Speedgoat 50K

Race strategy

Hold a steady pace and save energy for every section.

• 1099m descent. Go easy, save your quads.
• Steep 44% wall. Control your pace and stay focused.
• High point at 3370m. Control your HR at altitude.
• Final 1039m descent. Save your legs to go all out on it.
• Control your HR on the first mountain, save your quads on the way down from it until 23.7km, then run your race pace, and start the final descent from 39.7km under control, then go all out near the bottom.
• 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–14.8km · Climb of 1328m. 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–23.7km · Descent of 1099m averaging 12%. This is where the race is built: steady, solid effort. 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.
• Fade · 23.7km–39.7km · Climb of 1379m, high point 3370m. Plus 1 more climb and 1 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. 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 · 39.7km–50.2km · Descent of 1039m 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 3450m+. With 69m/km of climbing, this is a true mountain course with sustained climbs and descents. By gradient, 44% of the distance is uphill, 53% downhill and 3% flat. The longest climb runs 14.8km at an average 9.0% grade (1328m of vertical). The longest descent runs 10.5km at an average 9.9% grade (1039m of vertical). The steepest climb averages 43.7% over 0.4km. The steepest descent drops at 25.4% over 0.4km. Surface: 92% trail.

Summits

The highest summit on the course is Mount Baldy (3374m), 34.0km from the start. Other named summits along the route: Hidden Peak (3350m).

Poles

Trekking poles are worth taking: about 7.9km of the course favours them.

Quad damage

Quad damage risk is moderate (index 44 of 100), with 45% of the load in the first half: 1 descent deserves a plan and a couple of downhill sessions before race day.

• Control your HR on the first mountain, save your quads on the way down from it until 23.7km, then run your race pace, and start the final descent from 39.7km under control, then go all out near the bottom.
• #1 · 14.7–23.7 km · 1099 m D−, -12.3% · 26.5 km ahead → control
• 34.0–37.4 km · 492 m D−, -14.4% · 12.8 km ahead → your pace
• 39.7–50.2 km · 1039 m D−, -9.9% · 0.0 km ahead → even, first half under control, let go at the end