SkyUltra (Domusa Teknik 40MLK)

Race strategy

Hold a steady pace and save energy for every section.

• Big early climb with 1070m gain. Hold your pace, save your legs for later.
• 594m descent. Go easy, save your quads.
• Final 801m 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 mountain, save your quads on the descents until 51.4km, then run your race pace, and go all out on the final descent from 58.3km.
• 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–11.4km · Climb of 1071m. Ease in: hold back more than feels necessary. The race is still ahead. Climb by heart rate or breathing, not pace. Hike the steepest pitches.
• Work · 11.4km–37.0km · Descent of 594m averaging 10%, high point 1038m. 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.
• Fade · 37.0km–58.3km · Descent of 1156m averaging 9%, climb of 794m. Plus 1 more climb. 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. Hike the steepest pitches. Your heart rate drifts down on its own: don't chase your early-race numbers, go by feel.
• Home · 58.3km–63.6km · Descent of 801m averaging 15%. No heroics: settle back into your own effort and hold it to the line. Long descent: keep it even and let go only near the end. Hike the steepest pitches.

Course

The course climbs 4000m+. With 62m/km of climbing, this is a true mountain course with sustained climbs and descents. By gradient, 38% of the distance is uphill, 42% downhill and 20% flat. The longest climb runs 11.4km at an average 9.4% grade (1071m of vertical). The longest descent runs 12.6km at an average 9.2% grade (1156m of vertical). The steepest climb averages 35.2% over 0.6km. The steepest descent drops at 26.9% over 0.6km. Surface: 62% trail, 15% smooth, 14% road, and 9% technical. Flat-equivalent effort: 95.5 FlatKM.

Summits

The highest summit on the course is Akotegi (1001m), 11.5km from the start. The course also passes close to Hernio (1076m) and Aizpel (1067m).

Poles

Trekking poles are worth taking: about 9.4km of the course favours them.

Quad damage

Quad damage risk is moderate (index 45 of 100), with 38% 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 mountain, save your quads on the descents until 51.4km, then run your race pace, and go all out on the final descent from 58.3km.
• #1 · 11.4–17.6 km · 594 m D−, -9.7% · 46.0 km ahead → control
• #2 · 38.8–51.4 km · 1156 m D−, -9.2% · 12.3 km ahead → control
• 58.3–63.6 km · 801 m D−, -15.0% · 0.0 km ahead → even, let go at the end

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 46%. Heavy rain of 10.0mm or more falls on about 7% of days around this date.