TG / FIELD NOTES · 2026 · PLAN / ACTUAL
Dagestan 74 km: finishing 2h37 ahead of plan
DWT 2026: 5,030 m climb and a documented 11h43 finish against a 14h20 race plan.
REAL PHOTOS / 2026 / DWT 77 · DAGHESTAN
Dagestan Wild Trail 2026 in photographs
First-hand images of the rocky canyon, night stage, snowy mountain terrain and race pacing.
An intentionally measured start
The 04:00 start came with a plan to control heart rate early, shorten the stride on descents and use poles uphill. My target finish was 18:20.
What the checkpoints show
Unkida was reached at 05:00 versus 05:50 planned; Rugudzha at 06:04 versus 09:15. By km 27 the difference exceeded three hours. The spreadsheet records checkpoints, but not a detailed post-race account of how each section felt.
A notably quicker finish
The finish time was 15:43: 11 hours 43 minutes after starting and 2 hours 37 minutes ahead of plan. The data establishes the result, not the exact reasons for the faster pace.
What the numbers show
| Checkpoint | KM | Plan | Actual | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Start | 0 | 04:00 | 04:00 | ±0:00 |
| Unkida | 11 | 05:50 | 05:00 | −0:50 |
| Rugudzha | 27 | 09:15 | 06:04 | −3:11 |
| Koroda | 46 | 12:30 | 09:16 | −3:14 |
| Sabida | 55 | 14:15 | 11:04 | −3:11 |
| Tsarskaya Road | 61 | 15:50 | 13:11 | −2:39 |
| Finish | 74 | 18:20 | 15:43 | −2:37 |
Source: author's personal race spreadsheet. Clock times are in Moscow time. Distances and elevation are as recorded, not official measurements.
LEARNINGS / ORIGINAL EXPERIENCE
Key takeaways
Separating measured splits from pre-race intentions keeps a race report factual and useful.
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