AYULU 50

Race strategy

Hold a steady pace and save energy for every section.

• Steep 40% wall. Control your pace and stay focused.
• High point at 2861m. Control your HR at altitude.
• Final 570m descent. Save your legs to go all out on it.
• Control your HR on the first mountain, then run your race pace, and start the final descent from 40.9km under control, then go all out near the bottom.
• Start · 0.0km–1.4km · Race-day nerves push your heart rate up: don't follow the crowd, find your own rhythm.
• Settle in · 1.4km–16.8km · Plus 1 more climb and 1 descent. Ease in: hold back more than feels necessary. The race is still ahead. Climb by heart rate or breathing, not pace. Running pays off here: run wherever you can.
• Work · 16.8km–22.7km · Climb of 1201m, high point 2861m. This is where the race is built: steady, solid effort. Climb by heart rate or breathing, not pace. At altitude your pace drops, and that's fine. Hike the steepest pitches.
• Fade · 22.7km–40.9km · Descent of 1123m averaging 8%. Plus 1 more climb. 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. At altitude your pace drops, and that's fine. Your heart rate drifts down on its own: don't chase your early-race numbers, go by feel.
• Home · 40.9km–46.7km · Descent of 570m 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.

Course

The course climbs 2400m+. With 51m/km of climbing, this is a true mountain course with sustained climbs and descents. By gradient, 27% of the distance is uphill, 47% downhill and 26% flat. The longest climb runs 5.8km at an average 20.6% grade (1201m of vertical). The longest descent runs 14.3km at an average 7.8% grade (1123m of vertical). The steepest climb averages 56.5% over 0.3km. The steepest descent drops at 38.9% over 0.4km. Surface: 52% trail, 38% smooth, 5% technical, and 5% road. Flat-equivalent effort: 72.9 FlatKM.

Poles

Poles bring little benefit here: only about 8.9km of pole-friendly terrain.

Quad damage

Quad damage risk is moderate (index 27 of 100), with 25% 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, then run your race pace, and start the final descent from 40.9km under control, then go all out near the bottom.
• #1 · 22.7–37.0 km · 1123 m D−, -7.8% · 9.7 km ahead → your pace
• 40.9–46.7 km · 570 m D−, -9.8% · 0.0 km ahead → even, first half under control, let go at the end

Weather

On race day, start temperatures have historically ranged from 7°C to 16°C, with around 10°C at the highest point; the chance of precipitation is about 49%. Heavy rain of 10.0mm or more falls on about 8% of days around this date.