Luxmore Grunt

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 13.4km.
• Hold your race pace up to 21.4km, but stay in control.
• The finish is runnable. Save your legs to run it all the way.
• Ease into the early runnable section, then run your race pace.
• Start · 0.0km–1.8km · Race-day nerves push your heart rate up: don't follow the crowd, find your own rhythm.
• Settle in · 1.8km–13.4km · Climb of 853m, high point 1047m. Ease in: hold back more than feels necessary. The race is still ahead. Climb by heart rate or breathing, not pace. Running pays off here: run wherever you can.
• Work · 13.4km–21.4km · Descent of 845m averaging 11%. 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.
• Home · 21.4km–26.8km · 5.5km 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, 27% of the distance is uphill, 26% downhill and 46% flat. The longest climb runs 8.1km at an average 10.6% grade (853m of vertical). The longest descent runs 8.0km at an average 10.6% grade (845m of vertical). The steepest climb averages 22.2% over 0.2km. The steepest descent drops at 16.1% over 2.1km. Surface: 98% trail.

Poles

Poles bring little benefit here: only about 4.2km of pole-friendly terrain.

Quad damage

Quad damage risk is low (index 12 of 100): a few descents worth noting, none of them decisive.

• #1 · 13.4–21.4 km · 845 m D−, -10.6% · 5.5 km ahead → your pace