Never Summer 100km & 60km.
At the Never Summer 100km & 60km the shorter race is no gentle way into the mountains but a full day in Colorado's high country: from Gould, on the border of Rocky Mountain National Park, over tracks, trails and open cross-country ground to around 3,600 metres. Preparing for it means preparing for one extremely steep ramp and for what still follows it.
Never Summer 100km & 60km 2027: Course, Elevation & Route Profile
The loop starts at the Gould Community Center, and the first four kilometres or so are little more than a warm-up. Then the first big climb gains 666 metres in under six kilometres, topping out close to 3,500 metres. From there you stay above 3,100 metres until about km 28. The rise from km 18.7 adds more work at that height.
The heart of the race starts at km 33.8 and leads to the highest point of the day. It packs 636 metres of gain into just 3.6 kilometres. That averages almost 18 percent, far too steep for running. The descent that follows drops for about eleven kilometres back to start height, and anyone who treats km 49 as the end of the race is mistaken. Two more climbs lift you above 3,000 metres again before the course finally runs down to Gould. The 60 in the name is rounded: the finish is a little over 63 kilometres out.
Underfoot it changes between jeep tracks, logging roads, alpine trail and pathless cross-country, all on the border of the national park and the Medicine Bow Mountains. Moose, elk, deer, black bears and bighorn sheep live here, and with 300 places the field stays small.
| Start | Length | Ø | Max. | Gain | Cat. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| km 3.8 | 5.8 km | 11.5 % | 29.6 % | +666 m | Cat. 1 |
| km 10.8 | 1 km | 13.5 % | 20.3 % | +128 m | Cat. 4 |
| km 18.7 | 2.5 km | 10.1 % | 22.5 % | +250 m | Cat. 3 |
| km 32.4 | 0.7 km | 9.4 % | 13.7 % | +66 m | — |
| km 33.8 | 3.6 km | 17.8 % | 45.6 % | +636 m | Cat. 2 |
| km 39.9 | 1 km | 8.9 % | 20.5 % | +91 m | Cat. 4 |
| km 51.6 | 2.8 km | 4.3 % | 10.7 % | +120 m | Cat. 4 |
| km 54.7 | 1.5 km | 11.6 % | 20.4 % | +174 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 Never Summer 100km & 60km.
Start under control
Steep ground, up and down together, makes up a little over 40 percent of the course, so a steady pace does not exist here. Steer the effort by your breathing rather than your watch: you spend the whole day above 2,700 metres, and a heart rate that runs away at this height is hard to bring back.
Hold your rhythm
The race is decided from km 33.8. The steepest ramp hits when more than 1,000 metres of climbing are already in your legs. Find a hiking step you can hold without stopping. If you have to stand still near the top to catch your breath, you went too fast lower down.
Spend what is left
The real trap is the descent after it. Eleven kilometres of downhill tempt you to win back lost minutes, but hard braking at speed takes exactly the leg strength you still need from km 52. The last two climbs are short, yet they decide whether you run or walk the final kilometres into Gould.
Training plan for Never Summer 100km & 60km: 12-week build
Build the base
Age-group athletes should expect roughly 9 to 14 hours. That makes it less a run than a long day in the mountains: plenty of fast hiking uphill, long descents and very little flat ground on which your rhythm could recover. The effort stays mostly aerobic, with repeated hard phases on the steep ramps.
Train race pace
The key section asks you to push hard up very steep ground after more than 30 kilometres. So put the hardest climb of your long sessions at the end, not the start, and look for terrain that allows more than 600 metres of gain in one go. Steep hiking is a skill of its own: practise it under load and against the clock until you know what pace you can hold for an hour.
Rehearse the course
Your quads matter just as much. Long descents straight after long climbs, backed by leg strength work, prepare you for the eleven kilometres below the high point. Do some of this on uneven ground, because pathless sections and rough tracks demand sure footing once the legs are tired.
Arrive fresh
Altitude remains the factor hardest to reproduce at home. If you live at low elevation, arrive some days early if you can and plan on a deliberately lower pace on race day. Set up your clothing and food for a whole day in high alpine terrain, even with a date at the end of July.
Courses
Download the Never Summer 100km & 60km course as a GPX file for your watch or bike computer.
Let YOUB adapt your plan for Never Summer 100km & 60km 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 Never Summer 100km & 60km.
How long is Never Summer 100km & 60km?
Never Summer 100km & 60km is 60 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 Never Summer 100km & 60km have?
Never Summer 100km & 60km has around 2,472 m of elevation gain over 60 km. That affects pacing, muscular load, and preparation for late-race sections.
What is the route profile of Never Summer 100km & 60km?
Never Summer 100km & 60km is classified as Mountainous, averaging 39 vertical metres per kilometre. 15% of the route is flat, 21% climbs moderately (2 to 6%) and 20% is steeper than 6%.
What climbs does Never Summer 100km & 60km have?
The hardest climb of Never Summer 100km & 60km starts at kilometre 3.8, runs for 5.8 km at an average of 11.5% and gains 666 metres. Cycling-convention rating: Cat. 1. 8 climbs are mapped in total.
Is Never Summer 100km & 60km a loop course?
Yes, Never Summer 100km & 60km is laid out as a loop: start and finish are in the same place.
Is there a GPX file for the Never Summer 100km & 60km course?
Yes. The Never Summer 100km & 60km 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 Never Summer 100km & 60km?
Preparation for Never Summer 100km & 60km should account for 60 km, 2,472 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 Never Summer 100km & 60km?
The pacing strategy for Never Summer 100km & 60km should reflect 60 km, 2,472 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 Never Summer 100km & 60km take place?
Never Summer 100km & 60km takes place on July 30, 2027.
Where does Never Summer 100km & 60km take place?
Never Summer 100km & 60km takes place in Gould, United States.
Which distances does Never Summer 100km & 60km offer?
Never Summer 100km & 60km offers 2 distances — Never Summer 60km: 60 km; Never Summer 100km: 100 km.
How do I register for Never Summer 100km & 60km?
Registration runs through the organiser: gnarrunners.com. YOUB shows you the course, elevation profile and training plan for your preparation.
