Whistler 100K

Race strategy

Hold a steady pace and save energy for every section.

• Big early climb with 1.5km gain. Hold your pace, save your legs for later.
• 1970m descent. Go easy, save your quads.
• Steep 27% wall. Control your pace and stay focused.
• Long race. Control your HR and effort. Early mistakes cost the most.
• Control your HR on the first mountain, save your quads on the descents until 51.6km, then run your race pace, and go all out on the final descent from 96.4km.
• Start · 0.0km–1.1km · Race-day nerves push your heart rate up: don't follow the crowd, find your own rhythm.
• Settle in · 1.1km–11.4km · Climb of 1503m, high point 2159m. Ease in: hold back more than feels necessary. The race is still ahead. Climb by heart rate or breathing, not pace.
• Work · 11.4km–51.6km · Descent of 1970m averaging 9%, climb of 1210m, descent of 1210m averaging 10%. 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. Hike the steepest pitches.
• Fade · 51.6km–96.4km · Climb of 506m, climb of 590m. Plus 2 more climbs and 3 descents. Your energy fades, and that's normal: hold a steady effort and stop counting the miles. Climb by heart rate or breathing, not pace. Your heart rate drifts down on its own: don't chase your early-race numbers, go by feel.
• Home · 96.4km–99.4km · Descent of 334m averaging 11%. No heroics: settle back into your own effort and hold it to the line. Long descent: keep it even and let go only near the end.

Course

The course climbs 5400m+. With 54m/km of climbing, this is a true mountain course with sustained climbs and descents. By gradient, 41% of the distance is uphill, 42% downhill and 17% flat. The longest climb runs 13.7km at an average 4.3% grade (590m of vertical). The longest descent runs 22.7km at an average 8.7% grade (1970m of vertical). The steepest climb averages 30.3% over 0.3km. The steepest descent drops at 26.5% over 0.4km. Surface: 69% trail and 25% smooth. Flat-equivalent effort: 143.9 FlatKM.

Summits

The course also passes close to Whistler Mountain (2181m).

Poles

Trekking poles are strongly recommended: about 9.6km of the course is steep enough for them to pay off.

Quad damage

Quad damage risk is high (index 57 of 100), with 63% of the load in the first half: 2 critical descents, the last of them run on already damaged legs. Downhill-specific preparation and a controlled early pace pay off here.

• Control your HR on the first mountain, save your quads on the descents until 51.6km, then run your race pace, and go all out on the final descent from 96.4km.
• #1 · 11.4–34.1 km · 1970 m D−, -8.7% · 65.3 km ahead → control
• #2 · 40.1–51.6 km · 1210 m D−, -10.5% · 47.8 km ahead → control
• 61.0–63.9 km · 363 m D−, -12.7% · 35.5 km ahead → your pace
• 66.1–72.5 km · 480 m D−, -7.5% · 26.9 km ahead → your pace
• 96.4–99.4 km · 334 m D−, -10.9% · 0.0 km ahead → even, let go at the end
• Plus 1 more notable descent not listed: your pace.

Weather

On race day, start temperatures have historically ranged from 12°C to 21°C, with around 10°C at the highest point; the chance of precipitation is about 34%.

Results

142 finishers completed the 2025 edition. Men's winner: Alexander King (United States) in 11:27:49. Women's winner: Sarah Allaben (United States) in 13:11:45.