GEP 15K

Race strategy

Short race: go all out.

• Hold your race pace up to 7.7km, 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 7.7km.
• Start · 0.0km–1.8km · Race-day nerves push your heart rate up: don't follow the crowd, find your own rhythm.
• Work · 1.8km–7.7km · Plus 2 more climbs and 1 descent. This is where the race is built: steady, solid effort. Climb by heart rate or breathing, not pace.
• Home · 7.7km–15.3km · Descent of 378m averaging 5%, high point 1889m. Kick for the line: give it everything you've got. Long descent: keep it even and let go only near the end.

Course

By gradient, 25% of the distance is uphill, 51% downhill and 25% flat. The longest climb runs 2.1km at an average 8.6% grade (180m of vertical). The longest descent runs 7.6km at an average 5.0% grade (378m of vertical). The steepest climb averages 22.7% over 0.6km. The steepest descent drops at 18.9% over 0.4km. Surface: 59% road and 26% trail.

Poles

Poles bring little benefit here: only about 0.6km 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 7.7km.
• 7.7–15.3 km · 378 m D−, -5.0% · 0.0 km ahead → even, let go at the end