Mini Trail do Xisto

Race strategy

Run hard on the first mountain, but save energy for the second.

• Start easy and control your HR up to 5.3km.
• Hold your race pace up to 12.3km, but stay in control.
• Control your HR on the first mountain, then run your race pace, and go all out on the final descent from 12.3km.
• Start · 0.0km–1.4km · Race-day nerves push your heart rate up: don't follow the crowd, find your own rhythm.
• Settle in · 1.4km–5.3km · Climb of 532m, high point 1007m. Ease in: hold back more than feels necessary. The race is still ahead. Climb by heart rate or breathing, not pace.
• Work · 5.3km–12.3km · Descent of 522m averaging 10%. Plus 1 more climb. 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.
• Home · 12.3km–16.3km · Descent of 202m averaging 5%. Build to the finish: leave whatever you have left out on the course. Long descent: keep it even and let go only near the end.

Course

By gradient, 35% of the distance is uphill, 44% downhill and 21% flat. The longest climb runs 5.3km at an average 10.0% grade (532m of vertical). The longest descent runs 5.4km at an average 9.7% grade (522m of vertical). The steepest climb averages 26.9% over 0.5km. The steepest descent drops at 34.0% over 0.2km. Surface: 49% smooth, 30% road, and 20% trail.

Poles

Trekking poles are worth taking: about 2.5km of the course favours them.

Quad damage

Quad damage risk is low (index 11 of 100): a few descents worth noting, none of them decisive.

• Control your HR on the first mountain, then run your race pace, and go all out on the final descent from 12.3km.
• #1 · 5.3–10.7 km · 522 m D−, -9.7% · 5.6 km ahead → your pace