UTME 70K

Race strategy

Hold a steady pace and save energy for every section.

• 1056m descent. Go easy, save your quads.
• High point at 5329m. Control your HR at altitude.
• Steep 30% wall. Control your pace and stay focused.
• Long race. Control your HR and effort. Early mistakes cost the most.
• Go easy on the first downhill, save your quads on the descents until 32.6km, then run your race pace, and go all out on the final descent from 61.8km.
• Start · 0.0km–1.6km · Race-day nerves push your heart rate up: don't follow the crowd, find your own rhythm.
• Settle in · 1.6km–21.6km · Descent of 1056m averaging 6%, high point 5329m. Plus 1 more climb. Ease in: hold back more than feels necessary. The race is still ahead. 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. At altitude your pace drops, and that's fine.
• Work · 21.6km–38.8km · Descent of 826m averaging 7%. This is where the race is built: steady, solid effort. 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. At altitude your pace drops, and that's fine.
• Fade · 38.8km–61.8km · Plus 2 more climbs and 1 descent. Your energy fades, and that's normal: hold a steady effort and stop counting the miles. Climb by heart rate or breathing, not pace. Running pays off here: run wherever you can. At altitude your pace drops, and that's fine. Hike the steepest pitches. Your heart rate drifts down on its own: don't chase your early-race numbers, go by feel.
• Home · 61.8km–68.6km · Descent of 485m averaging 7%. 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. At altitude your pace drops, and that's fine.

Course

By gradient, 26% of the distance is uphill, 57% downhill and 17% flat. The longest climb runs 4.2km at an average 9.4% grade (391m of vertical). The longest descent runs 17.4km at an average 6.1% grade (1056m of vertical). The steepest climb averages 34.0% over 0.5km. The steepest descent drops at 34.0% over 0.3km.

Poles

Poles bring little benefit here: only about 7.8km of pole-friendly terrain.

Quad damage

Quad damage risk is moderate (index 47 of 100), with 48% of the load in the first half: 2 descents deserve a plan and a couple of downhill sessions before race day.

• Go easy on the first downhill, save your quads on the descents until 32.6km, then run your race pace, and go all out on the final descent from 61.8km.
• #1 · 0.0–17.4 km · 1056 m D−, -6.1% · 51.2 km ahead → control
• #2 · 21.5–32.7 km · 826 m D−, -7.4% · 36.0 km ahead → control
• 52.5–60.4 km · 852 m D−, -10.8% · 8.2 km ahead → your pace
• 61.8–68.6 km · 485 m D−, -7.1% · 0.0 km ahead → even, let go at the end