Canyons 50K

Race strategy

Hold a steady pace and save energy for every section.

• Start easy and control your HR up to 33.8km.
• Hold your race pace up to 36.9km, but stay in control.
• Ease into the early runnable section, then run your race pace.
• Start · 0.0km–2.1km · Race-day nerves push your heart rate up: don't follow the crowd, find your own rhythm.
• Settle in · 2.1km–33.8km · 22.3km of runnable trail, high point 591m. 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 · 33.8km–36.9km · Plus 1 more descent. This is where the race is built: steady, solid effort.
• Fade · 36.9km–46.7km · Plus 1 more climb. Your energy fades, and that's normal: hold a steady effort and stop counting the miles. Climb by heart rate or breathing, not pace. Running pays off here: run wherever you can. Your heart rate drifts down on its own: don't chase your early-race numbers, go by feel.
• Home · 46.7km–49.9km · Climb of 189m. No heroics: settle back into your own effort and hold it to the line. Climb by heart rate or breathing, not pace.

Course

The course climbs 1700m+. With 34m/km of climbing, this is a rolling, mostly runnable course. By gradient, 33% of the distance is uphill, 35% downhill and 31% flat. The longest climb runs 3.8km at an average 7.5% grade (283m of vertical). The longest descent runs 3.1km at an average 11.1% grade (349m of vertical). The steepest climb averages 23.3% over 0.4km. The steepest descent drops at 18.6% over 1.1km. Surface: 80% trail and 13% road.

Summits

The course also passes close to Robie Point (367m).

Poles

Poles bring little benefit here: only about 1.2km of pole-friendly terrain.

Quad damage

Quad damage risk is moderate (index 20 of 100), with 34% of the load in the first half: 0 descents deserve a plan and a couple of downhill sessions before race day.

• 33.8–36.9 km · 349 m D−, -11.1% · 13.0 km ahead → your pace