The Rapperswil Half Marathon: Old Town, Cobblestones and the "Stairway to Heaven"

The Course: Two Laps, One Hot Spot

The run leg of IRONMAN 70.3 Switzerland is 21.1 km over two laps of roughly 10.5 km through Rapperswil's old town, past the fish market, finishing at Lidoplatz. The section everyone remembers is the staircase up to the castle, nicknamed the "Stairway to Heaven": short, steep, and you tackle it twice. Sources disagree on total elevation gain, ranging from about 60 to about 150 m: either way, it's not a flat run, but it's not a hilly run either. It's a fast course with one concentrated exception.

The Staircase: How to Handle It

Two trips up the steps means two moments where your heart rate spikes. The rule is: don't run the stairs flat out. Short strides, active arms, controlled breathing, and at the top give yourself 20-30 seconds to bring your pace back under control before pushing on. The time you "lose" by climbing sensibly, you get back on the fast kilometers that follow. Athletes who attack the steps on lap one often pay with cramps on lap two: in a half marathon after 90 km on a rolling bike course, your calves won't forgive you.

Pacing Over Two Laps

The two-lap format works in your favor: on the first pass you learn the course, on the second you exploit it. Set the first lap 5-10 seconds per kilometer slower than your goal pace, especially in the first 3 km after T2, when your legs are still in "bike mode." If you feel in control at kilometer 10, lap two is where you build your finish. Use the goal-time benchmarks: a sub 5:00 needs roughly a 1:40 run, a sub 5:30 roughly 1:52. Those numbers are only realistic if you managed the bike.

Footing, Cobblestones and Shoes

The city section runs partly over cobblestones and steps. Two practical consequences. First: choose shoes with good grip, especially if it rains — in early June in Switzerland, it happens. Carbon-plated super shoes remain a valid option for the fast sections, but test them on uneven ground before race day: some are unstable on wet cobblestones. Second: shorten your stride on the cobbles and watch where you put your feet, particularly on lap two when focus starts to fade.

Crowds and Aid Stations

The crowds are described as big at the hot spots, with music, and the repeated pass through the old town keeps the race alive: use it, but don't let it drag you past your pace in the loud sections. On aid stations, the sources consulted give no details on location or contents: plan your nutrition as if you had to be self-sufficient (gels on you, water at the aid stations) and check the official athlete guide when it comes out.

Specific Training: What to Do

• In the last 4-6 weeks, add short steep hill repeats (30-60 seconds) and, if you can, sessions on actual stairs: the movement is different from a runnable climb.
• Do at least two brick sessions (rolling bike ride + run) with the first kilometers at race pace: you need to know how your legs feel after 90 km with climbing.
• Test your race shoes on cobblestones or uneven ground, preferably wet.
• Decide your stair plan in advance: power-walking the steps is legitimate and often faster, in terms of overall race time, than running them.

There's one decision to make today: this course rewards those who start the run with something in reserve. Build that margin on the bike and the "Stairway to Heaven" becomes the best part of your race, not the most feared.