Caballo Blanco 21K

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 the aid station at 10.4km.
• Hold your race pace up to the aid station at 16.2km, but stay in control.
• The finish is runnable. Save your legs to run it all the way.
• Control your HR on the first mountain, then run your race pace.
• Start · 0.0km–2.2km · Race-day nerves push your heart rate up: don't follow the crowd, find your own rhythm.
• Settle in · 2.2km–10.4km · Climb of 718m, high point 1184m. Ease in: hold back more than feels necessary. The race is still ahead. Climb by heart rate or breathing, not pace.
• Work · 10.4km–16.5km · Plus 1 more descent. This is where the race is built: steady, solid effort.
• Home · 16.5km–22.4km · 5.9km of runnable trail. Build to the finish: leave whatever you have left out on the course. Running pays off here: run wherever you can.

Course

By gradient, 35% of the distance is uphill, 46% downhill and 19% flat. The longest climb runs 10.4km at an average 6.9% grade (718m of vertical). The longest descent runs 6.1km at an average 9.0% grade (550m of vertical). The steepest climb averages 20.1% over 0.5km. The steepest descent drops at 17.5% over 0.3km.

Poles

Poles bring little benefit here: only about 1.3km of pole-friendly terrain.

Quad damage

Quad damage risk is low (index 11 of 100): a few descents worth noting, none of them decisive.

• 10.4–16.5 km · 550 m D−, -9.0% · 5.9 km ahead → your pace