About Challenge 50K
Challenge 50K is the 50.0km trail race at Ushuaia Trail Race by UTMB 2026 (Ushuaia, Argentina). The race starts on March 20, 2026.
Race strategy
Hold a steady pace and save energy for every section.
- 823m descent. Go easy, save your quads.
- Steep 34% 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.
- Control your HR on the first climb, save your quads on the descents until 36.5km, then run your race pace.
- Start · 0.0km–1.0km · Race-day nerves push your heart rate up: don't follow the crowd, find your own rhythm.
- Settle in · 1.0km–15.5km · Plus 1 more climb. 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. Hike the steepest pitches.
- Work · 15.5km–23.6km · Climb of 635m, descent of 823m averaging 16%, high point 905m. 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. Hike the steepest pitches.
- Fade · 23.6km–46.3km · Climb of 840m, descent of 692m averaging 18%. Plus 1 more 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 · 46.3km–51.3km · 5.0km 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, 37% of the distance is uphill, 38% downhill and 25% flat. The longest climb runs 9.1km at an average 9.2% grade (840m of vertical). The longest descent runs 5.3km at an average 15.7% grade (823m of vertical). The steepest climb averages 37.7% over 0.7km. The steepest descent drops at 28.8% over 0.4km. Surface: 62% trail, 23% road, and 14% smooth. Flat-equivalent effort: 72.6 FlatKM.
Poles
Trekking poles are strongly recommended: about 5.0km of the course is steep enough for them to pay off.
Quad damage
Quad damage risk is moderate (index 32 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 climb, save your quads on the descents until 36.5km, then run your race pace.
- #1 · 18.3–23.6 km · 823 m D−, -15.7% · 27.7 km ahead → control
- #2 · 32.7–36.5 km · 692 m D−, -18.1% · 14.8 km ahead → control
Results
453 finishers completed the 2026 edition. Men's winner: Joaquin Narvaez (Argentina) in 5:10:18. Women's winner: Anabel Oviedo Zelarayán (Argentina) in 6:04:23.
This page has the full results and splits, a pacing and nutrition planner, a gradient matrix, an interactive elevation profile and historical weather for Challenge 50K.
