Hmong 50

Race strategy

Hold a steady pace and save energy for every section.

• Big early climb with 1070m gain. Hold your pace, save your legs for later.
• 376m descent. Go easy, save your quads.
• Final 1350m descent. Save your legs to go all out on it.
• Long race. Control your HR and effort. Early mistakes cost the most.
• Control your HR on the first mountain, save your quads on the descents until 25.9km, then run your race pace, and start the final descent from 36.3km under control, then go all out near the bottom.
• Start · 0.0km–1.8km · Race-day nerves push your heart rate up: don't follow the crowd, find your own rhythm.
• Settle in · 1.8km–16.2km · Climb of 1071m, descent of 376m averaging 6%. Ease in: hold back more than feels necessary. The race is still ahead. 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. Hike the steepest pitches.
• Work · 16.2km–30.6km · Descent of 314m averaging 6%, climb of 522m. Plus 1 more climb. 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.
• Fade · 30.6km–36.3km · Climb of 270m, high point 1541m. Plus 1 more descent. 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 · 36.3km–54.3km · Descent of 1350m averaging 7%. 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

By gradient, 36% of the distance is uphill, 46% downhill and 17% flat. The longest climb runs 10.3km at an average 10.4% grade (1071m of vertical). The longest descent runs 18.1km at an average 7.5% grade (1350m of vertical). The steepest climb averages 35.6% over 0.2km. The steepest descent drops at 27.2% over 0.7km. Surface: 57% smooth, 20% trail, and 19% road.

Poles

Poles bring little benefit here: only about 7.7km of pole-friendly terrain.

Quad damage

Quad damage risk is moderate (index 32 of 100), with 30% 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 mountain, save your quads on the descents until 25.9km, then run your race pace, and start the final descent from 36.3km under control, then go all out near the bottom.
• #1 · 10.3–16.2 km · 376 m D−, -6.3% · 38.1 km ahead → control
• #2 · 20.3–26.0 km · 314 m D−, -5.5% · 28.4 km ahead → control
• 30.6–33.9 km · 268 m D−, -8.2% · 20.5 km ahead → your pace
• 36.3–54.3 km · 1350 m D−, -7.5% · 0.0 km ahead → even, first half under control, let go at the end