Ultra 105K

Race strategy

Hold a steady pace and save energy for every section.

• Big early climb with 1.9km gain. Control your HR at altitude.
• 2449m descent. Go easy, save your quads.
• Final 1387m 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 73.1km, then run your race pace, and start the final descent from 86.9km under control, then go all out near the bottom.
• Start · 0.0km–1.2km · Race-day nerves push your heart rate up: don't follow the crowd, find your own rhythm.
• Settle in · 1.2km–13.1km · Climb of 1859m, high point 2900m. 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 · 13.1km–54.0km · Descent of 2449m averaging 10%, climb of 1827m. 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 · 54.0km–86.9km · Descent of 686m averaging 14%, descent of 918m averaging 9%, climb of 983m. Plus 2 more climbs 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. 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 · 86.9km–103km · Descent of 1387m 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. At altitude your pace drops, and that's fine.

Course

By gradient, 39% of the distance is uphill, 46% downhill and 15% flat. The longest climb runs 16.5km at an average 11.1% grade (1827m of vertical). The longest descent runs 24.4km at an average 10.1% grade (2449m of vertical). The steepest climb averages 43.8% over 0.5km. The steepest descent drops at 53.5% over 0.3km. Surface: 77% trail, 11% road, and 8% smooth.

Poles

Trekking poles are strongly recommended: about 16.8km of the course is steep enough for them to pay off.

Quad damage

Quad damage risk is high (index 64 of 100), with 41% of the load in the first half: 3 critical descents, the last of them run on already damaged legs. Downhill-specific preparation and a controlled early pace pay off here.

• Control your HR on the first mountain, save your quads on the descents until 73.1km, then run your race pace, and start the final descent from 86.9km under control, then go all out near the bottom.
• #1 · 13.1–37.5 km · 2449 m D−, -10.1% · 65.9 km ahead → control
• #2 · 54.0–59.0 km · 686 m D−, -13.6% · 44.3 km ahead → control
• #3 · 63.4–73.1 km · 918 m D−, -9.4% · 30.2 km ahead → control
• 75.2–81.3 km · 684 m D−, -11.1% · 22.0 km ahead → your pace
• 86.9–103.4 km · 1387 m D−, -8.4% · 0.0 km ahead → even, first half under control, let go at the end