E101 Ultra Trail

Race strategy

Hold a steady pace and save energy for every section.

• Big early climb with 1190m gain. Hold your pace, save your legs for later.
• 1541m descent. Go easy, save your quads.
• Final 1895m descent. Save your legs to go all out on it.
• Long race. Control your HR and effort. Early mistakes cost the most.
• Control your HR on the first mountain, save your quads on the descents until 53.3km, then run your race pace, and start the final descent from 79.9km under control, then go all out near the bottom.
• Start · 0.0km–1.8km · Race-day nerves push your heart rate up: don't follow the crowd, find your own rhythm.
• Settle in · 1.8km–13.8km · Climb of 1193m. Ease in: hold back more than feels necessary. The race is still ahead. Climb by heart rate or breathing, not pace. Hike the steepest pitches.
• Work · 13.8km–53.3km · Descent of 598m averaging 12%, descent of 1541m averaging 10%, high point 2635m, descent of 567m averaging 15%. Plus 3 more climbs 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. At altitude your pace drops, and that's fine. Hike the steepest pitches.
• Fade · 53.3km–79.9km · Climb of 744m, climb of 937m, climb of 615m. Plus 2 more descents. 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 · 79.9km–97.4km · Descent of 1895m averaging 11%. No heroics: settle back into your own effort and hold it to the line. Very long descent: first half under control, then even, let go only near the end. Hike the steepest pitches.

Course

The course climbs 6700m+. With 66m/km of climbing, this is a true mountain course with sustained climbs and descents. By gradient, 42% of the distance is uphill, 45% downhill and 13% flat. The longest climb runs 13.8km at an average 8.6% grade (1193m of vertical). The longest descent runs 17.5km at an average 10.8% grade (1895m of vertical). The steepest climb averages 42.5% over 0.4km. The steepest descent drops at 29.9% over 0.2km. Surface: 77% trail, 14% road, and 6% smooth. Flat-equivalent effort: 151.2 FlatKM.

Summits

The highest summit on the course is Faulhorn (2680m), 34.0km from the start. The course also passes close to Chiemattenhubla (2029m) and Geiss (2017m).

Poles

Trekking poles are worth taking: about 18.0km of the course favours them.

Quad damage

Quad damage risk is high (index 65 of 100), with 43% of the load in the first half: 4 critical descents, the last of them run on already damaged legs. Downhill-specific preparation and a controlled early pace pay off here.

• Control your HR on the first mountain, save your quads on the descents until 53.3km, then run your race pace, and start the final descent from 79.9km under control, then go all out near the bottom.
• #2 · 13.8–18.7 km · 598 m D−, -12.3% · 78.7 km ahead → control
• #4 · 27.6–29.2 km · 263 m D−, -16.1% · 68.2 km ahead → control
• #1 · 33.8–48.7 km · 1541 m D−, -10.4% · 48.7 km ahead → control
• #3 · 49.4–53.3 km · 567 m D−, -14.6% · 44.1 km ahead → control
• 79.9–97.4 km · 1895 m D−, -10.8% · 0.0 km ahead → even, first half under control, let go at the end
• Plus 2 more notable descents not listed: your pace.

Weather

On race day, start temperatures have historically ranged from 9°C to 16°C, with around 11°C at the highest point; the chance of precipitation is about 56%. Heavy rain of 10.0mm or more falls on about 10% of days around this date.