Whistler 50K

Race strategy

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

• Big early climb with 1500m gain. Hold your pace, save your legs for later.
• 1140m descent. Go easy, save your quads.
• Steep 28% wall. Control your pace and stay focused.
• Final 1335m descent. Save your legs to go all out on it.
• Control your HR on the first mountain, save your quads on the descents until 27.6km, then run your race pace, and start the final descent from 34.8km under control, then go all out near the bottom.
• Start · 0.0km–1.2km · Race-day nerves push your heart rate up: don't follow the crowd, find your own rhythm.
• Settle in · 1.2km–11.3km · Climb of 1498m, high point 2158m. Ease in: hold back more than feels necessary. The race is still ahead. Climb by heart rate or breathing, not pace.
• Work · 11.3km–20.8km · Descent of 283m averaging 10%. This is where the race is built: steady, solid effort. 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.
• Fade · 20.8km–34.8km · Descent of 1140m averaging 17%, climb of 1255m. 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. Hike the steepest pitches. Your heart rate drifts down on its own: don't chase your early-race numbers, go by feel.
• Home · 34.8km–49.2km · Descent of 1335m averaging 9%. 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.

Course

The course climbs 2942m+. With 59m/km of climbing, this is a true mountain course with sustained climbs and descents. By gradient, 42% of the distance is uphill, 50% downhill and 8% flat. The longest climb runs 11.3km at an average 13.3% grade (1498m of vertical). The longest descent runs 14.4km at an average 9.3% grade (1335m of vertical). The steepest climb averages 32.7% over 0.2km. The steepest descent drops at 27.8% over 1.1km. Surface: 68% trail, 23% smooth, and 6% technical.

Summits

The course also passes close to Whistler Mountain (2181m).

Poles

Trekking poles are worth taking: about 10.1km of the course favours them.

Quad damage

Quad damage risk is moderate (index 41 of 100), with 45% of the load in the first half: 2 descents deserve a plan and a couple of downhill sessions before race day.

• Control your HR on the first mountain, save your quads on the descents until 27.6km, then run your race pace, and start the final descent from 34.8km under control, then go all out near the bottom.
• #2 · 11.3–14.0 km · 283 m D−, -10.3% · 35.1 km ahead → control
• #1 · 20.8–27.6 km · 1140 m D−, -16.7% · 21.5 km ahead → control
• 34.8–49.2 km · 1335 m D−, -9.3% · 0.0 km ahead → even, first half under control, let go at the end