HURT100.
The HURT100 is a 100-mile run in the mountains around Honolulu that offers no variety of route at all: one 20-mile loop with three steep climbs, repeated until the distance is done. Almost nothing here is flat, so preparation comes down to quads that still carry you downhill on the final lap.
HURT100 2027: Course, Elevation & Route Profile
Start and finish sit at just over 100 metres, the low point of the loop. From there the lap climbs to around 500 metres in its first quarter, drops nearly back to where it began, and is up at the same height again by halfway. The third climb arrives just short of two thirds round and is the shortest and steepest, gaining more than 300 metres in about two kilometres. The last quarter is one long descent back to the start.
The terrain leaves little room for rhythm. Only about six percent of the course is flat, and roughly three fifths of it is steep ground, up or down. You race on trails in the mountain country around Honolulu, always the same ones. After two laps you know every ramp and exactly what comes next, and knowing does not make it easier. The HURT100 is not about changing scenery but about taking on the same piece of mountain again and again.
The race is scheduled across two days in mid-January. For most starters that means at least one night out on the course, with climbs they first met in daylight coming back under a headlamp.
| Start | Length | Ø | Max. | Gain | Cat. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| km 10 | 3.4 km | 10.8 % | 29.8 % | +364 m | Cat. 2 |
| km 17.6 | 2 km | 16.6 % | 36.7 % | +332 m | Cat. 2 |
| km 37.1 | 3.4 km | 10.8 % | 29.4 % | +363 m | Cat. 2 |
| km 44.7 | 2 km | 16.6 % | 36.8 % | +332 m | Cat. 2 |
| km 64.2 | 3.4 km | 10.8 % | 29.3 % | +363 m | Cat. 2 |
| km 91.3 | 3.4 km | 10.8 % | 28.8 % | +363 m | Cat. 2 |
| km 118.4 | 3.4 km | 10.8 % | 28.5 % | +363 m | Cat. 2 |
| km 145.5 | 3.4 km | 10.8 % | 28.5 % | +363 m | Cat. 2 |
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 HURT100.
Start under control
With this much steep ground, your running speed decides little; what counts is how economically you gain height and give it back. Hike the climbs from the very start, even where fresh legs could run them, and think in laps rather than miles. Every lap sets the same three tasks, and the only question is whether you can still solve them in the same stride at the end.
Hold your rhythm
The race is decided on the descents of the later laps. Close to a third of the course is steep downhill, and the long final quarter of each lap invites you to let go early on. The time gained there is small and the bill comes later: once you can no longer run downhill, a loop with hardly any flat ground gives you nowhere to win anything back.
Spend what is left
The trap is the lapped format itself. The first lap feels almost harmless on fresh legs, so settle on an effort you could repeat many times and hold yourself to it. Each lap also ends exactly where the race ends. Fix a routine for that moment so that the thought of stopping finds no room, above all at night.
Training plan for HURT100: 12-week build
Build the base
Expect around 28 to 36 hours as a well-prepared age-group runner. This is above all a long aerobic effort, though not an even one: the constant switch between steep hiking and steep downhill running loads the muscles far more than your heart rate suggests. Your lungs are not the limit here; your legs are.
Train race pace
The late laps decide the race, when your quads still have to absorb the descents. That puts downhill running on tired legs at the centre of training: steep descents at the end of long sessions rather than rested at the start, plus strength work for quads and hips to prepare them for all that braking.
Rehearse the course
The lapped character can be practised directly. Find a climb of 300 to 400 metres and repeat it within a session, in the same stride up and with the same discipline down. Long weekends with two mountain days back to back train what actually matters: not fresh speed but the ability to keep moving on tired legs. Pick a short loop for them and you practise the monotony as well.
Arrive fresh
At least one night is part of the race, so move some long sessions into the dark and get used to steep descents by headlamp. The January date also puts your build-up in autumn and early winter. If the trails near home are out of reach by then, replace the climbing with stairs or an inclined treadmill, and practise descending wherever you still can.
Courses
Download the HURT100 course as a GPX file for your watch or bike computer.
Let YOUB adapt your plan for HURT100 dynamically
Ben connects your goal, the course, current load, recovery, and calendar. Your plan stays pointed at race day even when real life is not perfectly plannable.
Everything about HURT100.
How long is HURT100?
HURT100 is 160.93 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 HURT100 have?
HURT100 has around 8,989 m of elevation gain over 160.93 km. That affects pacing, muscular load, and preparation for late-race sections.
What is the route profile of HURT100?
HURT100 is classified as Mountainous, averaging 55.3 vertical metres per kilometre. 6% of the route is flat, 15% climbs moderately (2 to 6%) and 31% is steeper than 6%.
What climbs does HURT100 have?
The hardest climb of HURT100 starts at kilometre 10, runs for 3.4 km at an average of 10.8% and gains 364 metres. Cycling-convention rating: Cat. 2. 8 climbs are mapped in total.
Is HURT100 a loop course?
Yes, HURT100 is laid out as a loop: start and finish are in the same place.
Is there a GPX file for the HURT100 course?
Yes. The HURT100 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 HURT100?
Preparation for HURT100 should account for 160.93 km, 8,989 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 HURT100?
The pacing strategy for HURT100 should reflect 160.93 km, 8,989 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 HURT100 2027 take place?
HURT100 2027 takes place on January 16, 2027.
Where does HURT100 2027 take place?
HURT100 2027 takes place in Honolulu, United States.
How do I register for HURT100?
Registration runs through the organiser: hurt100.com. YOUB shows you the course, elevation profile and training plan for your preparation.
