PTR 100

Race strategy

Hold a steady pace and save energy for every section.

• 627m descent. Go easy, save your quads.
• Big early climb with 1140m gain. Hold your pace, save your legs for later.
• Final 2283m 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 way down from it until 14.5km, then run your race pace, and start the final descent from 73.7km 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–8.3km · Climb of 671m. Ease in: hold back more than feels necessary. The race is still ahead. Climb by heart rate or breathing, not pace.
• Work · 8.3km–54.7km · Descent of 627m averaging 10%, climb of 1144m. 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 · 54.7km–73.7km · Plus 2 more climbs. 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 · 73.7km–100km · Descent of 2283m averaging 9%, high point 1817m. 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 4850m+. With 48m/km of climbing, this is a true mountain course with sustained climbs and descents. By gradient, 33% of the distance is uphill, 36% downhill and 32% flat. The longest climb runs 8.3km at an average 8.1% grade (671m of vertical). The longest descent runs 26.6km at an average 8.6% grade (2283m of vertical). The steepest climb averages 37.0% over 0.2km. The steepest descent drops at 42.3% over 0.3km. Surface: 36% trail, 26% road, and 19% smooth.

Poles