DC Peaks 50

Race strategy

Hold a steady pace and save energy for every section.

• Big early climb with 1340m gain. Control your HR at altitude.
• 1402m descent. Go easy, save your quads.
• The finish is runnable. Save your legs to run it all the way.
• Long race. Control your HR and effort. Early mistakes cost the most.
• Control your HR on the first climb, save your quads on the descents until 49.6km, then run your race pace.
• 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–14.8km · Climb of 1341m. Ease in: hold back more than feels necessary. The race is still ahead. Climb by heart rate or breathing, not pace. At altitude your pace drops, and that's fine.
• Work · 14.8km–37.3km · 7.5km of runnable trail, high point 2854m, descent of 632m averaging 8%, climb of 569m. 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. Running pays off here: run wherever you can. At altitude your pace drops, and that's fine.
• Fade · 37.3km–64.5km · Descent of 1402m averaging 11%. Plus 1 more climb. Your energy fades, and that's normal: hold a steady effort and stop counting the miles. 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. Running pays off here: run wherever you can. At altitude your pace drops, and that's fine. Your heart rate drifts down on its own: don't chase your early-race numbers, go by feel.
• Home · 64.5km–80.9km · 16.4km of runnable trail. No heroics: settle back into your own effort and hold it to the line. Running pays off here: run wherever you can.

Course

The course climbs 3197m+. With 40m/km of climbing, this is a rolling, mostly runnable course. By gradient, 41% of the distance is uphill, 38% downhill and 21% flat. The longest climb runs 14.8km at an average 9.0% grade (1341m of vertical). The longest descent runs 12.3km at an average 11.4% grade (1402m of vertical). The steepest climb averages 32.8% over 0.2km. The steepest descent drops at 26.1% over 0.5km. Surface: 79% trail, 14% smooth, and 7% road. Flat-equivalent effort: 103.6 FlatKM.

Poles

Poles bring little benefit here: only about 7.8km of pole-friendly terrain.

Quad damage

Quad damage risk is moderate (index 38 of 100), with 41% of the load in the first half: 2 descents deserve a plan and a couple of downhill sessions before race day.

• Control your HR on the first climb, save your quads on the descents until 49.6km, then run your race pace.
• #2 · 22.4–30.3 km · 632 m D−, -8.0% · 50.6 km ahead → control
• #1 · 37.3–49.6 km · 1402 m D−, -11.4% · 31.3 km ahead → control

Weather

On race day, start temperatures have historically ranged from 4°C to 15°C, with around 6°C at the highest point; the chance of precipitation is about 27%. Heavy rain of 10.0mm or more falls on about 5% of days around this date.