · 24.4km–40.8km · Climb of 1370m, high point 3370m. Plus 1 more climb and 1 descent. Your energy fades, and that's normal: hold a steady effort and stop counting the miles. Climb by heart rate or breathing, not pace. 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 · 40.8km–51.8km · Descent of 1049m 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, 44% of the distance is uphill, 54% downhill and 2% flat. The longest climb runs 15.4km at an average 8.6% grade (1328m of vertical). The longest descent runs 11.0km at an average 9.5% grade (1049m of vertical). The steepest climb averages 40.2% over 0.4km. The steepest descent drops at 27.6% over 0.2km. Surface: 93% trail. Flat-equivalent effort: 80.7 FlatKM.

Summits

The highest summit on the course is Mount Baldy (3374m), 34.9km from the start. Other named summits along the route: Hidden Peak (3350m).

Poles

Trekking poles are worth taking: about 6.9km of the course favours them.

Quad damage

Quad damage risk is moderate (index 44 of 100), with 45% of the load in the first half: 1 descent deserves a plan and a couple of downhill sessions before race day.

• Control your HR on the first mountain, save your quads on the way down from it until 24.4km, then run your race pace, and start the final descent from 40.8km under control, then go all out near the bottom.
• #1 · 15.4–24.4 km · 1083 m D−, -12.0% · 27.4 km ahead → control
• 34.9–38.4 km · 491 m D−, -14.1% · 13.4 km ahead → your pace
• 40.8–51.8 km · 1049 m D−, -9.5% · 0.0 km ahead → even, first half under control, let go at the end

Weather

On race day, start temperatures have historically ranged from 19°C to 25°C, with around 21°C at the highest point; the chance of precipitation is about 31%.

Results

545 finishers completed the 2025 edition. Men's winner: Ryan Becker (United States) in 5:17:25. Women's winner: Jennifer Lichter (United States) in 5:54:44.