About Rollercoaster 21
Rollercoaster 21 is the 21.6km trail race at Maraton Trzech Jezior 2027 (Poland). The race starts on September 18, 2027.
Race strategy
Hold a steady pace and save energy for every section.
- 556m descent. Go easy, save your quads.
- Steep 27% wall. Control your pace and stay focused.
- Final 534m descent. Save your legs to go all out on it.
- Control your HR on the first mountain, save your quads on the way down from it until 6.6km, then run your race pace, and start the final descent from 15.8km under control, then go all out near the bottom.
- 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–11.4km · Climb of 534m, descent of 556m averaging 15%, high point 876m. Plus 1 more climb and 1 descent. 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. Hike the steepest pitches.
- Work · 11.4km–15.8km · Plus 2 more climbs and 1 descent. This is where the race is built: steady, solid effort. Climb by heart rate or breathing, not pace. Hike the steepest pitches.
- Home · 15.8km–21.6km · Descent of 534m averaging 9%. 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 1511m+. With 70m/km of climbing, this is a true mountain course with sustained climbs and descents. By gradient, 41% of the distance is uphill, 48% downhill and 11% flat. The longest climb runs 3.2km at an average 9.4% grade (302m of vertical). The longest descent runs 5.7km at an average 9.3% grade (534m of vertical). The steepest climb averages 27.3% over 0.7km. The steepest descent drops at 26.6% over 0.6km. Surface: 51% trail, 20% road, 17% smooth, and 12% technical.
Poles
Trekking poles are worth taking: about 4.1km of the course favours them.
Quad damage
Quad damage risk is moderate (index 23 of 100), with 52% of the load in the first half: 1 descent deserves a plan and a couple of downhill sessions before race day.
- Control your HR on the first mountain, save your quads on the way down from it until 6.6km, then run your race pace, and start the final descent from 15.8km under control, then go all out near the bottom.
- #1 · 2.8–6.6 km · 556 m D−, -14.6% · 15.0 km ahead → control
- 15.9–21.6 km · 534 m D−, -9.3% · 0.0 km ahead → even, first half under control, let go at the end
This page has a pacing and nutrition planner, a gradient matrix, an interactive elevation profile and historical weather for Rollercoaster 21.
