Quito 80K Oso

Race strategy

Run hard on the first mountain, but save energy for the second.

• Big early climb with 2820m gain. Hold your pace, save your legs for later.
• 769m descent. Go easy, save your quads.
• Final 871m descent. Save your legs to go all out on it.
• 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 58.2km, then run your race pace, and go all out on the final descent from 65.3km.
• Start · 0.0km–1.7km · Race-day nerves push your heart rate up: don't follow the crowd, find your own rhythm.
• Settle in · 1.7km–47.6km · Climb of 2815m. 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. At altitude your pace drops, and that's fine.
• Fade · 47.6km–65.3km · Descent of 769m averaging 7%, high point 3758m, climb of 502m. 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. At altitude your pace drops, and that's fine. Hike the steepest pitches. Your heart rate drifts down on its own: don't chase your early-race numbers, go by feel.
• Home · 65.3km–74.1km · Descent of 871m averaging 10%. No heroics: settle back into your own effort and hold it to the line. Long descent: keep it even and let go only near the end. At altitude your pace drops, and that's fine.

Course

The course climbs 4400m+. With 58m/km of climbing, this is a true mountain course with sustained climbs and descents. By gradient, 60% of the distance is uphill, 30% downhill and 10% flat. The longest climb runs 37.9km at an average 7.4% grade (2815m of vertical). The longest descent runs 10.6km at an average 7.2% grade (769m of vertical). The steepest climb averages 44.4% over 0.4km. The steepest descent drops at 39.6% over 0.2km. Surface: 43% trail, 26% road, and 21% smooth.

Poles

Poles bring little benefit here: only about 15.5km of pole-friendly terrain.

Quad damage