YELLOW COURSE

Race strategy

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

• Start easy and control your HR up to 14.1km.
• Hold your race pace up to 23.0km, but stay in control.
• Control your HR on the first climb, then run your race pace, and go all out on the final descent from 23.0km.
• Start · 0.0km–1.9km · Race-day nerves push your heart rate up: don't follow the crowd, find your own rhythm.
• Settle in · 1.9km–14.1km · Climb of 418m, high point 1673m. Plus 1 more climb and 1 descent. 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 · 14.1km–23.0km · This is where the race is built: steady, solid effort. Running pays off here: run wherever you can.
• Home · 23.0km–26.9km · Descent of 310m averaging 8%. Build to the finish: leave whatever you have left out on the course.

Course

The course climbs 1300m+. With 50m/km of climbing, this is a true mountain course with sustained climbs and descents. By gradient, 43% of the distance is uphill, 46% downhill and 11% flat. The longest climb runs 3.1km at an average 13.6% grade (418m of vertical). The longest descent runs 3.8km at an average 8.1% grade (310m of vertical). The steepest climb averages 29.1% over 0.5km. The steepest descent drops at 29.3% over 0.3km. Surface: 73% trail, 17% smooth, and 6% road. Flat-equivalent effort: 36.4 FlatKM.

Summits

The highest summit on the course is Šiljak (1689m), 3.1km from the start. Other named summits along the route: Veliki Hrakač (1619m). The course also passes close to Siljevača (1662m).

Poles

Poles bring little benefit here: only about 0.7km of pole-friendly terrain.

Quad damage

Quad damage risk is low (index 17 of 100): a few descents worth noting, none of them decisive.

• Control your HR on the first climb, then run your race pace, and go all out on the final descent from 23.0km.
• 11.2–14.1 km · 301 m D−, -10.4% · 12.8 km ahead → your pace
• 23.0–26.9 km · 310 m D−, -8.1% · 0.0 km ahead → free

Weather

On race day, start temperatures have historically ranged from 12°C to 22°C, with around 16°C at the highest point; the chance of precipitation is about 37%. Heavy rain of 10.0mm or more falls on about 7% of days around this date.