Oncol 50K

Race strategy

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

• 778m descent. Go easy, save your quads.
• The finish is runnable. Save your legs to run it all the way.
• Control your HR on the first mountain, save your quads on the way down from it until 24.5km, then run your race pace.
• 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–12.5km · Climb of 579m. Ease in: hold back more than feels necessary. The race is still ahead. Climb by heart rate or breathing, not pace.
• Work · 12.5km–27.9km · Descent of 778m averaging 7%, high point 577m. Plus 1 more climb. This is where the race is built: steady, solid effort. 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.
• Fade · 27.9km–42.5km · Plus 1 more descent. Your energy fades, and that's normal: hold a steady effort and stop counting the miles. Running pays off here: run wherever you can. Your heart rate drifts down on its own: don't chase your early-race numbers, go by feel.
• Home · 42.5km–52.5km · 10.1km 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, 26% of the distance is uphill, 29% downhill and 45% flat. The longest climb runs 12.5km at an average 4.6% grade (579m of vertical). The longest descent runs 11.9km at an average 6.5% grade (778m of vertical). The steepest climb averages 29.5% over 0.2km. The steepest descent drops at 43.3% over 0.2km. Surface: 61% smooth, 20% road, and 18% trail. Flat-equivalent effort: 72.1 FlatKM.

Poles

Poles bring little benefit here: only about 3.3km of pole-friendly terrain.

Quad damage

Quad damage risk is moderate (index 21 of 100), with 54% 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 24.5km, then run your race pace.
• #1 · 12.5–24.5 km · 778 m D−, -6.5% · 28.1 km ahead → control
• 35.8–42.5 km · 339 m D−, -5.1% · 10.1 km ahead → your pace

Weather

On race day, start temperatures have historically ranged from 3°C to 10°C, with around 6°C at the highest point; the chance of precipitation is about 66%.

Results

352 finishers completed the 2025 edition. Men's winner: Luis Valle Barrientos (Chile) in 4:40:54. Women's winner: Leida Diaz Chavez (Peru) in 5:34:54.