Lavaredo 80K

Race strategy

Hold a steady pace and save energy for every section.

• Big early climb with 1510m gain. Hold your pace, save your legs for later.
• 1065m descent. Go easy, save your quads.
• Final 1089m 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 36.3km, then run your race pace, and start the final descent from 67.1km 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–10.4km · Climb of 1511m, high point 2450m. Ease in: hold back more than feels necessary. The race is still ahead. Climb by heart rate or breathing, not pace.
• Work · 10.4km–36.3km · Descent of 1065m averaging 11%, climb of 511m, descent of 508m averaging 10%. 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 · 36.3km–67.1km · Climb of 1045m, climb of 575m. Plus 1 more 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. 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 · 67.1km–78.3km · Descent of 1089m averaging 10%. 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 4600m+. With 58m/km of climbing, this is a true mountain course with sustained climbs and descents. By gradient, 40% of the distance is uphill, 39% downhill and 21% flat. The longest climb runs 13.7km at an average 7.6% grade (1045m of vertical). The longest descent runs 11.3km at an average 9.7% grade (1089m of vertical). The steepest climb averages 41.3% over 0.4km. The steepest descent drops at 29.9% over 0.4km. Surface: 71% trail, 14% smooth, 8% technical, and 8% road.