Ultramarathon

Race strategy

Hold a steady pace and save energy for every section.

• Big early climb with 1970m gain. Hold your pace, save your legs for later.
• 716m descent. Go easy, save your quads.
• Long race. Control your HR and effort. Early mistakes cost the most.
• Control your HR on the first mountain, save your quads on the way down from it until 27.9km, then run your race pace.
• 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–17.8km · Climb of 1971m. Ease in: hold back more than feels necessary. The race is still ahead. Climb by heart rate or breathing, not pace.
• Work · 17.8km–46.5km · Descent of 716m averaging 7%, climb of 1333m. 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.
• Fade · 46.5km–69.0km · Descent of 2684m averaging 12%, high point 2400m. Your energy fades, and that's normal: hold a steady effort and stop counting the miles. Your heart rate drifts down on its own: don't chase your early-race numbers, go by feel.
• Home · 69.0km–73.0km · Climb of 322m. No heroics: settle back into your own effort and hold it to the line. Climb by heart rate or breathing, not pace.

Course

The course climbs 4220m+. With 58m/km of climbing, this is a true mountain course with sustained climbs and descents. By gradient, 46% of the distance is uphill, 40% downhill and 14% flat. The longest climb runs 18.6km at an average 7.2% grade (1333m of vertical). The longest descent runs 22.4km at an average 12.0% grade (2684m of vertical). The steepest climb averages 28.7% over 0.3km. The steepest descent drops at 41.9% over 0.2km. Surface: 70% trail, 13% technical, 9% road, and 6% smooth. Flat-equivalent effort: 104.9 FlatKM.

Summits

The highest summit on the course is Roque de los Muchachos (2426m), 51.1km from the start. Other named summits along the route: Cruz del Fraile (2376m) and Pico de La Cruz (2351m).

Poles

Trekking poles are worth taking: about 10.4km of the course favours them.

Quad damage

Quad damage risk is moderate (index 48 of 100), with 22% of the load in the first half: 1 descent deserves a plan and a couple of downhill sessions before race day.

• Control your HR on the first mountain, save your quads on the way down from it until 27.9km, then run your race pace.
• #1 · 17.8–27.9 km · 716 m D−, -7.1% · 45.1 km ahead → control
• 46.5–69.0 km · 2684 m D−, -12.0% · 4.0 km ahead → your pace

Weather

On race day, start temperatures have historically ranged from 18°C to 20°C, with around 4°C at the highest point; the chance of precipitation is about 7%.