Leeds Canal Side Run.
Over its shortest distance the Leeds Canal Side Run is a race with exactly one turn: two and a half kilometres out from Granary Wharf along the Leeds & Liverpool Canal and back the same way. It is almost level and short enough that your pace matters from the first kilometre.
Leeds Canal Side Run 2027: Course, Route Profile & Map
The start is at Granary Wharf in Leeds, and from there the course follows the Leeds & Liverpool Canal. After two and a half kilometres comes the turn, and the way back retraces the same line to where you began. By the second half you have already seen every metre of it, and you know exactly how much is left.
Up to the turn the course gains only about eight metres, spread so evenly that no stretch deserves to be called a climb, and the return hands them back. That makes the second half a touch easier than the first, a difference you are more likely to notice on your watch than in your legs.
The 10K and the half marathon use the same route and carry on past your turning point, so you get the most compact slice of the event. Music and food are part of the day on the canal. Feed and drink stations sit about three miles apart, which is nearly your whole race distance: you run this one on what you bring to the start line.
| Start | Length | Ø | Max. | Gain | Cat. |
|---|
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 Leeds Canal Side Run.
Start under control
Since nothing on this course slows you down, you have to do it yourself. The turn at halfway cuts the race into two equal pieces: out at goal pace with your breathing under control, back on whatever remains. The slight fall of the second half is too small to gift you time, but it removes any excuse for easing off there.
Hold your rhythm
The race is settled between the turn and the fourth kilometre. The turn itself breaks your rhythm, because you brake and have to pick the speed up again, and right after it the strain peaks while the finish still feels far enough away to bargain with. Treat the first steps out of the turn as a short, deliberate acceleration and find your cadence again at once.
Spend what is left
The biggest trap is kilometre one. On a level course without a single hill, a pace that is too quick feels harmless for a long time, and over a distance with so little margin you pay for it from kilometre three.
Training plan for Leeds Canal Side Run: 12-week build
Build the base
Age-group runners are out for roughly 25 to 35 minutes. That is an almost continuously hard effort, just below the point where your legs start to burn, with no recovery stretch and no feed station to force a break. As the course asks nothing in terms of climbing, one question remains: how long can you hold your goal pace?
Train race pace
Build the training around that. Intervals of 800 to 1,000 metres slightly faster than race pace raise your speed, which you then consolidate in longer blocks. A final session of two sets of two and a half kilometres at goal pace with a short pause mirrors the race directly: two equal pieces with a break in rhythm between them.
Rehearse the course
Practise the turn on purpose. Put turning points into your tempo runs where you brake, spin round and get back on pace within a few strides. On a course that otherwise asks for no technique, this is the one moment where skill buys you seconds.
Arrive fresh
The date of 6 March puts your preparation into January and February. One or two quality sessions a week on level ground are enough at this distance and keep your pace targets comparable. Run easily enough around them that you arrive at each one rested, and go into the last week with fresh legs.
Courses
Download the Leeds Canal Side Run course as a GPX file for your watch or bike computer.
Let YOUB adapt your plan for Leeds Canal Side Run 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 Leeds Canal Side Run.
How long is Leeds Canal Side Run?
Leeds Canal Side Run is 5 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 Leeds Canal Side Run have?
Leeds Canal Side Run has around 18 m of elevation gain over 5 km. That affects pacing, muscular load, and preparation for late-race sections.
What is the route profile of Leeds Canal Side Run?
Leeds Canal Side Run is classified as Flat, averaging 3.7 vertical metres per kilometre. 70% of the route is flat, 15% climbs moderately (2 to 6%) and 0% is steeper than 6%.
Is Leeds Canal Side Run a loop course?
Yes, Leeds Canal Side Run is laid out as a loop: start and finish are in the same place.
Is there a GPX file for the Leeds Canal Side Run course?
Yes. The Leeds Canal Side Run 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 Leeds Canal Side Run?
Preparation for Leeds Canal Side Run should account for 5 km, 18 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 Leeds Canal Side Run?
The pacing strategy for Leeds Canal Side Run should reflect 5 km, 18 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 Leeds Canal Side Run 2027 take place?
Leeds Canal Side Run 2027 takes place on March 6, 2027.
Where does Leeds Canal Side Run 2027 take place?
Leeds Canal Side Run 2027 takes place in Leeds, United Kingdom.
Which distances does Leeds Canal Side Run offer?
Leeds Canal Side Run offers 6 distances — 5K: 5 km; 10K: 10 km; Half Marathon: 21.1 km; 10 Miler: 16.09 km; 20 Miler: 32.19 km; Marathon: 42.2 km.
How do I register for Leeds Canal Side Run?
Registration runs through the organiser: itsgrimupnorthrunning.co.uk. YOUB shows you the course, elevation profile and training plan for your preparation.
