The Rut Mountain Runs 11k

Race strategy

Short race: go all out.

• High point at 2647m. Control your HR at altitude.
• Hold your race pace up to Andesite Mountain, but stay in control.
• Go easy on the first downhill, then run your race pace, and go all out on the final descent from 7.2km.
• Start · 0.0km–1.2km · Race-day nerves push your heart rate up: don't follow the crowd, find your own rhythm.
• Work · 1.2km–7.2km · Climb of 445m, high point 2647m. Plus 1 more descent. This is where the race is built: steady, solid effort. Climb by heart rate or breathing, not pace. At altitude your pace drops, and that's fine.
• Home · 7.2km–10.1km · Descent of 353m averaging 12%. Kick for the line: give it everything you've got. At altitude your pace drops, and that's fine.

Course

The course climbs 518m+. With 47m/km of climbing, this is a true mountain course with sustained climbs and descents. By gradient, 47% of the distance is uphill, 42% downhill and 12% flat. The longest climb runs 4.4km at an average 10.0% grade (445m of vertical). The longest descent runs 2.9km at an average 12.0% grade (353m of vertical). The steepest climb averages 25.5% over 0.4km. The steepest descent drops at 32.5% over 0.4km. Surface: 86% smooth and 8% trail.

Summits

The course also passes close to Andesite Mountain (2661m).

Poles

Poles bring little benefit here: only about 1.8km of pole-friendly terrain.

Quad damage

There is too little runnable descent to damage the quads: plan the race around climbing and fuelling.

• Go easy on the first downhill, then run your race pace, and go all out on the final descent from 7.2km.
• 7.2–10.1 km · 353 m D−, -12.0% · 0.0 km ahead → free