North Downs Way 100.
The North Downs Way 100 is a non-stop trail race from Farnham in the Surrey Hills to Ashford in Kent, and despite the name it runs to 103 miles. Preparing for it means preparing for two things: the sawtooth before halfway, and having any running left for the last 40 kilometres.
North Downs Way 100 2027: Course, Elevation & Route Profile
The course is a single line from west to east: 99.6 miles follow the North Downs Way itself, broken only by a brief detour to the Knockholt Pound aid station and a last deviation to the Julie Rose Athletics Stadium in Ashford. Guildford, Box Hill, Reigate Hill, Merstham, Oxted and Wrotham pass in turn before the route takes the Medway Bridge and sets off on the long approach to Ashford. Four fifths is trail, the rest road, and race markings add to the permanent North Downs Way signs.
The first 30-odd kilometres stay a long, quiet rise and fall up to just over 200 metres. Then the route drops to around 50 metres before kilometre 38, and the first hard ramp climbs back out for more than a kilometre at twelve percent. The pattern repeats at kilometres 48 and 56. After a stretch along the high ground, with the top of the race around kilometre 76, kilometre 88 brings the longest climb, nearly two kilometres of it.
From kilometre 106 the course gives back almost everything it has gained, until at kilometre 115 it sits lower than at any point since kilometre 17. The way back up ends with the last steep ramp at kilometre 125, as steep on average as the first. After that the line settles down before falling away to Ashford at the very end.
| Start | Length | Ø | Max. | Gain | Cat. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| km 39.5 | 1.2 km | 12.3 % | 31 % | +144 m | Cat. 4 |
| km 47.7 | 1 km | 11.5 % | 24.8 % | +110 m | Cat. 4 |
| km 56.4 | 0.9 km | 9 % | 16 % | +79 m | — |
| km 68.7 | 0.9 km | 10.3 % | 18.6 % | +93 m | Cat. 4 |
| km 87.7 | 1.9 km | 7.6 % | 21.6 % | +145 m | Cat. 4 |
| km 99.2 | 1.1 km | 8.6 % | 17.6 % | +94 m | Cat. 4 |
| km 104.7 | 0.7 km | 10.7 % | 24.8 % | +75 m | — |
| km 125.3 | 1 km | 12.6 % | 21.6 % | +120 m | Cat. 4 |
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 North Downs Way 100.
Start under control
Only about a fifth of this course is truly flat, so running or walking is a decision you make all day long. Walk the steep pitches briskly from the outset and run the long gentle stretches so that they feel almost too easy through the morning. Fuelling belongs in that plan: twelve aid stations work out at one every 14 km or so.
Hold your rhythm
The trap sits in the first 30 kilometres. They run easily, and anyone banking time there carries too much speed into the descents up to kilometre 60, where you lose as much as 140 metres in one go before the next ramp arrives. That bill goes to the quads, and you need those for more than a hundred kilometres yet.
Spend what is left
The race is decided between kilometres 85 and 127: the longest climb, two short ramps, the big descent and the last steep pitch, and if you are out for longer after the morning start, you meet much of this in the dark. Clear kilometre 125 without a collapse and almost 40 km remain that can still be run. The 30-hour limit only helps if you have not already spent that reserve.
Training plan for North Downs Way 100: 12-week build
Build the base
Age-group runners are out here for roughly 22 to 30 hours, with the cut-off setting the upper end. That makes it a sustained low-intensity aerobic effort, interrupted by short, steep spikes. What carries you to Ashford is not your best form on a hill but how little each individual ramp costs you.
Train race pace
The decisive phases come late: the steepest ramp on average waits at kilometre 125, and even the long climb at kilometre 88 arrives after a full day on your feet. So put the hard climbs at the end of your long runs rather than the start, and practise brisk power-hiking at ten to twelve percent on tired legs. Back-to-back long days on a weekend reproduce that fatigue better than a single very long run.
Rehearse the course
Descending needs its own work, since more than 40 percent of the course goes downhill. Repeated downhill runs on trails toughen the quads before the sawtooth after kilometre 38 tests them. And because a fifth of the way is on road, long stretches of tarmac belong in the build too, so the change of surface is not something you discover on race day.
Arrive fresh
With the date in early August, your longest sessions fall in early summer. Move at least one of them into the night, because anyone using the full cut-off runs through an entire one: head torch on, on trail, looking for markings in the dark. Use it to practise eating to the rhythm of the aid stations as well, so your stomach still cooperates after 20 hours.
Courses
Download the North Downs Way 100 course as a GPX file for your watch or bike computer.
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Everything about North Downs Way 100.
How long is North Downs Way 100?
North Downs Way 100 is 167 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 North Downs Way 100 have?
North Downs Way 100 has around 3,411 m of elevation gain over 167 km. That affects pacing, muscular load, and preparation for late-race sections.
What is the route profile of North Downs Way 100?
North Downs Way 100 is classified as Hilly, averaging 20.6 vertical metres per kilometre. 20% of the route is flat, 30% climbs moderately (2 to 6%) and 7% is steeper than 6%.
What climbs does North Downs Way 100 have?
The hardest climb of North Downs Way 100 starts at kilometre 87.7, runs for 1.9 km at an average of 7.6% and gains 145 metres. Cycling-convention rating: Cat. 4. 8 climbs are mapped in total.
Is North Downs Way 100 a loop course?
No, North Downs Way 100 is a point-to-point course: start and finish are in different places.
Is there a GPX file for the North Downs Way 100 course?
Yes. The North Downs Way 100 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 North Downs Way 100?
Preparation for North Downs Way 100 should account for 167 km, 3,411 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 North Downs Way 100?
The pacing strategy for North Downs Way 100 should reflect 167 km, 3,411 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 North Downs Way 100 take place?
North Downs Way 100 takes place on August 7, 2027.
Where does North Downs Way 100 take place?
North Downs Way 100 takes place in Farnham, United Kingdom.
How do I register for North Downs Way 100?
Registration runs through the organiser: centurionrunning.com. YOUB shows you the course, elevation profile and training plan for your preparation.
