Glen Lyon Ultra Marathon.
The Glen Lyon Ultra Marathon covers 31 miles in a remote glen in the Perthshire hills, 85 percent of it off road. You circle Loch Lyon with around six river crossings, then head over the hill into Glen Lochay. Prepare for the hardest climb of the day, which does not begin until kilometre 41.
Glen Lyon Ultra Marathon 2027: Course, Elevation & Route Profile
There is no warm-up here: 450 metres after the start the course climbs for almost a kilometre at twelve percent. Then comes the loop of Loch Lyon that opens the day and holds the six or so river crossings. No longer climb follows until kilometre 24, but the ground never quite settles, with only about a fifth of the whole route running flat.
Glen Lyon sits deep in the Perthshire hills, and that remoteness sets the character of the race. Apart from the tarmac section in the middle, you stay off road. Water and checkpoints come at roughly 13, 32 and 42 kilometres, with your drop bag at halfway. Between them, you rely on what you carry.
The route then crosses the hill into Glen Lochay. The two biggest climbs come late: just over two kilometres at a steady six percent from kilometre 24, and 2.7 kilometres at ten percent from kilometre 41. That final ascent alone holds around a quarter of the day's climbing. From the top, about six kilometres remain until the loop closes.
| Start | Length | Ø | Max. | Gain | Cat. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| km 0.5 | 1 km | 12 % | 22.2 % | +117 m | Cat. 4 |
| km 2.8 | 0.3 km | 7.1 % | 15.7 % | +23 m | — |
| km 3.3 | 0.4 km | 5.9 % | 29.2 % | +24 m | — |
| km 9.1 | 0.5 km | 3.4 % | 6.8 % | +17 m | — |
| km 23.9 | 2.3 km | 6.4 % | 10.1 % | +150 m | Cat. 4 |
| km 29.8 | 0.6 km | 5 % | 10.9 % | +29 m | — |
| km 33.2 | 1.3 km | 3.8 % | 11.4 % | +47 m | — |
| km 41.3 | 2.7 km | 10 % | 15.6 % | +273 m | Cat. 3 |
Climb categories follow the road-cycling convention and rate the terrain itself (length and gradient) regardless of sport: Cat. 4 marks the easiest rated climbs, Cat. 1 the hardest, and HC (hors catégorie, “beyond categorization”) is reserved for the most brutal ascents. Short climbs below the Cat. 4 threshold stay unrated.
How to pace Glen Lyon Ultra Marathon 2027.
Start under control
Treat the first climb as what it is: a kilometre of hiking straight after the gun, where nothing you gain will matter later. The loop of the loch then asks for patience over speed, because every river crossing breaks your rhythm. Pick it up calmly each time instead of chasing the lost seconds.
Hold your rhythm
The big trap is the stretch between the checkpoints at kilometres 13 and 32, the longest gap of the day, which also takes in the first long climb around halfway. The tarmac in the middle feels quick after hours off road. Run it easily, because the race has not started there yet.
Spend what is left
It is decided from kilometre 41. The last water and checkpoint sits at about the foot of the final climb, so use it before you hike nearly three kilometres at ten percent. If you can still march strongly here, you gain more time in a few kilometres than you did around the whole loch.
Training plan for Glen Lyon Ultra Marathon 2027: 12-week build
Build the base
Expect roughly six to nine hours out. The effort is mostly aerobic but constantly interrupted, by short ramps, by river crossings and by the switch between running and walking. Around 1,100 metres of climbing over 50 kilometres sounds moderate, yet only about half of it sits in the three big climbs, with the rest spread across constant up and down.
Train race pace
The key session is the long run with a late peak. Finish it on a steep two to three kilometre climb after four or more hours on your feet, and practise strong uphill walking there rather than running. Add weeks of hill intervals at around ten percent, because that is exactly the gradient you must hold at the end. Downhill running builds your quads for almost the same amount of descent.
Rehearse the course
The terrain needs its own preparation. Do most of your long runs off road and run some of them deliberately in wet shoes, so that you know how your feet and socks respond after the river crossings. You can rehearse the broken rhythm by stopping briefly on rough ground and settling straight back into an easy run.
Arrive fresh
Practise your self-sufficiency as well. Checkpoints can be up to 19 kilometres apart, so use your long runs to measure how much water and food that gap takes, and pack a drop bag you have tested on the move. With the race on 5 June, your volume should peak during the spring.
Courses
Download the Glen Lyon Ultra Marathon 2027 course as a GPX file for your watch or bike computer.
Let YOUB adapt your plan for Glen Lyon Ultra Marathon dynamically
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Everything about Glen Lyon Ultra Marathon.
How long is Glen Lyon Ultra Marathon 2027?
Glen Lyon Ultra Marathon 2027 is 49.89 km long. That distance shapes how much aerobic endurance, pace durability, and race-specific work belong in the training plan.
How much elevation gain does Glen Lyon Ultra Marathon 2027 have?
Glen Lyon Ultra Marathon 2027 has around 1,111 m of elevation gain over 49.89 km. That affects pacing, muscular load, and preparation for late-race sections.
What is the route profile of Glen Lyon Ultra Marathon 2027?
Glen Lyon Ultra Marathon 2027 is classified as Hilly, averaging 22.7 vertical metres per kilometre. 19% of the route is flat, 31% climbs moderately (2 to 6%) and 10% is steeper than 6%.
What climbs does Glen Lyon Ultra Marathon 2027 have?
The hardest climb of Glen Lyon Ultra Marathon 2027 starts at kilometre 41.3, runs for 2.7 km at an average of 10% and gains 273 metres. Cycling-convention rating: Cat. 3. 8 climbs are mapped in total.
Is Glen Lyon Ultra Marathon 2027 a loop course?
Yes, Glen Lyon Ultra Marathon 2027 is laid out as a loop: start and finish are in the same place.
Is there a GPX file for the Glen Lyon Ultra Marathon 2027 course?
Yes. The Glen Lyon Ultra Marathon 2027 course is on this page as a free GPX download — ready to import into Garmin, Wahoo, Komoot, Strava or any other app that reads GPX.
How should I prepare for Glen Lyon Ultra Marathon 2027?
Preparation for Glen Lyon Ultra Marathon 2027 should account for 49.89 km, 1,111 m of elevation gain, current training load, and available training time. An adaptive plan helps place key sessions without ignoring recovery and real life.
What pacing strategy works for Glen Lyon Ultra Marathon 2027?
The pacing strategy for Glen Lyon Ultra Marathon 2027 should reflect 49.89 km, 1,111 m of elevation gain, and your current fitness. Start controlled and keep margin for sections where the profile or fatigue makes target pace harder.
When does Glen Lyon Ultra Marathon 2027 take place?
Glen Lyon Ultra Marathon 2027 takes place on June 5, 2027.
Where does Glen Lyon Ultra Marathon 2027 take place?
Glen Lyon Ultra Marathon 2027 takes place in Loch Lyon, United Kingdom.
How do I register for Glen Lyon Ultra Marathon 2027?
Registration runs through the organiser: runyarocket.com. YOUB shows you the course, elevation profile and training plan for your preparation.
