Rumble Rock

Race strategy

Run the downhill at race pace, but focus on the climb.

• Final 511m descent. Save your legs to go all out on it.
• Steep 31% wall. Control your pace and stay focused.
• Go easy on the first downhill, then run your race pace, and go all out on the final descent from 13.8km.
• Start · 0.0km–1.9km · Race-day nerves push your heart rate up: don't follow the crowd, find your own rhythm.
• Settle in · 1.9km–12.0km · Descent of 797m averaging 7%, high point 1500m. Ease in: hold back more than feels necessary. The race is still ahead. This descent is hard on the legs: short steps, stay in control, poles if you have them.
• Work · 12.0km–13.8km · Plus 1 more climb. This is where the race is built: steady, solid effort. Climb by heart rate or breathing, not pace.
• Home · 13.8km–16.8km · Descent of 511m averaging 17%. Build to the finish: leave whatever you have left out on the course. Long descent: keep it even and let go only near the end. Hike the steepest pitches.

Course

By gradient, 30% of the distance is uphill, 67% downhill and 4% flat. The longest climb runs 1.8km at an average 10.9% grade (192m of vertical). The longest descent runs 12.0km at an average 6.6% grade (797m of vertical). The steepest climb averages 20.6% over 0.2km. The steepest descent drops at 34.5% over 0.5km. Flat-equivalent effort: 22.4 FlatKM.

Poles

The course is runnable enough that trekking poles are not needed.

Quad damage

Quad damage risk is low (index 18 of 100): a few descents worth noting, none of them decisive.

• Go easy on the first downhill, then run your race pace, and go all out on the final descent from 13.8km.
• #1 · 0.0–12.0 km · 797 m D−, -6.6% · 4.8 km ahead → your pace
• 13.8–16.8 km · 511 m D−, -16.7% · 0.0 km ahead → even, let go at the end