VO2 Trail

Race strategy

Run the climb at race pace, build your speed on the downhill, and go all out at the finish.

• Start easy and control your HR up to 6.7km.
• Final 577m descent. Save your legs to go all out on it.
• Control your HR on the first mountain, and start the final descent from 6.7km under control, then go all out near the bottom.
• Start · 0.0km–2.3km · Race-day nerves push your heart rate up: don't follow the crowd, find your own rhythm.
• Settle in · 2.3km–6.7km · Climb of 519m. Ease in: hold back more than feels necessary. The race is still ahead. Climb by heart rate or breathing, not pace.
• Home · 6.7km–17.6km · Descent of 577m averaging 5%, high point 851m. Build to the finish: leave whatever you have left out on the course. Very long descent: first half under control, then even, let go only near the end.

Course

The course climbs 689m+. With 39m/km of climbing, this is a rolling, mostly runnable course. By gradient, 30% of the distance is uphill, 30% downhill and 40% flat. The longest climb runs 6.7km at an average 7.7% grade (519m of vertical). The longest descent runs 10.9km at an average 5.3% grade (577m of vertical). The steepest climb averages 29.7% over 0.4km. The steepest descent drops at 17.7% over 1.2km. Surface: 52% trail, 34% smooth, and 14% road.

Poles

Poles bring little benefit here: only about 1.8km of pole-friendly terrain.

Quad damage

Quad damage risk is low (index 9 of 100): a few descents worth noting, none of them decisive.

• Control your HR on the first mountain, and start the final descent from 6.7km under control, then go all out near the bottom.
• 6.7–17.6 km · 577 m D−, -5.3% · 0.0 km ahead → even, first half under control, let go at the end