Speedgoat 30K

Race strategy

Hold a steady pace and save energy for every section.

• High point at 3344m. Control your HR at altitude.
• 465m descent. Go easy, save your quads.
• Steep 28% wall. Control your pace and stay focused.
• Final 1024m descent. Save your legs to go all out on it.
• Control your HR on the first mountain, save your quads on the descents until 18.1km, then run your race pace, and start the final descent from 20.3km 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–14.8km · Climb of 869m, high point 3344m. Plus 1 more climb and 1 descent. Ease in: hold back more than feels necessary. The race is still ahead. Climb by heart rate or breathing, not pace. At altitude your pace drops, and that's fine.
• Work · 14.8km–20.3km · Descent of 465m averaging 14%. Plus 1 more climb. 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. At altitude your pace drops, and that's fine. Hike the steepest pitches.
• Home · 20.3km–30.8km · Descent of 1024m 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. At altitude your pace drops, and that's fine.

Course

The course climbs 2000m+. With 65m/km of climbing, this is a true mountain course with sustained climbs and descents. By gradient, 41% of the distance is uphill, 52% downhill and 6% flat. The longest climb runs 8.0km at an average 10.9% grade (869m of vertical). The longest descent runs 10.5km at an average 9.7% grade (1024m of vertical). The steepest climb averages 29.7% over 0.3km. The steepest descent drops at 26.6% over 0.2km. Surface: 92% trail.

Summits

The highest summit on the course is Hidden Peak (3350m), 14.8km from the start.

Poles

Poles bring little benefit here: only about 5.3km of pole-friendly terrain.