Salomon Marató Pirineu 42K

Race strategy

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

• High point at 2516m. Control your HR at altitude.
• Final 2280m descent. Save your legs to go all out on it.
• Steep 28% wall. Control your pace and stay focused.
• Control your HR on the first mountain, and start the final descent from 16.0km under control, then go all out near the bottom.
• Start · 0.0km–2.2km · Race-day nerves push your heart rate up: don't follow the crowd, find your own rhythm.
• Settle in · 2.2km–16.0km · Climb of 1900m, high point 2516m. 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.
• Home · 16.0km–42.2km · Descent of 2280m averaging 9%. 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. Hike the steepest pitches.

Course

The course climbs 2900m+. With 67m/km of climbing, this is a true mountain course with sustained climbs and descents. By gradient, 44% of the distance is uphill, 45% downhill and 10% flat. The longest climb runs 16.0km at an average 11.9% grade (1900m of vertical). The longest descent runs 26.2km at an average 8.7% grade (2280m of vertical). The steepest climb averages 38.1% over 0.3km. The steepest descent drops at 28.3% over 0.3km. Surface: 67% trail, 14% technical, 13% road, and 5% smooth. Flat-equivalent effort: 62.6 FlatKM.

Summits

The highest summit on the course is Mirador de la Tosa (2526m), 16.1km from the start. Other named summits along the route: Puig de Comabella (2482m). The course also passes close to la Tosa (2536m).

Poles

Trekking poles are worth taking: about 7.0km of the course favours them.

Quad damage

Quad damage risk is moderate (index 34 of 100), with 30% of the load in the first half: 0 descents deserve a plan and a couple of downhill sessions before race day.

• Control your HR on the first mountain, and start the final descent from 16.0km under control, then go all out near the bottom.
• 16.0–42.2 km · 2280 m D−, -8.7% · 0.0 km ahead → even, first half under control, let go at the end

Weather

On race day, start temperatures have historically ranged from 6°C to 14°C, with around 9°C at the highest point; the chance of precipitation is about 39%. Heavy rain of 10.0mm or more falls on about 5% of days around this date.

Results

1,010 finishers completed the 2026 edition. Men's winner: Alain Santamaría Blanco (Spain) in 3:38:14. Women's winner: Moana Lilly Kehres Kehres (Spain) in 4:24:29.