Nice by UTMB 50 k - Race Plan
I will race the Menton - Nice 50K at Nice by UTMB this Saturday. The course is 62 km with 3300 m of climb and descent from the coastal town of Menton to Nice.
Yes, 62 km is longer than 50 km - exact distances don’t seem to matter much in trail running.
The categories UTMB uses for races are: 20K, 50K, 100K, and 100M. I get an extra 12 km for free - which is fun for me, I guess. It makes up for earlier this year when I raced a 50K in Salzburg which was ‘only’ 39 km.
Rather than write about my training and preparation, like I did for Seville Marathon in February (here) and the World Trail and Mountain Running Championships (here), I thought I’d write about my race plan.
Why?
Mostly because I don’t feel that well trained right now.
That might sound like I’m building my excuses but it is also about preparing to execute a good race regardless of what my preparation has been.
I can’t change my training now, but there are still things that can have an impact on my performance on Saturday.
It took a lot longer for me to recover from the World Mountain Running Championships than I thought it would (running that ‘50K’ in Salzburg 10 day’s later was maybe not the best plan!). Recovery is an area of learning for me as I move toward longer races.
I haven’t felt like I’ve been at 100% capacity since then.
In particular, the last four weeks have been quite different for me training-wise. I have dealt with nagging shin and hip issues which have pushed me toward cross training (mostly cycling) for the majority of my training.
I am not 100% sure how the body will hold up during this race. However, I am quite confident that I won’t do myself any lasting damage through trying - so long as I leave the ego behind and don’t push through if the pain does resurface.
I entered this race to give myself more experience at a longer distance. Although I hoped I would be better prepared, I can still achieve that goal. I just have to be smart and race with the fitness I have.
Race plan
For long trail/mountain races, I think there are three things to pay attention to when planning race tactics: the race profile, your own fitness, and your goals.
The race profile
The race starts with a vertical kilometer (7.8 km, +1100 m) from the coast to the Col du Berceau, followed by a big descent (7.7 km, -940 m) to Monti. It mostly climbs from Monti to the Col de la Madone (27.6 km, 2455 m total ascent), although it is somewhat undulating, before mostly descending to the finish in Nice.
I’ll split the race into three parts:
The first 15.5 km - Menton to Monti
15.5 km to 27.6 km - Monti to Col de la Madone
27.6 km to the finish - Col de la Madone to Finish
If it were a flat race, I would split it into roughly equal segments, but here I think it makes more sense to split it up based on the characteristics of the course:
Up and down (15.5 km, +1122 m, -954 m)
Undulating climb (12.1 km, +1333 m, -597 m)
Mostly descent (34.4 km, +826 m, -1724 m)
I got all the above information from the route description on the website and, based on their estimated times, expect that the first two segments together will probably take about as long as the third.
There are six aid stations on the course where I can pick up water or food/drink (supplied by the organizers). Two on each of the ‘segments’ above.
My fitness
Let’s start with the positives.
My base is good. I have done a good amount of volume (including some longer days) over the last few months although overall intensity has been a bit lower and there has been a lot of cross-training.
I feel strong uphill. I have been able to run uphill on the treadmill throughout the injury, so I have done that for intensity.
And the risks:
Shin/Hip injuries. Mostly resolved, but this will be beyond any test I’ve asked of them.
Lack of specific running - particularly downhill running (of which there will be a lot).
Goals
Normally position or time would be part of my goals heading into a race. This weekends race is more about gaining experience in managing myself over a long race. If I do that well - race to my fitness level - I think I can still do well in this race.
My goals for this race are:
Complete the race with good race management, pacing, and nutrition.
Don’t take yourself to seriously. Enjoy yourself.
Leave the ego boosting thoughts of position and time aside for now. All about process.
The race plan
The plan essentially boils down to pacing, nutrition and mindset.
In terms of pacing, I would much rather start too easy than too hard. I want to get to halfway feeling good, able to take advantage of the downhills in the second half of the course. With the adrenaline of a race start, this means starting much easier than I think. The downhills are particularly important, and I should take them easy, be efficient, and try to save my legs from a battering.
Nutrition-wise, I am going to aim for 90 g of carbohydrate per hour. This will be a mix of sports drink (320 g - four 500 ml bottles carried from the start, two full, two powder only), gels (180 g - mix of brands/flavors), and Turkish delight (100 g - cheap alternative to energy chews). It will work out as a bottle of sports drink, a gel, and some Turkish delight every hour and a half. I’ll have salt in some of my drinks, vinegar in case of cramps, a spare bar and gel - in case I go off the planned nutrition - and the option of picking up something else at an aid station.
Mindset for me is about staying relaxed, thinking clearly, and making good decisions even when the pressure/tiredness sets in. Part of the work toward achieving a good mindset is done in the days before the event - making sure all my kit and nutrition is ready, knowing details about the race (the course, when it starts, travel etc.), and minimizing extra stress in the days before the event. Writing this all down also helps. I know my plan, I know my goals, I know why I’m on the start line.
If I get these three things right, I think I’ll have a good day.
Kit
I’ll race in the Hoka Mafate Speed 4. I have used Hoka Tecton and Zinal 2 for my trail races so far this year, but think I’ll appreciate a little more cushion underfoot here. I gave some thought to taking poles - I think they can be super useful when you need to hike - but think I’ll leave them behind. Aside from the first climb, I think they might be more of a distraction than a benefit. For my shin, I’ll probably wear compression socks and stick some K-tape on it, because it will probably make me feel better on the day (even if it’s just a placebo).
Following the race
You can follow the race here. Race start is 8:00 local time, Saturday 30th September. The winner last year took 5h 54m, finishing around 14:00.
You might prefer to follow the 100K (actually 115 km) - where Jim Walmsley and Thibaut Baronian headline the men’s field and there is a strong contingent of British Women who could content at the front of the race - however, they will be out longer than me (I hope), so maybe flick back to the 50K every once in a while.