Tunnel 100K

Race strategy

Hold a steady pace and save energy for every section.

• 448m descent. Go easy, save your quads.
• Steep 32% wall. Control your pace and stay focused.
• 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.
• Ease into the early runnable section, save your quads on the descents until 61.2km, 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–15.6km · Plus 1 more climb. 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 · 15.6km–45.1km · Descent of 448m averaging 6%, climb of 789m, descent of 549m averaging 17%. 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. This descent is hard on the legs: short steps, stay in control, poles if you have them. Hike the steepest pitches.
• Fade · 45.1km–61.2km · Climb of 303m, high point 1165m, descent of 974m averaging 10%. 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. Hike the steepest pitches. Your heart rate drifts down on its own: don't chase your early-race numbers, go by feel.
• Home · 61.2km–89.1km · 27.9km 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 4400m+. With 48m/km of climbing, this is a true mountain course with sustained climbs and descents. By gradient, 35% of the distance is uphill, 36% downhill and 29% flat. The longest climb runs 9.6km at an average 8.2% grade (789m of vertical). The longest descent runs 9.4km at an average 10.4% grade (974m of vertical). The steepest climb averages 34.8% over 0.3km. The steepest descent drops at 34.0% over 0.2km. Flat-equivalent effort: 139.5 FlatKM.