The Broken Arrow Skyrace 46K

Race strategy

Hold a steady pace and save energy for every section.

• Big early climb with 1090m gain. Control your HR at altitude.
• Steep 25% wall. Control your pace and stay focused.
• 579m descent. Go easy, save your quads.
• Final 583m descent. Save your legs to go all out on it.
• Control your HR on the first mountain, save your quads on the descents until 22.3km, then run your race pace, and start the final descent from 38.9km under control, then go all out near the bottom.
• Start · 0.0km–1.7km · Race-day nerves push your heart rate up: don't follow the crowd, find your own rhythm.
• Settle in · 1.7km–12.0km · Climb of 1094m, high point 2706m. 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. Hike the steepest pitches.
• Work · 12.0km–34.3km · Descent of 384m averaging 11%, descent of 579m averaging 10%, climb of 1053m. 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. At altitude your pace drops, and that's fine. Hike the steepest pitches.
• Fade · 34.3km–38.9km · Plus 1 more climb and 1 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. 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 · 38.9km–44.8km · Descent of 583m averaging 10%. No heroics: settle back into your own effort and hold it to the line. Very long descent: first half under control, then even, let go only near the end.

Course

The course climbs 2743m+. With 61m/km of climbing, this is a true mountain course with sustained climbs and descents. By gradient, 37% of the distance is uphill, 43% downhill and 19% flat. The longest climb runs 12.0km at an average 8.7% grade (1053m of vertical). The longest descent runs 5.9km at an average 9.9% grade (583m of vertical). The steepest climb averages 34.0% over 0.2km. The steepest descent drops at 21.5% over 0.2km.

Summits

The highest summit on the course is Washeshu Peak (2706m), 12.0km from the start. Other named summits along the route: KT-22 (2430m).

Poles

Trekking poles are worth taking: about 8.3km of the course favours them.

Quad damage

Quad damage risk is moderate (index 34 of 100), with 50% 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 mountain, save your quads on the descents until 22.3km, then run your race pace, and start the final descent from 38.9km under control, then go all out near the bottom.
• #2 · 12.0–15.4 km · 384 m D−, -11.2% · 29.4 km ahead → control
• #1 · 16.6–22.3 km · 579 m D−, -10.2% · 22.5 km ahead → control
• 34.3–37.8 km · 373 m D−, -10.7% · 7.0 km ahead → your pace
• 38.9–44.8 km · 583 m D−, -9.9% · 0.0 km ahead → even, first half under control, let go at the end