Pilolcura 100K

Race strategy

Hold a steady pace and save energy for every section.

• 581m descent. Go easy, save your quads.
• Steep 32% wall. Control your pace and stay focused.
• The finish is runnable. Save your legs to run it all the way.
• Long race. Control your HR and effort. Early mistakes cost the most.
• Ease into the early runnable section, save your quads on the descents until 65.6km, then run your race pace.
• 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–13.1km · Climb of 581m. Ease in: hold back more than feels necessary. The race is still ahead. Climb by heart rate or breathing, not pace. Running pays off here: run wherever you can.
• Work · 13.1km–48.5km · Descent of 581m averaging 7%, climb of 519m, descent of 627m averaging 14%. Plus 1 more descent. 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. Running pays off here: run wherever you can. Hike the steepest pitches.
• Fade · 48.5km–86.8km · Climb of 724m, descent of 527m averaging 10%. 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. Your heart rate drifts down on its own: don't chase your early-race numbers, go by feel.
• Home · 86.8km–97.0km · 10.2km 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, 32% of the distance is uphill, 32% downhill and 36% flat. The longest climb runs 12.0km at an average 6.0% grade (724m of vertical). The longest descent runs 7.9km at an average 7.3% grade (581m of vertical). The steepest climb averages 27.1% over 0.5km. The steepest descent drops at 38.5% over 0.2km. Surface: 69% smooth, 20% trail, and 11% road.

Poles

Poles bring little benefit here: only about 11.7km of pole-friendly terrain.

Quad damage

Quad damage risk is moderate (index 40 of 100), with 53% of the load in the first half: 3 descents deserve a plan and a couple of downhill sessions before race day.

• Ease into the early runnable section, save your quads on the descents until 65.6km, then run your race pace.
• #1 · 22.4–30.4 km · 581 m D−, -7.3% · 66.6 km ahead → control
• #2 · 35.3–39.7 km · 627 m D−, -14.2% · 57.3 km ahead → control
• #3 · 60.5–65.6 km · 527 m D−, -10.3% · 31.4 km ahead → control
• 80.1–86.8 km · 327 m D−, -4.9% · 10.2 km ahead → your pace