Trail Running · Madeira

🇵🇹Madeira Island Ultra-Trail 85 km:
Course Analysis & Race Readiness

83 km with 5,236 m of climbing and 5,278 m of descent across 17 climbs and 12 descents. Nearly half the course points downhill, punctuated by very steep grades that punish quads and demand relentless technical control.

CourseRecon scores your own training against the descending and durability demands that define Madeira Island Ultra-Trail 85 km — the sample analysis below shows exactly how.

82.5 km

Distance

+5,200 m

Vertical Gain

−5,240 m

Total Descent

Apr 24, 2027

Next Edition · 276 days out

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The Course · GPS-Measured

What 82.5 km / 51.3 mi and 5,200 m / 17,050 ft of vertical gain actually look like

Measured from the GPS track: 82.5 km / 51.3 mi and 5,200 m / 17,050 ft of vertical gain. This is the terrain you're signing up for: read it before it reads you.

Course Profile

Segments

Daylight

Terrain summary

Claimed vs GPS-Measured

Claimed · Organizer

82.5km

Distance

+5,240m

Gain

−0.0 km−40 m

GPS-Measured

82.5km

Distance

+5,200m

Gain

Climb & Gradient

+5,200 mTotal Gain

−5,240 mTotal Loss

Gradient Distribution

22%

Flat

≤3% grade

22%

Run-Climb

3–15% up

15%

Steep Climb

>15% up

41%

Descent

downhill

Steepest Sustained Sections

Descent

KM 24.4–28.2 · −765 m

-19.9%

Climb

KM 10.2–14.2 · +687 m

+17.3%

ClimbCRUX

KM 30.3–37.1 · +1,050 m

+15.5%

Descent

KM 53.5–63.2 · −1,081 m

-11.1%

Finish & Cutoff Times

What it takes to finish

Reference finish times from past results — use them to set a realistic goal pace.

8h 44m

Winning time

10h 09m

Top 5

10h 30m

Top 10

15h 58m

Median finisher

25h 00m

Back of pack

What This Race Demands

Four things this course asks of your body

Every course weights the four pillars of mountain-ultra fitness differently. Descending carries 53% of the scoring weight on this course — the terrain makes that the deciding factor.

Weighting shows where readiness is won or lost at this distance — not whether you need each pillar. An aerobic base is a given for a race this long, so it carries little deciding weight even though it's essential — the gaps open on the climbs, descents and the back half.

AerobicSustained engine

Foundational

Sustained effort over 83 km climbing to a 1,786 m high point demands deep aerobic reserves.

ClimbingVertical power

21%

5,236 m of gain across 17 climbs, with one 7.1 km ascent gaining 1,050 m.

DescendingEccentric / braking

53%

5,278 m of loss over 12 descents, including a 9.7 km drop of 1,081 m.

DurabilityLate-race resilience

26%

Repeated very steep up-and-down over 83 km grinds down legs and technique late.

The Profile in One Line

A relentlessly steep 83 km loop where 5,278 m of descent, not the climbs, decides the day.

Aerobic FoundationalClimbing 21%Descending 53%Durability 26%

Here's how CourseRecon reads a course and an athlete

Sample Readiness Analysis

What a readiness result looks like for this course

This is a worked example for a representative strong mountain-ultra athlete — not your score. Connect your own training and the same analysis runs on you.

Sample

OUT OF 100

READY

For a representative strong mountain-ultra athlete

This is a sample — connect your Strava to see your own result.

Pillar Breakdown

Aerobic

Covering 83 km from 50 m up to a 1,786 m high point requires a broad aerobic base to sustain effort across 17 climbs. Time on feet in this LONG class keeps the aerobic system taxed throughout.

Climbing

With 5,236 m of gain over 17 climbs and 22.3 km at very steep grade, sustained power-hiking and climbing efficiency are essential. The biggest ascent gains 1,050 m over 7.1 km at 15.5%.

Descending

At 5,278 m of loss and 46% of the course pointing downhill, descending is the decisive capacity. Some 20.2 km sits at very steep descent grade, demanding braking strength and technical footwork.

Durability

Alternating 17 climbs and 12 descents over 83 km with matched 5,236 m gain and 5,278 m loss loads the legs repeatedly. Eccentric damage from steep descents accumulates and threatens late-race collapse.

km 30–37

The 1,050 m Climb

The course's biggest ascent gains 1,050 m over 7.1 km at 15.5% up to high ground. Pacing this very steep climb without spiking the effort protects the legs for what follows.

km 53–63

The 1,081 m Descent

A 9.7 km descent shedding 1,081 m at -11.1% arrives well into the race. On tired quads this long drop is where descending strength and technical control separate the field.

km 24–28

The Steepest Drop

A -19.9% plunge losing 765 m over 3.8 km comes early and tests braking control before the legs are fully loaded. Reckless descending here mortgages the second half.

That was a sample