UTFS 10K

Race strategy

Short race: go all out.

• Hold your race pace up to 7.9km, but stay in control.
• Control your HR on the first mountain, then run your race pace, and go all out on the final descent from 7.9km.
• Start · 0.0km–1.9km · Race-day nerves push your heart rate up: don't follow the crowd, find your own rhythm.
• Work · 1.9km–7.9km · Climb of 498m, high point 650m. Plus 1 more climb and 1 descent. This is where the race is built: steady, solid effort. Climb by heart rate or breathing, not pace.
• Home · 7.9km–12.3km · Descent of 445m averaging 10%. Kick for the line: give it everything you've got. Long descent: keep it even and let go only near the end.

Course

The course climbs 667m+. With 53m/km of climbing, this is a true mountain course with sustained climbs and descents. By gradient, 38% of the distance is uphill, 45% downhill and 18% flat. The longest climb runs 5.9km at an average 8.4% grade (498m of vertical). The longest descent runs 4.5km at an average 10.0% grade (445m of vertical). The steepest climb averages 30.7% over 0.4km. The steepest descent drops at 21.5% over 0.7km. Surface: 89% trail and 11% smooth. Flat-equivalent effort: 18.1 FlatKM.

Summits

The highest summit on the course is Mont Edouard (633m), 8.6km from the start.

Poles

Poles bring little benefit here: only about 2.1km of pole-friendly terrain.

Quad damage

Quad damage risk is low (index 10 of 100): a few descents worth noting, none of them decisive.

• Control your HR on the first mountain, then run your race pace, and go all out on the final descent from 7.9km.
• 7.9–12.3 km · 445 m D−, -10.0% · 0.0 km ahead → even, let go at the end

Weather

On race day, start temperatures have historically ranged from 14°C to 20°C, with around 15°C at the highest point; the chance of precipitation is about 48%. Heavy rain of 10.0mm or more falls on about 9% of days around this date.