Whistler 50K

Race strategy

Hold a steady pace and save energy for every section.

• Big early climb with 1.3km gain. Hold your pace, save your legs for later.
• 1445m descent. Go easy, save your quads.
• Final 1068m descent. Save your legs to go all out on it.
• Control your HR on the first mountain, save your quads on the descents until 37.0km, then run your race pace, and start the final descent from 41.4km under control, then go all out near the bottom.
• Start · 0.0km–1.2km · Race-day nerves push your heart rate up: don't follow the crowd, find your own rhythm.
• Settle in · 1.2km–18.3km · Descent of 287m averaging 5%, climb of 1296m, high point 2159m. Plus 1 more climb. Ease in: hold back more than feels necessary. The race is still ahead. 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 · 18.3km–41.4km · Descent of 1445m averaging 8%, climb of 537m. 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. Your heart rate drifts down on its own: don't chase your early-race numbers, go by feel.
• Home · 41.4km–49.5km · Descent of 1068m averaging 13%. 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.

Course

The course climbs 2950m+. With 59m/km of climbing, this is a true mountain course with sustained climbs and descents. By gradient, 43% of the distance is uphill, 48% downhill and 10% flat. The longest climb runs 9.7km at an average 13.4% grade (1296m of vertical). The longest descent runs 18.7km at an average 7.7% grade (1445m of vertical). The steepest climb averages 30.6% over 0.3km. The steepest descent drops at 27.1% over 0.2km. Surface: 78% trail and 20% smooth. Flat-equivalent effort: 73.5 FlatKM.

Summits

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

Poles

Poles bring little benefit here: only about 15.8km of pole-friendly terrain.

Quad damage

Quad damage risk is moderate (index 39 of 100), with 23% of the load in the first half: 2 descents deserve a plan and a couple of downhill sessions before race day.

• Control your HR on the first mountain, save your quads on the descents until 37.0km, then run your race pace, and start the final descent from 41.4km under control, then go all out near the bottom.
• #2 · 2.9–8.6 km · 287 m D−, -5.0% · 40.9 km ahead → control
• #1 · 18.3–37.0 km · 1445 m D−, -7.7% · 12.5 km ahead → control
• 41.4–49.5 km · 1068 m D−, -13.2% · 0.0 km ahead → even, first half under control, let go at the end

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

371 finishers completed the 2025 edition. Men's winner: Nicholas Handel (United States) in 4:48:52. Women's winner: Frederica Blouin-Comeau (Canada) in 5:44:50.