The Hardmoors 55.
The Hardmoors 55 is, despite the name, a 53-mile trail race from Guisborough to Helmsley, one way, with a 16-hour limit. No single mountain settles it. A long sequence of short, steep ramps does, so your preparation has to cover two skills: hiking uphill with real force and still running downhill well once you are past marathon distance.
The Hardmoors 55 2027: Course, Elevation & Route Profile
From the start in Guisborough at around 100 metres the course gains height quickly, reaching almost 300 metres after seven kilometres. It rolls along up there until kilometre 15, then drops away before a 150-metre climb from kilometre 18 opens the long approach to the high point of the day, a little over 440 metres at around kilometre 28.
The core of the race follows straight after. Between kilometres 32 and 38 come three climbs of about 100 metres each, none of them a full kilometre long, all averaging double-digit gradients, with a descent after every one. The course then sinks to roughly 140 metres by kilometre 43. From kilometre 51 the biggest single climb of the day gains 220 metres in under three kilometres, and it arrives late.
After that the route holds between 300 and 380 metres to about kilometre 67, then undulates out to Helmsley, finishing almost level with the start. Total ascent lands somewhere between 2,000 and 2,300 metres. Checkpoints such as Roseberry Topping, Kildale village hall, Clay Bank, Osmotherley and White Horse break up the day. They carry water and food, and at Kildale and Osmotherley your drop bag is waiting too.
| Start | Length | Ø | Max. | Gain | Cat. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| km 1.7 | 1 km | 8.5 % | 14.9 % | +80 m | Cat. 4 |
| km 13.2 | 1 km | 8.1 % | 10.2 % | +83 m | Cat. 4 |
| km 17.8 | 2.2 km | 6.8 % | 17.1 % | +150 m | Cat. 4 |
| km 32.1 | 0.9 km | 11.2 % | 28 % | +103 m | Cat. 4 |
| km 35.2 | 0.8 km | 13.4 % | 25.8 % | +111 m | Cat. 4 |
| km 37.5 | 0.8 km | 12.3 % | 23.7 % | +92 m | Cat. 4 |
| km 44.7 | 1.9 km | 4.9 % | 10.5 % | +94 m | Cat. 4 |
| km 51.3 | 2.9 km | 7.5 % | 17.2 % | +220 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 The Hardmoors 55.
Start under control
The opening 30 kilometres are the most tempting of the day. Once the early climb is done the gradients are moderate, the legs are fresh and speed feels cheap. It is borrowed. Barely a sixth of the course is flat, so walking every steep ramp belongs in the plan from the first hour, not as an emergency measure later on.
Hold your rhythm
The race is won or lost between kilometres 32 and 54. The trap is the trio of ramps before kilometre 38, which invite an attack precisely because they are short. Pushing them costs heart rate on the way up, but the bill comes on the descents between them, when your quads are counting every hard landing. Overspend there and you meet the big climb from kilometre 51 with nothing left.
Spend what is left
Think in stages from checkpoint to checkpoint rather than in kilometres, and treat the drop bags at Kildale and Osmotherley as fixed points for food and a reset. The 16-hour limit needs only a little over five kilometres per hour on average, yet long stops eat that margin faster than it feels.
Training plan for The Hardmoors 55: 12-week build
Build the base
Expect something like 11 to 15 hours as an age-group runner. This is above all a long aerobic effort, repeatedly interrupted by steep spikes: easy running, strong hiking, and on the way down the muscular work a heart-rate reading never shows.
Train race pace
The key sections fall late. Past 30 kilometres your legs have to go steeply up and back down three times, and past 50 the longest climb is still ahead. So train the placement of the vertical as well as the amount: hill repeats of about 100 metres at the end of a long run match that middle section far better than the same climbing done on a fresh day.
Rehearse the course
Three things deserve a fixed place in your week. Brisk uphill hiking, because you will walk a large share of the gradients. Downhill running on tired legs, because this course gives back as much height as it gains. And back-to-back weekend runs that practise eating and drinking under load, since between checkpoints you look after yourself.
Arrive fresh
A race date of 20 March puts your longest runs in the winter months, so schedule them early. With a morning start close to the equinox, darkness arrives roughly twelve hours in. If you expect to need longer than that, move at least one long session into the evening and practise running by head torch.
Courses
Download the The Hardmoors 55 course as a GPX file for your watch or bike computer.
Let YOUB adapt your plan for The Hardmoors 55 dynamically
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Everything about The Hardmoors 55.
How long is The Hardmoors 55?
The Hardmoors 55 is 85.3 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 The Hardmoors 55 have?
The Hardmoors 55 has around 2,032 m of elevation gain over 85.3 km. That affects pacing, muscular load, and preparation for late-race sections.
What is the route profile of The Hardmoors 55?
The Hardmoors 55 is classified as Hilly, averaging 24 vertical metres per kilometre. 16% of the route is flat, 29% climbs moderately (2 to 6%) and 10% is steeper than 6%.
What climbs does The Hardmoors 55 have?
The hardest climb of The Hardmoors 55 starts at kilometre 51.3, runs for 2.9 km at an average of 7.5% and gains 220 metres. Cycling-convention rating: Cat. 3. 8 climbs are mapped in total.
Is The Hardmoors 55 a loop course?
No, The Hardmoors 55 is a point-to-point course: start and finish are in different places.
Is there a GPX file for the The Hardmoors 55 course?
Yes. The The Hardmoors 55 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 The Hardmoors 55?
Preparation for The Hardmoors 55 should account for 85.3 km, 2,032 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 The Hardmoors 55?
The pacing strategy for The Hardmoors 55 should reflect 85.3 km, 2,032 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 The Hardmoors 55 take place?
The Hardmoors 55 takes place on March 20, 2027.
Where does The Hardmoors 55 take place?
The Hardmoors 55 takes place in Guisborough, United Kingdom.
How do I register for The Hardmoors 55?
Registration runs through the organiser: hardmoors110.org.uk. YOUB shows you the course, elevation profile and training plan for your preparation.
