Trail 50K

Race strategy

Hold a steady pace and save energy for every section.

• Big early climb with 1190m gain. Hold your pace, save your legs for later.
• 995m descent. Go easy, save your quads.
• Final 1584m 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 24.5km, then run your race pace, and start the final descent from 28.4km under control, then go all out near the bottom.
• Start · 0.0km–1.4km · Race-day nerves push your heart rate up: don't follow the crowd, find your own rhythm.
• Settle in · 1.4km–14.8km · Climb of 1185m, descent of 995m averaging 19%. 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 · 14.8km–24.5km · Climb of 823m, descent of 563m averaging 10%. 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. Hike the steepest pitches.
• Fade · 24.5km–28.4km · Climb of 819m, high point 2576m. 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 · 28.4km–48.7km · Descent of 1584m 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. Hike the steepest pitches.

Course

The course climbs 3400m+. With 68m/km of climbing, this is a true mountain course with sustained climbs and descents. By gradient, 42% of the distance is uphill, 48% downhill and 10% flat. The longest climb runs 9.4km at an average 12.6% grade (1185m of vertical). The longest descent runs 20.4km at an average 7.8% grade (1584m of vertical). The steepest climb averages 41.5% over 0.5km. The steepest descent drops at 39.3% over 0.3km. Surface: 68% trail, 22% smooth, and 8% road.