SEQ Trail Series: Daisy Hill.
At the SEQ Trail Series: Daisy Hill, the Short Course is the quick option: a rolling 12.6 km loop whose five climbs are never long but rarely let you settle into one rhythm. Preparing for it is about changes of pace and relaxed downhill running far more than strength on steep ground.
SEQ Trail Series: Daisy Hill 2027: Course, Elevation & Route Profile
The loop starts and finishes in the same place, and early in the morning it sets off with no climbing to speak of. Just before km 1 comes the longest climb, a little over 1.2 km but gentle enough to run from bottom to top. By km 4 small undulations have handed back most of that height.
The core of the race lies between km 4.2 and km 6.8. Two climbs in quick succession lead to the highest point of the course, and at just under 130 metres it makes clear that Daisy Hill is no mountain race. The only water point stands near the top of this passage, at about km 6.7. From there the course falls long and steadily to km 9, where a short ramp at nearly seven percent bites once more. After km 10 you drop almost to start level, with one last small kick at km 11.7 before the finish.
Daisy Hill is the eighth round of season 14 of the SEQ Trail Running Series: a small regional trail race with an amateur field but professional timing. An event singlet and a charity BBQ round out the day.
| Start | Length | Ø | Max. | Gain | Cat. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| km 1 | 1.3 km | 3.4 % | 7.7 % | +42 m | — |
| km 4.2 | 1 km | 3.7 % | 10.7 % | +37 m | — |
| km 6 | 0.9 km | 5 % | 10 % | +42 m | — |
| km 9.3 | 0.4 km | 6.7 % | 9.7 % | +28 m | — |
| km 11.7 | 0.4 km | 5.2 % | 7.2 % | +19 m | — |
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 SEQ Trail Series: Daisy Hill.
Start under control
Roughly four fifths of the course is either going up or going down, yet almost none of it is truly steep. You will hardly need to walk. Run by effort rather than by kilometre splits: your speed can swing with every undulation, your breathing should not.
Hold your rhythm
The race is decided between km 4.2 and km 6.8. Only a brief dip separates the two climbs, which gives you little recovery, and the second is the steeper. Reach the top able to run straight away, because the two-kilometre descent that follows is among the fastest parts of the day. Arrive gasping and you give back more time there than you gained going up.
Spend what is left
The trap is right at the start. That first climb is so gentle that on fresh legs it feels like flat ground, and running it at race effort sends the bill at km 5. Save something for the end too: the ramp at km 9.25 and the kick before the finish both follow descents that load the legs more than your watch suggests.
Training plan for SEQ Trail Series: Daisy Hill: 12-week build
Build the base
Age-group runners will be out for about 1:05 to 1:40 hours on the Short Course. That means sustained hard aerobic work, broken every few minutes by short, more intense stretches. No climb lasts long enough to become a question of strength, but the changes of pace add up.
Train race pace
The key session copies the passage from km 4.2: two climbs of around five minutes just under threshold, a short easy stretch between them, then several minutes of brisk running downhill or on the flat straight afterwards. Repeat the block two or three times. It teaches you to keep moving over the top rather than stalling there.
Rehearse the course
The second priority is downhill running. More than 40 percent of this course falls gently, and that is where speed is made. Add shallow descents to your steady runs, staying relaxed with a quick cadence, and move your tempo sessions from the road onto rolling trails. Long hikes or big vertical days do little for this race.
Arrive fresh
With the first climb arriving after little more than a kilometre, it pays to run a session or two early in the morning, breakfast and a short warm-up included. There is only one water point, past the halfway mark, so also test how much you need to drink beforehand. Final details come with the runner's guide, published on the Wednesday before the race.
Courses
Download the SEQ Trail Series: Daisy Hill course as a GPX file for your watch or bike computer.
Let YOUB adapt your plan for SEQ Trail Series: Daisy Hill dynamically
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Everything about SEQ Trail Series: Daisy Hill.
How long is SEQ Trail Series: Daisy Hill?
SEQ Trail Series: Daisy Hill is 12.6 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 SEQ Trail Series: Daisy Hill have?
SEQ Trail Series: Daisy Hill has around 224 m of elevation gain over 12.6 km. That affects pacing, muscular load, and preparation for late-race sections.
What is the route profile of SEQ Trail Series: Daisy Hill?
SEQ Trail Series: Daisy Hill is classified as Rolling, averaging 17.8 vertical metres per kilometre. 18% of the route is flat, 38% climbs moderately (2 to 6%) and 2% is steeper than 6%.
What climbs does SEQ Trail Series: Daisy Hill have?
The hardest climb of SEQ Trail Series: Daisy Hill starts at kilometre 1, runs for 1.3 km at an average of 3.4% and gains 42 metres. 5 climbs are mapped in total.
Is SEQ Trail Series: Daisy Hill a loop course?
Yes, SEQ Trail Series: Daisy Hill is laid out as a loop: start and finish are in the same place.
Is there a GPX file for the SEQ Trail Series: Daisy Hill course?
Yes. The SEQ Trail Series: Daisy Hill 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 SEQ Trail Series: Daisy Hill?
Preparation for SEQ Trail Series: Daisy Hill should account for 12.6 km, 224 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 SEQ Trail Series: Daisy Hill?
The pacing strategy for SEQ Trail Series: Daisy Hill should reflect 12.6 km, 224 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 SEQ Trail Series: Daisy Hill 2027 take place?
SEQ Trail Series: Daisy Hill 2027 takes place on March 14, 2027.
Where does SEQ Trail Series: Daisy Hill 2027 take place?
SEQ Trail Series: Daisy Hill 2027 takes place in Priestdale, Australia.
Which distances does SEQ Trail Series: Daisy Hill offer?
SEQ Trail Series: Daisy Hill offers 2 distances — Daisy Hill Short Course: 12.6 km; Daisy Hill Long Course: 18.5 km.
How do I register for SEQ Trail Series: Daisy Hill?
Registration runs through the organiser: seqtrailrunningseries.com.au. YOUB shows you the course, elevation profile and training plan for your preparation.
