DSD 100K

Race strategy

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

• 291m descent. Go easy, save your quads.
• Final 541m 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 23.5km, then run your race pace, and start the final descent from 84.1km under control, then go all out near the bottom.
• 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–20.7km · Climb of 501m, descent of 291m 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. Running pays off here: run wherever you can.
• Work · 20.7km–64.1km · Descent of 298m averaging 10%. 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. Running pays off here: run wherever you can.
• Fade · 64.1km–84.1km · 16.4km of runnable trail, high point 1083m. 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. Running pays off here: run wherever you can. Your heart rate drifts down on its own: don't chase your early-race numbers, go by feel.
• Home · 84.1km–90.6km · Descent of 541m averaging 8%. 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.

Course

The course climbs 3500m+. With 38m/km of climbing, this is a rolling, mostly runnable course. By gradient, 35% of the distance is uphill, 30% downhill and 36% flat. The longest climb runs 6.0km at an average 8.4% grade (501m of vertical). The longest descent runs 6.5km at an average 8.3% grade (541m of vertical). The steepest climb averages 27.9% over 0.5km. The steepest descent drops at 29.3% over 0.4km. Surface: 58% trail, 21% road, and 7% smooth. Flat-equivalent effort: 113.7 FlatKM.

Poles

Poles bring little benefit here: only about 8.1km of pole-friendly terrain.

Quad damage

Quad damage risk is moderate (index 39 of 100), with 50% 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 23.5km, then run your race pace, and start the final descent from 84.1km under control, then go all out near the bottom.
• #1 · 6.0–10.5 km · 291 m D−, -6.4% · 80.1 km ahead → control
• #2 · 20.7–23.5 km · 298 m D−, -10.5% · 67.1 km ahead → control
• 84.1–90.6 km · 541 m D−, -8.3% · 0.0 km ahead → even, first half under control, let go at the end

Weather

On race day, start temperatures have historically ranged from 10°C to 15°C, with around 11°C at the highest point; the chance of precipitation is about 24%. Heavy rain of 10.0mm or more falls on about 2% of days around this date.