Lavaredo Ultra Trail Aid Station Planner

The Lavaredo Ultra Trail is a 120km loop through the Dolomites starting and finishing in Cortina d'Ampezzo, with 5,800m of elevation gain and loss. Run in late June, it is one of the most scenic mountain ultra-trails in the world - and one of the most technically demanding, with rocky singletrack and sustained climbs throughout.

Key sections. The race starts with an immediate climb to Rifugio Auronzo (13km), setting the tone early. The long traverse north through Sesto and Dobbiaco (55km) is runnable valley terrain where pace can be maintained. The return via Cortina (80km) is a critical crew access point - after this, two more major climbs await: Rifugio Cinque Torri and Passo Giau (2236m). Runners who arrive at Cortina too depleted rarely finish the final 40km.

Heat management. Late June in the Dolomites means potential for 25-28°C in valley sections. Fluid needs spike in the Sesto-Dobbiaco valley section. Plan extra fluid capacity from Sesto (40km) to Cortina (80km).

Crew access points: Sesto/Sexten (40km), Dobbiaco/Toblach (55km), Cortina d'Ampezzo (80km). Drop bags allowed at: Sesto (40km), Cimabanche (68km), Cortina (80km).

Checkpoint data approximate - verify against current official race guide at ultratraillavaredo.it 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