LLANCAHUE 45K

Race strategy

Run easy on the first mountain, then go all out on the second.

• 398m descent. Go easy, save your quads.
• The finish is runnable. Save your legs to run it all the way.
• Control your HR on the first climb, save your quads on the descents until 23.8km, then run your race pace.
• 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–23.8km · Descent of 398m averaging 6%, high point 464m. Plus 1 more climb. 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. Running pays off here: run wherever you can.
• Work · 23.8km–30.0km · Plus 1 more climb. This is where the race is built: steady, solid effort. Climb by heart rate or breathing, not pace.
• Home · 30.0km–44.8km · 14.7km of runnable trail. No heroics: settle back into your own effort and hold it to the line. Running pays off here: run wherever you can.

Course

The course climbs 1600m+. With 36m/km of climbing, this is a rolling, mostly runnable course. By gradient, 36% of the distance is uphill, 33% downhill and 31% flat. The longest climb runs 6.2km at an average 6.3% grade (391m of vertical). The longest descent runs 6.9km at an average 5.8% grade (398m of vertical). The steepest climb averages 18.4% over 0.3km. The steepest descent drops at 19.2% over 0.3km. Surface: 54% smooth and 46% trail. Flat-equivalent effort: 57.2 FlatKM.

Poles

Poles bring little benefit here: only about 2.6km of pole-friendly terrain.

Quad damage

Quad damage risk is moderate (index 20 of 100), with 41% 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 climb, save your quads on the descents until 23.8km, then run your race pace.
• #1 · 17.0–23.8 km · 398 m D−, -5.8% · 20.9 km ahead → control

Weather

On race day, start temperatures have historically ranged from 3°C to 11°C, with around 7°C at the highest point; the chance of precipitation is about 63%. Heavy rain of 10.0mm or more falls on about 21% of days around this date.