King's Ascent 28K

Race strategy

Run the climb at race pace, build your speed on the downhill, and go all out at the finish.

• Steep 42% wall. Control your pace and stay focused.
• Final 1171m descent. Save your legs to go all out on it.
• Ease into the early runnable section, then run your race pace, and start the final descent from 12.9km under control, then go all out near the bottom.
• Start · 0.0km–1.1km · Race-day nerves push your heart rate up: don't follow the crowd, find your own rhythm.
• Settle in · 1.1km–5.2km · Ease in: hold back more than feels necessary. The race is still ahead. Running pays off here: run wherever you can.
• Work · 5.2km–12.9km · Climb of 1055m. This is where the race is built: steady, solid effort. Climb by heart rate or breathing, not pace. Hike the steepest pitches.
• Home · 12.9km–25.8km · Descent of 1171m averaging 9%, high point 1970m. 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, 32% of the distance is uphill, 37% downhill and 30% flat. The longest climb runs 7.7km at an average 13.7% grade (1055m of vertical). The longest descent runs 12.9km at an average 9.1% grade (1171m of vertical). The steepest climb averages 41.9% over 0.8km. The steepest descent drops at 42.4% over 0.5km. Surface: 42% road and 19% trail.

Poles

Poles bring little benefit here: only about 3.4km of pole-friendly terrain.

Quad damage

Quad damage risk is low (index 16 of 100): a few descents worth noting, none of them decisive.

• Ease into the early runnable section, then run your race pace, and start the final descent from 12.9km under control, then go all out near the bottom.
• 12.9–25.8 km · 1171 m D−, -9.1% · 0.0 km ahead → even, first half under control, let go at the end