SAMOTSKA TRAIL

Race strategy

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

• Steep 26% wall. Control your pace and stay focused.
• Final 1006m descent. Save your legs to go all out on it.
• Ease into the early runnable section, then run your race pace, and start the final descent from 24.4km under control, then go all out near the bottom.
• Start · 0.0km–2.7km · Race-day nerves push your heart rate up: don't follow the crowd, find your own rhythm.
• Settle in · 2.7km–9.7km · Ease in: hold back more than feels necessary. The race is still ahead. Running pays off here: run wherever you can.
• Work · 9.7km–24.4km · Climb of 1297m, high point 1781m. This is where the race is built: steady, solid effort. Climb by heart rate or breathing, not pace. Hike the steepest pitches.
• Home · 24.4km–40.2km · Descent of 1006m averaging 6%. 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 1950m+. With 46m/km of climbing, this is a true mountain course with sustained climbs and descents. By gradient, 35% of the distance is uphill, 36% downhill and 29% flat. The longest climb runs 14.7km at an average 8.8% grade (1297m of vertical). The longest descent runs 15.9km at an average 6.3% grade (1006m of vertical). The steepest climb averages 26.1% over 0.9km. The steepest descent drops at 26.7% over 0.4km. Surface: 64% trail, 17% smooth, and 11% road. Flat-equivalent effort: 46.0 FlatKM.

Poles

Poles bring little benefit here: only about 4.3km of pole-friendly terrain.

Quad damage

Quad damage risk is moderate (index 22 of 100), with 25% of the load in the first half: 0 descents deserve a plan and a couple of downhill sessions before race day.

• Ease into the early runnable section, then run your race pace, and start the final descent from 24.4km under control, then go all out near the bottom.
• 24.4–40.2 km · 1006 m D−, -6.3% · 0.0 km ahead → even, first half under control, let go at the end

Weather

On race day, start temperatures have historically ranged from 14°C to 21°C, with around 13°C at the highest point; the chance of precipitation is about 37%. Heavy rain of 10.0mm or more falls on about 4% of days around this date.