Velika staza

Race strategy

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

• Big early climb with 1010m gain. Hold your pace, save your legs for later.
• Start easy and control your HR up to Ostra cuka.
• Hold your race pace up to 34.5km, but stay in control.
• Control your HR on the first climb, then run your race pace, and go all out on the final descent from 34.5km.
• Start · 0.0km–2.3km · Race-day nerves push your heart rate up: don't follow the crowd, find your own rhythm.
• Settle in · 2.3km–21.3km · Climb of 1015m, 6.9km of runnable trail, high point 1173m. Ease in: hold back more than feels necessary. The race is still ahead. Climb by heart rate or breathing, not pace. Running pays off here: run wherever you can.
• Work · 21.3km–34.5km · 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 · 34.5km–35.7km · Descent of 178m averaging 15%. Build to the finish: leave whatever you have left out on the course.

Course

The course climbs 1835m+. With 51m/km of climbing, this is a true mountain course with sustained climbs and descents. By gradient, 43% of the distance is uphill, 43% downhill and 14% flat. The longest climb runs 14.4km at an average 7.0% grade (1015m of vertical). The longest descent runs 11.5km at an average 8.0% grade (914m of vertical). The steepest climb averages 32.8% over 0.3km. The steepest descent drops at 24.3% over 0.5km. Surface: 49% trail, 35% smooth, 7% technical, and 7% road. Flat-equivalent effort: 49.9 FlatKM.

Summits

The highest summit on the course is Leskovik (1174m), 14.5km from the start. Other named summits along the route: Ostra cuka (1072m). The course also passes close to Siljegeriste (1155m).

Poles

Poles bring little benefit here: only about 5.1km of pole-friendly terrain.

Quad damage

Quad damage risk is moderate (index 23 of 100), with 22% of the load in the first half: 0 descents deserve a plan and a couple of downhill sessions before race day.

• Control your HR on the first climb, then run your race pace, and go all out on the final descent from 34.5km.
• 21.3–32.8 km · 914 m D−, -8.0% · 2.9 km ahead → your pace

Weather

On race day, start temperatures have historically ranged from 14°C to 23°C, with around 17°C at the highest point; the chance of precipitation is about 41%. Heavy rain of 10.0mm or more falls on about 4% of days around this date.