Cutoff plan
What stops most finishers is not the overall time limit but the checkpoint cutoffs along the way. Enter your target finish and the cutoffs: we show when you reach each point, how many minutes of buffer you have and which checkpoint will end your race.
The list filters as you type
For example 10:00 (10 hours) or 14:30 (14 hours 30 minutes).
Leave it empty to see elapsed time only.
One per line: km, cutoff, name. Cutoff in hours:minutes. Example line "32 8:15 Ayder". Write just the km if you do not know the cutoff.
Add a checkpoint to see the table.
Arrival times are derived from your target finish. Even pace gives every kilometre the same time; "I fade towards the end" runs the first half about 6 percent quicker and "very slow finish" about 12 percent, with the difference paid back later. The total stays the same in all three, only the distribution changes. Buffer is the cutoff minus the estimated arrival, so a negative value means you are out at that point. The maths does not know the gradient and does not include checkpoint stops, so tighten the buffer yourself on climb-heavy sections.
These are general ranges and assume normal conditions. Trail, heat, elevation gain, wind and technical ground all make the real time longer.
Frequently asked questions
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What is a cutoff?
It is the latest time you are allowed to reach a given point on the course. Miss it and the organisers pull you from the race, because marshals, lighting and road closures further along only run for a set window. In ultras almost every checkpoint carries its own cutoff.
Is a cutoff counted from the start time?
Almost always yes: cutoffs are published as elapsed time from the gun, such as "start plus 8 hours 15 minutes". Enter them here as elapsed time; if you also give the start time we show the clock time in the table. For wave starts, use your own wave.
Are checkpoint stops included?
No, the table assumes you keep moving. In ultras total aid station time ranges from 20 minutes to several hours: refilling a bottle takes a minute, eating soup and changing shoes takes fifteen. Add your average stop per checkpoint and read the buffer again.
How much buffer should I aim for?
A rough scale: at least half an hour at early checkpoints, an hour mid-race and two hours at the final one. Buffer erodes as the race goes on, because fatigue and darkness slow you down. Reaching the first checkpoint with ten minutes in hand is a gamble, not a plan.
Even pace or fading, which is realistic?
Nearly everyone slows in a long race, which is why fading is the default. A typical marathon slowdown is 5 to 10 percent; in ultras it is far more, depending on the course and the night section. Use even pace only on short, flat courses.
What if the table says I miss a cutoff?
Two honest options: slow your target finish and read the table again, or drop to the shorter distance. Banking time by starting fast is the most common mistake, since effort spent early costs you double in the last third. You can also use the table in reverse: find the slowest finish time that still clears the tightest checkpoint and build your plan around it.
Does this mislead on a hilly course?
It can, because the maths reads distance, not gradient. On a course with the climbing front-loaded you arrive later than the table says at the first checkpoint and earlier on a downhill finish. If you know the profile, use the trail effort tool section by section and enter checkpoint distances as effort kilometres.
Where do I find the checkpoint distances?
They are in the race manual or on the course map, and most organisers publish the cutoff table on the entry page. On Yarış Radarı the official site link on the race page takes you straight there. With a GPX file you can also set your own checkpoints using the course analysis tool.
How does a night section change the plan?
On trail in the dark, pace typically drops 10 to 25 percent, more on technical ground. The arrival column tells you which checkpoints fall at night, and doubling the buffer for those sections is a sensible rule. This is the main reason to enter your start time.
Do marathons have cutoffs too?
They do. Big city marathons usually carry an overall limit, commonly six hours, plus intermediate limits on bridges and main arteries. Once the roads reopen, anyone still on course is moved to the pavement. Enter those limits here as checkpoints to see your buffer.
Which races is this tool for?
Any race with checkpoints and time limits: ultras and trail races, long cycling events, marathons and walking events. Pick a course from our race list and the distance fills itself, then copy the rest from the race cutoff table.