E101 Ultra Trail

Race strategy

Hold a steady pace and save energy for every section.

• Big early climb with 1.2km gain. Hold your pace, save your legs for later.
• 2105m descent. Go easy, save your quads.
• Final 1870m 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 53.6km, then run your race pace, and start the final descent from 80.5km 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–13.9km · Climb of 1204m. Ease in: hold back more than feels necessary. The race is still ahead. Climb by heart rate or breathing, not pace. Hike the steepest pitches.
• Work · 13.9km–53.6km · Descent of 594m averaging 12%, descent of 262m averaging 16%, descent of 2105m averaging 11%. Plus 2 more climbs. 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. At altitude your pace drops, and that's fine.
• Fade · 53.6km–80.5km · Climb of 739m, climb of 937m, climb of 614m. Plus 2 more descents. Your energy fades, and that's normal: hold a steady effort and stop counting the miles. Climb by heart rate or breathing, not pace. Running pays off here: run wherever you can. Hike the steepest pitches. Your heart rate drifts down on its own: don't chase your early-race numbers, go by feel.
• Home · 80.5km–98.1km · Descent of 1870m averaging 11%. 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 6700m+. With 66m/km of climbing, this is a true mountain course with sustained climbs and descents. By gradient, 44% of the distance is uphill, 45% downhill and 10% flat. The longest climb runs 13.9km at an average 8.6% grade (1204m of vertical). The longest descent runs 19.4km at an average 10.9% grade (2105m of vertical). The steepest climb averages 41.6% over 0.4km. The steepest descent drops at 29.0% over 0.2km. Surface: 74% trail, 14% road, 6% technical, and 6% smooth. Flat-equivalent effort: 151.6 FlatKM.

Summits

The highest summit on the course is Faulhorn (2680m), 34.2km from the start. The course also passes close to Chiemattenhubla (2029m) and Geiss (2017m).

Poles

Trekking poles are worth taking: about 18.8km of the course favours them.

Quad damage

Quad damage risk is high (index 65 of 100), with 44% of the load in the first half: 3 critical descents, the last of them run on already damaged legs. Downhill-specific preparation and a controlled early pace pay off here.

• Control your HR on the first mountain, save your quads on the descents until 53.6km, then run your race pace, and start the final descent from 80.5km under control, then go all out near the bottom.
• #2 · 13.9–18.8 km · 594 m D−, -12.1% · 79.3 km ahead → control
• #3 · 27.7–29.4 km · 262 m D−, -15.8% · 68.7 km ahead → control
• #1 · 34.2–53.6 km · 2105 m D−, -10.9% · 44.5 km ahead → control
• 59.4–61.9 km · 325 m D−, -13.0% · 36.2 km ahead → your pace
• 80.5–98.1 km · 1870 m D−, -10.6% · 0.0 km ahead → even, first half under control, let go at the end
• Plus 1 more notable descent not listed: your pace.

Weather

On race day, start temperatures have historically ranged from 13°C to 22°C, with around 12°C at the highest point; the chance of precipitation is about 56%. Heavy rain of 10.0mm or more falls on about 11% of days around this date.

Results

425 finishers completed the 2026 edition. Men's winner: Stian Dahl Sommerseth (Norway) in 11:44:03. Women's winner: Alina Wylezalek (Poland) in 14:01:24.