Race Planner — thepacecalculator.com

Step 1 — Upload your course GPX file

📁

Drop GPX file here

or click to browse

Where to get your GPX file

Strava

Route or activity → ··· menu → Export GPX

Garmin Connect

Activity → gear icon → Export Original

AllTrails

Any trail page → Download → GPX file

Race website

Many races publish official course GPX files on their site

Step 2 — Set your goal time

Hours

Minutes

min

Seconds

sec

Split units

Upload a GPX file and set your goal time to generate your race plan.

Course elevation profile

↑ — gain

↓ — loss

📍 —

Mile-by-mile race plan

Mile	Terrain	Target pace	Effort	Elapsed

Screenshot or print to take on race day.

How grade-adjusted pace works

Running uphill at your flat pace is harder than it looks on paper. Grade-adjusted pace (GAP) normalizes your effort so each mile costs the same energy — regardless of slope.

+5% grade (moderate hill)~+45 sec/mi slower

+10% grade (steep hill)~+105 sec/mi slower

−5% grade (gentle descent)~−30 sec/mi faster

−10% grade (steep descent)~−25 sec/mi faster

−15%+ grade (very steep)near flat or slower

Steep descents give diminishing returns — braking forces cancel out gravity. Uses the Minetti curve, the same model as Strava & Garmin.

Descents give back less than climbs take — running steeply downhill is hard on the quads and you can only go so fast safely.

Race day strategy tips

On uphillsRun by effort, not pace

On downhillsDon't brake — lean forward

First mileAlways start conservative

Final mileLeave nothing in reserve

Your plan will show target paces — but on race day, use effort as your guide. Hills mess with GPS pacing anyway.

Terrain classification

Flat <30ft total vertical/mi

Rolling 30–80ft total vertical/mi

Hilly 80–150ft total vertical/mi

Hard >150ft total vertical/mi

Downhill net descent, significant loss

Labels use total vertical (gain + loss), not net grade — so a mile with a big climb and matching descent shows as Hilly, not Flat. Net direction shown separately. A ⚠ warning flags hidden steep pitches.

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