ISKRA 19K

Race strategy

Run easy on the first mountain, then go all out on the second.

• 343m descent. Go easy, save your quads.
• All downhill to the finish: go all out!
• Go easy on the first downhill, save your quads on the descents until 4.7km, then run your race pace, and go all out on the final descent from 17.9km.
• Start · 0.0km–2.4km · Race-day nerves push your heart rate up: don't follow the crowd, find your own rhythm.
• Settle in · 2.4km–9.5km · Descent of 343m averaging 7%, high point 568m. 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.
• Work · 9.5km–17.9km · Plus 1 more climb and 1 descent. This is where the race is built: steady, solid effort. Climb by heart rate or breathing, not pace.
• Home · 17.9km–19.7km · Descent of 108m averaging 6%. Build to the finish: leave whatever you have left out on the course.

Course

The course climbs 1074m+. With 56m/km of climbing, this is a true mountain course with sustained climbs and descents. By gradient, 49% of the distance is uphill, 44% downhill and 7% flat. The longest climb runs 6.4km at an average 6.9% grade (445m of vertical). The longest descent runs 4.7km at an average 7.4% grade (343m of vertical). The steepest climb averages 24.4% over 0.7km. The steepest descent drops at 22.0% over 0.8km. Surface: 78% trail, 8% technical, 8% smooth, and 7% road. Flat-equivalent effort: 27.3 FlatKM.

Summits

The highest summit on the course is Mali vis (576m), 0.0km from the start.

Poles

Poles bring little benefit here: only about 2.3km of pole-friendly terrain.

Quad damage

Quad damage risk is low (index 16 of 100): a few descents worth noting, none of them decisive.

• Go easy on the first downhill, save your quads on the descents until 4.7km, then run your race pace, and go all out on the final descent from 17.9km.
• #1 · 0.0–4.7 km · 343 m D−, -7.4% · 15.0 km ahead → control
• 9.5–11.5 km · 285 m D−, -13.9% · 8.2 km ahead → your pace

Weather

On race day, start temperatures have historically ranged from 16°C to 28°C, with around 26°C at the highest point; the chance of precipitation is about 43%. Heavy rain of 10.0mm or more falls on about 9% of days around this date.