CCC Aid Station Planner

The CCC (Courmayeur-Champex-Chamonix) is a 101km UTMB World Series race that covers the final two-thirds of the UTMB course in reverse, starting in Courmayeur, Italy and finishing in Chamonix, France. With 6,100m of elevation gain, it shares the same high mountain terrain as UTMB but at a more accessible distance.

The opening climb from Courmayeur. Unlike UTMB which arrives at Courmayeur after 79km, CCC runners start there fresh and immediately climb to Refuge Bertone (900m D+ in 7km). This opening test sorts runners early - going out too hard on the Bertone climb is the most common early mistake.

Shared terrain with UTMB. Runners who have studied UTMB know the Grand Col Ferret (Swiss border crossing), La Fouly, Champex-Lac, Trient, and Vallorcine well. The key difference is that CCC runners cover this section fresher than UTMB runners - which can lead to pacing errors in the other direction (going too fast because the legs feel good after "only" 40km).

The final climb to La Flegere. At 82km, the 1,200m climb to La Flegere is the last major effort before the descent into Chamonix. For runners finishing in 18-22 hours, this climb arrives in the early morning hours. Pacing this section conservatively determines finish condition.

Crew access points: La Fouly (37km), Champex-Lac (46km), Vallorcine (70km). Drop bags allowed at Champex-Lac and Trient.

Checkpoint data approximate - verify against current official UTMB World Series race guide at utmb.world before your race.

Most runners build race pacing plans by dividing total distance evenly - which ignores the fact that an uphill kilometre takes far longer than a flat one. This planner uses TrailMath's enhanced km-effort model to distribute your goal time proportionally by effort, not by distance.

The km-effort formula for each segment is: distance_km + gain_m/100 + loss_m/150. This is TrailMath's extension of the standard ITRA gain-only formula, which adds descent cost based on Minetti's finding that steep technical descents carry real metabolic load. A 5km segment with 500m of gain and 200m of loss has an effort of 5 + 5 + 1.3 = 11.3 km-effort - equivalent to running 11.3km flat. Time is allocated proportionally to this effort score.

Why gain and loss have asymmetric costs. Minetti et al. (2002) mapped the metabolic cost of inclined locomotion across gradients from -45% to +45%. The key findings: metabolic cost rises steeply above 15-20% uphill grade, making power hiking more energy-efficient than running on steep climbs. On descents, eccentric muscle loading (quads acting as brakes) creates its own metabolic cost - steep technical descents are far more demanding than the same gradient on a smooth fire road. The gain/100 + loss/150 asymmetry in the formula reflects this - gain is more costly per metre than loss, but loss is not free.

Power hiking threshold is flagged at segments where your computed pace exceeds 12 min/km (19 min/mile). This threshold corresponds to the crossover point where walking biomechanics become more efficient than running on steep uphill terrain. Strategic power hiking on marked segments preserves leg muscle for descents and reduces overall race time compared to running everything.

This km-effort model is the same formula used in TrailMath's training engine for load calculation (following Dan Johnston's asymmetric elevation scoring methodology), ensuring consistency between how your training load is measured and how your race effort is planned.

Minetti AE et al. (2002). Energy cost of walking and running at extreme uphill and downhill slopes. J Appl Physiol. 93(3):1039-46. Minetti AE et al. (1995). Mechanical determinants of gradient walking energetics in man. J Physiol. 481(Pt 1):235-43. ITRA. km-effort formula. International Trail Running Association. itra.run