Camins d'Her

Race strategy

Hold a steady pace and save energy for every section.

• Big early climb with 1430m gain. Hold your pace, save your legs for later.
• 816m descent. Go easy, save your quads.
• Final 1238m 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 climb, save your quads on the descents until 59.9km, then run your race pace, and start the final descent from 102km under control, then go all out near the bottom.
• Start · 0.0km–1.5km · Race-day nerves push your heart rate up: don't follow the crowd, find your own rhythm.
• Settle in · 1.5km–12.7km · 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.
• Work · 12.7km–53.5km · Climb of 1428m, descent of 299m averaging 8%, descent of 816m averaging 15%. Plus 1 more climb. 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. At altitude your pace drops, and that's fine. Hike the steepest pitches.
• Fade · 53.5km–102km · Descent of 634m averaging 10%, climb of 1144m, climb of 1079m. Plus 2 more descents. 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 · 102km–108km · Descent of 1238m averaging 19%. 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. Hike the steepest pitches.

Course

The course climbs 6400m+. With 58m/km of climbing, this is a true mountain course with sustained climbs and descents. By gradient, 39% of the distance is uphill, 37% downhill and 25% flat. The longest climb runs 15.9km at an average 7.2% grade (1144m of vertical). The longest descent runs 8.1km at an average 11.4% grade (924m of vertical). The steepest climb averages 42.8% over 0.2km. The steepest descent drops at 31.0% over 0.2km. Surface: 76% trail, 13% smooth, and 8% road. Flat-equivalent effort: 163.6 FlatKM.

Summits

The course also passes close to Cap dera Cometa des Calhaus (2253m).

Poles

Trekking poles are strongly recommended: about 12.0km of the course is steep enough for them to pay off.

Quad damage

Quad damage risk is high (index 59 of 100), with 38% 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 climb, save your quads on the descents until 59.9km, then run your race pace, and start the final descent from 102km under control, then go all out near the bottom.
• #3 · 24.5–28.2 km · 299 m D−, -8.1% · 80.0 km ahead → control
• #1 · 37.0–42.3 km · 816 m D−, -15.2% · 65.8 km ahead → control
• #2 · 53.5–59.9 km · 634 m D−, -10.0% · 48.2 km ahead → control
• 75.7–79.6 km · 378 m D−, -9.7% · 28.5 km ahead → your pace
• 101.7–108.1 km · 1238 m D−, -19.2% · 0.0 km ahead → even, first half under control, let go at the end
• Plus 1 more notable descent not listed: your pace.

Weather

On race day, start temperatures have historically ranged from 11°C to 18°C, with around 12°C at the highest point; the chance of precipitation is about 35%. Heavy rain of 10.0mm or more falls on about 2% of days around this date.

Results

859 finishers completed the 2026 edition. Men's winner: Gautier Bonnecarrere (France) in 12:08:55. Women's winner: Miao Yao (China) in 13:04:34.