Camins d'Hèr

Race strategy

Hold a steady pace and save energy for every section.

• Big early climb with 1440m gain. Hold your pace, save your legs for later.
• 819m descent. Go easy, save your quads.
• Final 1238m 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 climb, save your quads on the descents until 59.6km, then run your race pace, and start the final descent from 101km 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–12.2km · 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. Running pays off here: run wherever you can.
• Work · 12.2km–53.3km · Climb of 1444m, descent of 302m averaging 8%, descent of 819m averaging 15%. Plus 1 more climb. 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. Running pays off here: run wherever you can. At altitude your pace drops, and that's fine. Hike the steepest pitches.
• Fade · 53.3km–101km · Descent of 635m averaging 10%, climb of 1147m, climb of 1079m. Plus 2 more descents. 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. Running pays off here: run wherever you can. Hike the steepest pitches. Your heart rate drifts down on its own: don't chase your early-race numbers, go by feel.
• Home · 101km–108km · Descent of 1238m averaging 19%. 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 6400m+. With 58m/km of climbing, this is a true mountain course with sustained climbs and descents. By gradient, 41% of the distance is uphill, 37% downhill and 23% flat. The longest climb runs 15.8km at an average 7.3% grade (1147m of vertical). The longest descent runs 6.5km at an average 13.4% grade (874m of vertical). The steepest climb averages 43.5% over 0.2km. The steepest descent drops at 30.5% over 0.2km. Surface: 76% trail, 13% smooth, and 8% road. Flat-equivalent effort: 163.1 FlatKM.

Summits

The course also passes close to Cap dera Cometa des Calhaus (2253m).

Poles

Trekking poles are strongly recommended: about 9.5km of the course is steep enough for them to pay off.

Quad damage

Quad damage risk is high (index 59 of 100), with 38% 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 climb, save your quads on the descents until 59.6km, then run your race pace, and start the final descent from 101km under control, then go all out near the bottom.
• #3 · 24.3–28.0 km · 302 m D−, -8.2% · 79.7 km ahead → control
• #1 · 36.8–42.2 km · 819 m D−, -15.0% · 65.5 km ahead → control
• #2 · 53.3–59.6 km · 635 m D−, -10.0% · 48.1 km ahead → control
• 75.4–79.3 km · 378 m D−, -9.8% · 28.4 km ahead → your pace
• 101.3–107.7 km · 1238 m D−, -19.3% · 0.0 km ahead → even, first half under control, let go at the end
• Plus 1 more notable descent not listed: your pace.

Weather

On race day, start temperatures have historically ranged from 11°C to 19°C, with around 13°C at the highest point; the chance of precipitation is about 31%. Heavy rain of 10.0mm or more falls on about 4% of days around this date.