MXM 50K

Race strategy

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

• 498m descent. Go easy, save your quads.
• Steep 26% wall. Control your pace and stay focused.
• The finish is runnable. Save your legs to run it all the way.
• Long race. Control your HR and effort. Early mistakes cost the most.
• Ease into the early runnable section, save your quads on the descents until 35.5km, then run your race pace.
• 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–29.8km · Descent of 498m averaging 15%, climb of 723m, high point 756m. 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.
• Fade · 29.8km–41.5km · Descent of 788m averaging 14%. Plus 1 more climb. 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 · 41.5km–52.0km · 10.5km 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

By gradient, 35% of the distance is uphill, 32% downhill and 33% flat. The longest climb runs 8.4km at an average 8.6% grade (723m of vertical). The longest descent runs 5.6km at an average 14.0% grade (788m of vertical). The steepest climb averages 29.0% over 0.3km. The steepest descent drops at 30.7% over 0.3km. Surface: 56% trail and 15% road.

Poles

Trekking poles are worth taking: about 6.2km of the course favours them.

Quad damage

Quad damage risk is moderate (index 31 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.

• Ease into the early runnable section, save your quads on the descents until 35.5km, then run your race pace.
• #1 · 13.0–16.4 km · 498 m D−, -14.8% · 35.6 km ahead → control
• #2 · 29.8–35.5 km · 788 m D−, -14.0% · 16.5 km ahead → control