Ultimate Expedition 60K

Race strategy

Hold a steady pace and save energy for every section.

• Big early climb with 1060m gain. Hold your pace, save your legs for later.
• 970m descent. Go easy, save your quads.
• The finish is runnable. Save your legs to run it all the way.
• Long race. Control your HR and effort. Early mistakes cost the most.
• Ease into the early runnable section, save your quads on the descents until 44.4km, then run your race pace.
• Start · 0.0km–2.0km · Race-day nerves push your heart rate up: don't follow the crowd, find your own rhythm.
• Settle in · 2.0km–12.8km · Climb of 1055m, high point 1969m. 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. Hike the steepest pitches.
• Work · 12.8km–31.2km · Descent of 970m averaging 9%, climb of 625m. Plus 1 more 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. Hike the steepest pitches.
• Fade · 31.2km–44.4km · Climb of 680m, descent of 728m averaging 16%. 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. Hike the steepest pitches. Your heart rate drifts down on its own: don't chase your early-race numbers, go by feel.
• Home · 44.4km–63.7km · 19.3km of runnable trail. No heroics: settle back into your own effort and hold it to the line. Running pays off here: run wherever you can.

Course

The course climbs 3236m+. With 51m/km of climbing, this is a true mountain course with sustained climbs and descents. By gradient, 33% of the distance is uphill, 30% downhill and 37% flat. The longest climb runs 8.6km at an average 7.9% grade (680m of vertical). The longest descent runs 10.3km at an average 9.5% grade (970m of vertical). The steepest climb averages 41.2% over 0.6km. The steepest descent drops at 47.9% over 0.7km. Surface: 47% road, 37% trail, and 10% smooth. Flat-equivalent effort: 92.4 FlatKM.

Poles