DC Peaks 55K

Race strategy

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

• Big early climb with 1460m gain. Control your HR at altitude.
• 1390m descent. Go easy, save your quads.
• Control your HR on the first mountain, save your quads on the way down from it until 24.8km, then run your race pace, and go all out on the final descent from 52.9km.
• 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–12.4km · Climb of 1456m, high point 2773m. 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 · 12.4km–31.5km · Descent of 1390m averaging 11%. This is where the race is built: steady, solid effort. 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 · 31.5km–52.9km · 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. Running pays off here: run wherever you can. Your heart rate drifts down on its own: don't chase your early-race numbers, go by feel.
• Home · 52.9km–56.1km · Descent of 213m averaging 7%. No heroics: settle back into your own effort and hold it to the line.

Course

The course climbs 2377m+. With 42m/km of climbing, this is a rolling, mostly runnable course. By gradient, 43% of the distance is uphill, 36% downhill and 21% flat. The longest climb runs 12.4km at an average 11.7% grade (1456m of vertical). The longest descent runs 12.3km at an average 11.3% grade (1390m of vertical). The steepest climb averages 26.1% over 0.5km. The steepest descent drops at 26.1% over 0.5km. Surface: 89% trail and 11% road. Flat-equivalent effort: 73.2 FlatKM.

Poles

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

Quad damage

Quad damage risk is moderate (index 27 of 100), with 75% 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 24.8km, then run your race pace, and go all out on the final descent from 52.9km.
• #1 · 12.4–24.8 km · 1390 m D−, -11.3% · 31.3 km ahead → control

Weather

On race day, start temperatures have historically ranged from 4°C to 15°C, with around 9°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.