Pisão Extreme M 35K

Race strategy

Hold a steady pace and save energy for every section.

• 389m descent. Go easy, save your quads.
• Steep 57% wall. Control your pace and stay focused.
• Control your HR on the first mountain, save your quads on the descents until 26.2km, then run your race pace.
• Start · 0.0km–1.5km · Race-day nerves push your heart rate up: don't follow the crowd, find your own rhythm.
• Settle in · 1.5km–12.6km · Climb of 704m, descent of 389m averaging 15%, high point 1055m, descent of 379m averaging 19%. 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. Hike the steepest pitches.
• Work · 12.6km–26.2km · Descent of 550m averaging 21%, climb of 508m, descent of 717m averaging 11%. 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. This descent is hard on the legs: short steps, stay in control, poles if you have them. Hike the steepest pitches.
• Fade · 26.2km–32.8km · Climb of 637m. Plus 1 more 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. Hike the steepest pitches. Your heart rate drifts down on its own: don't chase your early-race numbers, go by feel.
• Home · 32.8km–37.4km · Climb of 195m. No heroics: settle back into your own effort and hold it to the line. Climb by heart rate or breathing, not pace.

Course

By gradient, 39% of the distance is uphill, 48% downhill and 13% flat. The longest climb runs 6.3km at an average 11.2% grade (704m of vertical). The longest descent runs 6.6km at an average 10.9% grade (717m of vertical). The steepest climb averages 56.7% over 0.4km. The steepest descent drops at 37.8% over 0.5km. Surface: 45% trail, 43% smooth, and 11% road.

Poles

Trekking poles are strongly recommended: about 8.2km of the course is steep enough for them to pay off.

Quad damage

Quad damage risk is moderate (index 40 of 100), with 53% of the load in the first half: 4 descents deserve a plan and a couple of downhill sessions before race day.

• Control your HR on the first mountain, save your quads on the descents until 26.2km, then run your race pace.
• #1 · 6.3–8.9 km · 389 m D−, -14.7% · 28.5 km ahead → control
• #4 · 10.6–12.6 km · 379 m D−, -18.9% · 24.8 km ahead → control
• #2 · 15.3–17.9 km · 550 m D−, -20.9% · 19.5 km ahead → control
• #3 · 19.6–26.2 km · 717 m D−, -10.9% · 11.3 km ahead → control
• 29.6–32.8 km · 522 m D−, -16.8% · 4.7 km ahead → your pace