DC Peaks 50

Race strategy

Hold a steady pace and save energy for every section.

• Big early climb with 1.4km gain. Control your HR at altitude.
• 1388m descent. Go easy, save your quads.
• The finish is runnable. Save your legs to run it all the way.
• Long race. Control your HR and effort. Early mistakes cost the most.
• Control your HR on the first climb, save your quads on the descents until 49.5km, then run your race pace.
• Start · 0.0km–1.6km · Race-day nerves push your heart rate up: don't follow the crowd, find your own rhythm.
• Settle in · 1.6km–14.8km · Climb of 1366m. 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.
• Work · 14.8km–37.3km · 7.7km of runnable trail, high point 2854m, descent of 630m averaging 8%, climb of 568m. 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. Running pays off here: run wherever you can. At altitude your pace drops, and that's fine.
• Fade · 37.3km–64.5km · Descent of 1388m averaging 11%. 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. Running pays off here: run wherever you can. 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 · 64.5km–80.9km · 16.3km 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

The course climbs 3198m+ and descends 3107m−. With 40m/km of climbing, this is a rolling, mostly runnable course. By gradient, 40% of the distance is uphill, 39% downhill and 21% flat. The longest climb runs 14.8km at an average 9.2% grade (1366m of vertical). The longest descent runs 12.3km at an average 11.3% grade (1388m of vertical). The steepest climb averages 33.4% over 0.2km. The steepest descent drops at 26.1% over 0.5km. Surface: 79% trail, 14% smooth, and 7% road. Flat-equivalent effort: 103.6 FlatKM.

Poles

Poles bring little benefit here: only about 6.9km of pole-friendly terrain.

Quad damage

Quad damage risk is moderate (index 38 of 100), with 41% 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 climb, save your quads on the descents until 49.5km, then run your race pace.
• #2 · 22.5–30.2 km · 630 m D−, -8.1% · 50.6 km ahead → control
• #1 · 37.3–49.5 km · 1388 m D−, -11.3% · 31.3 km ahead → control

Weather

On race day, start temperatures have historically ranged from 3°C to 14°C, with around 4°C at the highest point; the chance of precipitation is about 28%. Heavy rain of 10.0mm or more falls on about 5% of days around this date.

Results

151 finishers completed the 2026 edition. Men's winner: Micah Anderson (United States) in 7:47:46. Women's winner: Sophie Stiles (United States) in 11:03:27.