RK50

Race strategy

Run hard on the first mountain, but save energy for the second.

• Big early climb with 2.2km gain. Hold your pace, save your legs for later.
• Steep 26% wall. Control your pace and stay focused.
• 1711m descent. Go easy, save your quads.
• Final 1220m descent. Save your legs to go all out on it.
• Control your HR on the first mountain, save your quads on the way down from it until 35.4km, then run your race pace, and start the final descent from 40.4km under control, then go all out near the bottom.
• Start · 0.0km–1.9km · Race-day nerves push your heart rate up: don't follow the crowd, find your own rhythm.
• Settle in · 1.9km–19.5km · Climb of 2214m. 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. Hike the steepest pitches.
• Work · 19.5km–35.4km · Descent of 1711m averaging 11%, high point 2693m. This is where the race is built: steady, solid effort. 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.
• Fade · 35.4km–40.4km · 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. Your heart rate drifts down on its own: don't chase your early-race numbers, go by feel.
• Home · 40.4km–50.2km · Descent of 1220m averaging 12%. 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 3200m+ and descends 3200m−. With 64m/km of climbing, this is a true mountain course with sustained climbs and descents. By gradient, 43% of the distance is uphill, 41% downhill and 17% flat. The longest climb runs 19.5km at an average 11.3% grade (2214m of vertical). The longest descent runs 15.8km at an average 10.8% grade (1711m of vertical). The steepest climb averages 41.2% over 0.2km. The steepest descent drops at 38.5% over 0.2km. Surface: 58% trail, 22% smooth, and 14% road. Flat-equivalent effort: 78.4 FlatKM.

Summits

The highest summit on the course is Wanglspitze (2420m), 16.8km from the start. Other named summits along the route: Kreuzjoch (2338m) and Mitterwandskopf (2280m).

Poles

Trekking poles are strongly recommended: about 8.3km of the course is steep enough for them to pay off.

Quad damage

Quad damage risk is moderate (index 39 of 100), with 24% 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, save your quads on the way down from it until 35.4km, then run your race pace, and start the final descent from 40.4km under control, then go all out near the bottom.
• #1 · 19.5–35.4 km · 1711 m D−, -10.8% · 14.8 km ahead → control
• 40.4–50.2 km · 1220 m D−, -12.5% · 0.0 km ahead → even, first half under control, let go at the end

Weather

On race day, start temperatures have historically ranged from 8°C to 16°C, with around 8°C at the highest point; the chance of precipitation is about 57%. Heavy rain of 10.0mm or more falls on about 11% of days around this date.