KAT 100 Miles

Race strategy

Hold a steady pace and save energy for every section.

• Big early climb with 1470m gain. Hold your pace, save your legs for later.
• 1166m descent. Go easy, save your quads.
• Final 1278m 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 121km, then run your race pace, and start the final descent from 151km under control, then go all out near the bottom.
• Start · 0.0km–1.4km · Race-day nerves push your heart rate up: don't follow the crowd, find your own rhythm.
• Settle in · 1.4km–12.1km · Climb of 1472m, high point 2098m. 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 · 12.1km–81.7km · Descent of 1166m averaging 14%, descent of 574m averaging 10%, descent of 1123m averaging 10%. 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. Running pays off here: run wherever you can. Hike the steepest pitches.
• Fade · 81.7km–151km · Descent of 1235m averaging 14%, descent of 1364m averaging 9%, climb of 1059m. Plus 3 more climbs and 1 descent. 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 · 151km–162km · Descent of 1278m 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 9000m+. With 53m/km of climbing, this is a true mountain course with sustained climbs and descents. By gradient, 40% of the distance is uphill, 42% downhill and 18% flat. The longest climb runs 12.1km at an average 12.2% grade (1472m of vertical). The longest descent runs 14.5km at an average 9.4% grade (1364m of vertical). The steepest climb averages 37.2% over 0.2km. The steepest descent drops at 33.6% over 0.7km. Surface: 50% trail, 24% smooth, 21% road, and 5% technical.