HK30 EXTREME

Race strategy

Run easy on the first mountain, then go all out on the second.

• Big early climb with 1.7km gain. Hold your pace, save your legs for later.
• Steep 40% wall. Control your pace and stay focused.
• Final 1719m 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 19.4km under control, then go all out near the bottom.
• 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–5.4km · Climb of 502m. Ease in: hold back more than feels necessary. The race is still ahead. Climb by heart rate or breathing, not pace.
• Work · 5.4km–19.4km · Climb of 1697m, high point 2412m. Plus 1 more descent. This is where the race is built: steady, solid effort. Climb by heart rate or breathing, not pace. Hike the steepest pitches.
• Home · 19.4km–33.1km · Descent of 1719m 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. Hike the steepest pitches.

Course

The course climbs 2680m+. With 79m/km of climbing, the course is exceptionally steep, with long hiking-grade sections. By gradient, 45% of the distance is uphill, 45% downhill and 10% flat. The longest climb runs 12.3km at an average 13.8% grade (1697m of vertical). The longest descent runs 13.7km at an average 12.6% grade (1719m of vertical). The steepest climb averages 41.1% over 0.3km. The steepest descent drops at 42.6% over 0.5km. Surface: 43% trail, 28% technical, 12% extreme, 11% smooth, and 7% road. Flat-equivalent effort: 62.2 FlatKM.

Summits

The highest summit on the course is Streichenbeil (2410m), 18.9km from the start. Other named summits along the route: Schönegg (2389m) and Kienalkopf (1699m).

Poles

Trekking poles are worth taking: about 5.7km of the course favours them.

Quad damage

Quad damage risk is moderate (index 25 of 100), with 32% 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, then run your race pace, and start the final descent from 19.4km under control, then go all out near the bottom.
• 19.4–33.1 km · 1719 m D−, -12.6% · 0.0 km ahead → even, first half under control, let go at the end

Weather

On race day, start temperatures have historically ranged from 10°C to 23°C, with around 10°C at the highest point; the chance of precipitation is about 73%. Heavy rain of 10.0mm or more falls on about 18% of days around this date.