Downhill Sections Are Crucial for Performance in Trail Running Ultramarathons—A Pacing Strategy Analysis

Abstract

Trail running is an increasingly popular discipline, especially over long-distance races (>42.195 km). Pacing strategy, i.e., how athletes modulate running speed for managing their energies during a race, appears to have a significant impact on overall performance. The aims of this study were to investigate whether performance level, terrain (i.e., uphill or downhill) and race stage affect pacing strategy and whether any interactions between these factors are evident. Race data from four race courses, with multiple editions (total races = 16), were retrieved from their respective events websites. A linear mixed effect model was applied to the full dataset, as well as to two subgroups of the top 10 male and female finishers, to assess potential differences in pacing strategy (i.e., investigated in terms of relative speed). Better finishers (i.e., athletes ranking in the best positions) tend to run downhill sections at higher relative speeds and uphill sections at lower relative speeds than slower counterparts (p < 0.001). In the later race stages, the relative speed decrease is larger in downhill sections than in uphill ones (p < 0.001) and in downhill sections, slower finishers perform systematically worse than faster ones, but the performance difference (i.e., between slower and faster finishers) becomes significantly larger in the later race stages (p < 0.001). Among elite athletes, no difference in pacing strategy between faster and slower finishers was found (p > 0.05). Both men (p < 0.001) and women (p < 0.001), in the later race stages, slow down more in downhill sections than in uphill ones. Moreover, elite women tend to slow down more than men (p < 0.001) in the later race stages, regardless of the terrain, in contrast to previous studies focusing on road ultramarathons. In conclusion, running downhill sections at higher relative speeds, most likely due to less accentuated fatigue effects, as well as minimizing performance decrease in the later race stages in downhill sections, appears to be a hallmark of the better finishers.

Variable Pacing Is Associated with Performance during the OCC® Ultra-Trail du Mont-Blanc® (2017–2021)

“…It is difficult to establish a connection between pacing variability and ultra-trail performance, as the profile of the race directly influences the mean speed, which has been the main variable used to analyze pacing. However, it might be suggested that this is due to the greater capacity of the high-level runners to adapt their effort to the profile (i.e., uphills and downhills) and race segment (i.e., early, or last part of the race), as previous studies have stated [ 19 ]. In this regard, it is also important to note that the OCC ® is significantly shorter (56.3 km) than the ultra-trails that had been previously analyzed (i.e., >100 km).…”

“…Unfortunately, in our study we did not have access to these data. Consequently, a recommendation for non-elite OCC ® participants would be to adapt their pace to the race profile with a slower pace during uphills and a faster pace during downhills [ 19 ]. Further studies considering the participants’ experience are warranted to confirm the validity of this recommendation.…”

Recommendations for Women in Mountain Sports and Hypoxia Training/Conditioning

“…These authors suggested that, from a performance perspective, the higher running economy may partially compensate for the lower V O 2max in female runners [ 87 ]. However, controversial findings exist on sex differences in fatigue resistance and pacing in road and trail ultra-marathons [ 81 , 88 , 89 ]. Some authors reported greater fatigue resistance and better pacing in female ultra-marathon participants [ 81 , 89 ], whereas others found that women tended to slow down more than men in the later stages of trail running ultra-marathons, despite the terrain (uphill and downhill) [ 88 ].…”

“…However, controversial findings exist on sex differences in fatigue resistance and pacing in road and trail ultra-marathons [ 81 , 88 , 89 ]. Some authors reported greater fatigue resistance and better pacing in female ultra-marathon participants [ 81 , 89 ], whereas others found that women tended to slow down more than men in the later stages of trail running ultra-marathons, despite the terrain (uphill and downhill) [ 88 ]. Further studies are needed to better understand sex differences in the energetics and biomechanics of incline walking and running, and fatigue resistance and pacing strategies in ultra-marathons controlling for fitness levels, anthropometric differences, menstrual cycle effect and the level of relative effort used for testing both sexes.…”

Effective Ultramarathon Pacing Strategies on Road and Trail: A Narrative Review

“…Since the first "Comrades Marathon" in 1921, ultramarathons have experienced meteoric growth [4,5]. As a result, ultrarunning has become increasingly popular and competitive [6,7], with as many as 1,500 runners participating in a single 100-mile race [7]. The majority of athletes that engage in ultramarathons are considered master athletes because they are at least 35 years old and either compete or prepare to compete.…”