Trail 80K

Race strategy

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

• Big early climb with 1.4km gain. Hold your pace, save your legs for later.
• 1199m descent. Go easy, save your quads.
• 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.
• Control your HR on the first mountain, save your quads on the descents until 47.3km, then run your race pace.
• 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–16.9km · Climb of 1397m. Ease in: hold back more than feels necessary. The race is still ahead. Climb by heart rate or breathing, not pace. At altitude your pace drops, and that's fine. Hike the steepest pitches.
• Work · 16.9km–34.4km · Descent of 1199m averaging 11%, climb of 999m, high point 2697m. 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. Hike the steepest pitches.
• Fade · 34.4km–67.4km · Descent of 1530m averaging 12%. Plus 1 more descent. Your energy fades, and that's normal: hold a steady effort and stop counting the miles. 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. At altitude your pace drops, and that's fine. Hike the steepest pitches. Your heart rate drifts down on its own: don't chase your early-race numbers, go by feel.
• Home · 67.4km–75.3km · 8.0km 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, 50% of the distance is uphill, 36% downhill and 14% flat. The longest climb runs 16.9km at an average 8.2% grade (1397m of vertical). The longest descent runs 12.8km at an average 11.9% grade (1530m of vertical). The steepest climb averages 32.6% over 0.5km. The steepest descent drops at 67.8% over 0.2km. Surface: 69% trail, 16% road, and 13% smooth.

Poles

Trekking poles are worth taking: about 9.1km of the course favours them.

Quad damage

Quad damage risk is moderate (index 46 of 100), with 45% 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 47.3km, then run your race pace.
• #1 · 17.0–28.0 km · 1199 m D−, -10.9% · 47.4 km ahead → control
• #2 · 34.4–47.3 km · 1530 m D−, -11.9% · 28.1 km ahead → control
• 60.7–67.4 km · 777 m D−, -11.6% · 8.0 km ahead → your pace