Races
SwissPeaks
Ten days across Switzerland. Seven hundred kilometers. Cols stacked on cols. This is its own season.
- Start2,146 ft
- High9,217 ft
- Low1,224 ft
- Finish1,224 ft
Geometryderived
The cruxHigh cols above 2,400 m and long stone descents (near mile 283)
Course DNA
The Course
SwissPeaks runs 700 km through Switzerland. +67,019 ft gain and -67,941 ft loss. Surfaces skew 75% trail / 20% dirt road / 5% paved. High cols above 2,400 m and long stone descents. High point near 9,217 ft. Low near 1,224 ft. September temps run 32°F to 75°F. The course rewards patience early and punishes rushed descents after mile 217.
The Work
Train for 67,019 feet of climbing across 700 km. Back-to-back long runs on trail. Practice power-hiking grades above 15 percent. 10 days total means limited margin: rehearse fueling every 45 to 60 minutes and downhill eccentric work weekly. Technicality 5/10. Build a block that simulates the crux near mile 283.
Kit
September in Switzerland: plan for 32°F to 75°F. Mandatory shell if rain is in forecast. Headlamp with spare batteries if 10 days pushes past dark. Poles help on sustained climbs above mile 109. Vest capacity for 2 liters minimum. Shoes matched to 75% trail: lugs for mud, rock plate if the course turns technical after mile 217.
Race Day
Hold effort through mile 109. The field often splits on the first big climb after mile 217. High cols above 2,400 m and long stone descents near mile 283 is where time is won or lost. Walk the steep pinches. Run the flats and gentle downhills. Crew at major aids: socks, calories, ice if hot. Transitions under 5 minutes when possible. Final third is 144 miles of fatigue management. Finish with reserve for the last descent.
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