Els Tres Mils

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.
• Steep 27% wall. Control your pace and stay focused.
• 649m descent. Go easy, save your quads.
• The finish is runnable. Save your legs to run it all the way.
• Control your HR on the first mountain, save your quads on the descents until 38.4km, then run your race pace.
• Start · 0.0km–2.0km · Race-day nerves push your heart rate up: don't follow the crowd, find your own rhythm.
• Settle in · 2.0km–15.8km · Climb of 1169m. 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 · 15.8km–28.9km · Descent of 649m averaging 8%, high point 1212m. 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 · 28.9km–49.9km · Descent of 1169m averaging 12%. Plus 1 more climb and 1 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. This descent is hard on the legs: short steps, stay in control, poles if you have them. 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 · 49.9km–54.9km · 5.1km of runnable trail. No heroics: settle back into your own effort and hold it to the line. Running pays off here: run wherever you can.

Course

By gradient, 41% of the distance is uphill, 41% downhill and 18% flat. The longest climb runs 15.8km at an average 7.4% grade (1169m of vertical). The longest descent runs 9.4km at an average 12.4% grade (1169m of vertical). The steepest climb averages 27.4% over 0.7km. The steepest descent drops at 45.0% over 0.3km. Surface: 50% trail, 22% road, 15% technical, and 9% smooth.

Summits

The highest summit on the course is Puig de sa Rateta (1113m), 29.1km from the start. Other named summits along the route: Puig de na Franquesa (1067m). The course also passes close to Puig de l'Ofre (1091m).