Stubai Classic

Race strategy

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

• Big early climb with 1250m gain. Hold your pace, save your legs for later.
• Steep 34% wall. Control your pace and stay focused.
• 1214m descent. Go easy, save your quads.
• Final 1071m 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 15.4km, then run your race pace, and start the final descent from 21.8km under control, then go all out near the bottom.
• Start · 0.0km–2.4km · Race-day nerves push your heart rate up: don't follow the crowd, find your own rhythm.
• Settle in · 2.4km–15.4km · Climb of 1246m, descent of 1214m averaging 16%, high point 2256m. Ease in: hold back more than feels necessary. The race is still ahead. 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.
• Work · 15.4km–21.8km · Climb of 860m. This is where the race is built: steady, solid effort. Climb by heart rate or breathing, not pace.
• Home · 21.8km–31.4km · Descent of 1071m averaging 11%. 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 2300m+. With 74m/km of climbing, the course is exceptionally steep, with long hiking-grade sections. By gradient, 47% of the distance is uphill, 42% downhill and 10% flat. The longest climb runs 7.7km at an average 16.1% grade (1246m of vertical). The longest descent runs 9.7km at an average 11.1% grade (1071m of vertical). The steepest climb averages 34.1% over 0.8km. The steepest descent drops at 39.3% over 0.3km. Surface: 59% trail, 23% smooth, and 18% road. Flat-equivalent effort: 52.2 FlatKM.

Poles

Trekking poles are strongly recommended: about 5.6km of the course is steep enough for them to pay off.

Quad damage

Quad damage risk is moderate (index 30 of 100), with 54% 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 15.4km, then run your race pace, and start the final descent from 21.8km under control, then go all out near the bottom.
• #1 · 7.7–15.4 km · 1214 m D−, -15.8% · 16.0 km ahead → control
• 21.8–31.4 km · 1071 m D−, -11.1% · 0.0 km ahead → even, first half under control, let go at the end