KAT Speed Trail

Race strategy

Run the climb at race pace, build your speed on the downhill, and go all out at the finish.

• Steep 37% wall. Control your pace and stay focused.
• Final 1447m descent. Save your legs to go all out on it.
• Control your HR on the first mountain, and start the final descent from 10.5km under control, then go all out near the bottom.
• 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–10.5km · Climb of 1405m, high point 2100m. 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.
• Home · 10.5km–23.3km · Descent of 1447m averaging 11%. Build to the finish: leave whatever you have left out on the course. Very long descent: first half under control, then even, let go only near the end.

Course

The course climbs 1650m+. With 69m/km of climbing, this is a true mountain course with sustained climbs and descents. By gradient, 45% of the distance is uphill, 45% downhill and 10% flat. The longest climb runs 10.5km at an average 13.3% grade (1405m of vertical). The longest descent runs 12.7km at an average 11.4% grade (1447m of vertical). The steepest climb averages 37.4% over 0.5km. The steepest descent drops at 25.2% over 0.4km. Surface: 61% trail, 21% smooth, 10% road, and 7% technical.

Summits

The highest summit on the course is Wildseeloder (2119m), 10.5km from the start.

Poles

Trekking poles are worth taking: about 5.2km of the course favours them.

Quad damage

Quad damage risk is moderate (index 23 of 100), with 15% of the load in the first half: 0 descents deserve a plan and a couple of downhill sessions before race day.

• Control your HR on the first mountain, and start the final descent from 10.5km under control, then go all out near the bottom.
• 10.5–23.3 km · 1447 m D−, -11.4% · 0.0 km ahead → even, first half under control, let go at the end