Ultra 105K

Race strategy

Hold a steady pace and save energy for every section.

• Big early climb with 1860m gain. Control your HR at altitude.
• 2435m descent. Go easy, save your quads.
• Final 1387m 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 mountain, save your quads on the descents until 73.1km, then run your race pace, and start the final descent from 86.9km 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–13.1km · Climb of 1862m, high point 2900m. 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. Hike the steepest pitches.
• Work · 13.1km–53.5km · Descent of 2435m averaging 10%, climb of 1811m. 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.
• Fade · 53.5km–86.9km · Descent of 710m averaging 13%, descent of 926m averaging 9%, climb of 985m. Plus 2 more climbs 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. 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. Your heart rate drifts down on its own: don't chase your early-race numbers, go by feel.
• Home · 86.9km–103km · Descent of 1387m averaging 8%. 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 6800m+. With 65m/km of climbing, this is a true mountain course with sustained climbs and descents. By gradient, 38% of the distance is uphill, 46% downhill and 15% flat. The longest climb runs 16.0km at an average 11.3% grade (1811m of vertical). The longest descent runs 24.3km at an average 10.0% grade (2435m of vertical). The steepest climb averages 43.8% over 0.5km. The steepest descent drops at 60.2% over 0.3km. Surface: 77% trail, 11% road, and 8% smooth.

Summits

The highest summit on the course is Pic de Comapedrosa (2943m), 13.1km from the start.

Poles

Trekking poles are strongly recommended: about 17.1km of the course is steep enough for them to pay off.

Quad damage

Quad damage risk is high (index 65 of 100), with 41% of the load in the first half: 3 critical descents, the last of them run on already damaged legs. Downhill-specific preparation and a controlled early pace pay off here.

• Control your HR on the first mountain, save your quads on the descents until 73.1km, then run your race pace, and start the final descent from 86.9km under control, then go all out near the bottom.
• #1 · 13.1–37.4 km · 2435 m D−, -10.0% · 65.9 km ahead → control
• #2 · 53.4–59.0 km · 710 m D−, -12.7% · 44.3 km ahead → control
• #3 · 63.1–73.1 km · 926 m D−, -9.3% · 30.3 km ahead → control
• 74.9–81.3 km · 696 m D−, -10.9% · 22.0 km ahead → your pace
• 86.9–103.4 km · 1387 m D−, -8.4% · 0.0 km ahead → even, first half under control, let go at the end