RT 100K

Race strategy

Hold a steady pace and save energy for every section.

• Big early climb with 1430m gain. Hold your pace, save your legs for later.
• 1230m descent. Go easy, save your quads.
• Final 1362m 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 climb, save your quads on the descents until 49.0km, then run your race pace, and start the final descent from 52.9km under control, then go all out near the bottom.
• Start · 0.0km–1.6km · Race-day nerves push your heart rate up: don't follow the crowd, find your own rhythm.
• Settle in · 1.6km–8.2km · Climb of 1429m. 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.
• Work · 8.2km–34.4km · Descent of 331m averaging 21%, climb of 575m. 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 · 34.4km–52.9km · Climb of 668m, high point 2211m, descent of 1230m averaging 12%, climb of 640m. 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 · 52.9km–66.2km · Descent of 1362m 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.

Course

The course climbs 3950m+. With 57m/km of climbing, this is a true mountain course with sustained climbs and descents. By gradient, 32% of the distance is uphill, 38% downhill and 30% flat. The longest climb runs 8.2km at an average 17.4% grade (1429m of vertical). The longest descent runs 13.3km at an average 10.3% grade (1362m of vertical). The steepest climb averages 42.9% over 0.2km. The steepest descent drops at 36.1% over 0.3km. Surface: 63% trail and 28% technical.

Summits

The course also passes close to Punta Finosa (887m).

Poles

Trekking poles are strongly recommended: about 10.6km of the course is steep enough for them to pay off.

Quad damage

Quad damage risk is moderate (index 44 of 100), with 28% of the load in the first half: 2 descents deserve a plan and a couple of downhill sessions before race day.

• Control your HR on the first climb, save your quads on the descents until 49.0km, then run your race pace, and start the final descent from 52.9km under control, then go all out near the bottom.
• #2 · 14.4–16.0 km · 331 m D−, -20.6% · 50.1 km ahead → control
• #1 · 38.5–49.0 km · 1230 m D−, -11.7% · 17.1 km ahead → control
• 52.9–66.2 km · 1362 m D−, -10.3% · 0.0 km ahead → even, first half under control, let go at the end