Solstice Social - Exeter.
The Solstice Social is not a race but a social run on a 50k loop around Exeter, devised by local runner Andrew Iley. You set off from a car park early in the morning and reach a ridgetop park around sunset. The preparation that matters is for the climbing, which only starts to count once you are past 30 km.
Solstice Social 2026: Course, Elevation & Route Profile
It begins at Trood Road car park, and the loop gives away its height straight away: from 67 metres it drops almost to sea level in little more than a kilometre and stays low for a while. The first gradients arrive at 6 km and 12 km, the second of them noticeably stiffer. That one carries on up to just over 140 metres before the route falls away again and runs mostly low and rolling between 18 km and 30 km.
The core of the day sits in the final third. At 31 km the longest climb starts, gaining 143 metres in 1.7 km and touching almost 15 percent at its steepest. A second, gentler ascent then leads to the high point of the loop at 231 metres, just short of 35 km. Once the long descent is done, three more ramps wait from 43 km onwards, and the last of them only begins half a kilometre from the finish in the ridgetop park.
What shapes the day, though, is the format rather than the elevation. Ruby Red Running hosts this Christmas run just ahead of the winter solstice, free to enter and limited to 30 places. Donations go to the My Name'5 Doddie Foundation, an MND charity. You can run as much or as little of the loop as you like.
| Start | Length | Ø | Max. | Gain | Cat. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| km 5.8 | 0.7 km | 6.1 % | 9.9 % | +41 m | — |
| km 11.9 | 0.9 km | 7.2 % | 12.9 % | +63 m | — |
| km 13.9 | 1.2 km | 3.3 % | 4.9 % | +39 m | — |
| km 31.2 | 1.7 km | 8.3 % | 14.6 % | +143 m | Cat. 4 |
| km 33.8 | 1.2 km | 4.3 % | 5.5 % | +50 m | — |
| km 43.2 | 1.6 km | 4.9 % | 9.2 % | +76 m | — |
| km 46.5 | 0.8 km | 6 % | 10.2 % | +45 m | — |
| km 49.6 | 0.5 km | 9.1 % | 14.8 % | +43 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 Solstice Social.
Start under control
There is no placing to defend here, so daylight sets the rhythm: your window runs from the morning start to sunset. Just under a third of the route is flat and only about a tenth is steep, which means the cost comes from the length. Keep the flat and gently rolling stretches relaxed and walk the ramps from the outset, including the early ones you could still run while fresh.
Hold your rhythm
The stretch that decides your day runs from 31 km to the high point. Almost 200 metres of gain are packed into a few kilometres, and you meet them with 30 km in your legs. March the steep parts without forcing it so you can still run at the top, because the descent that follows asks for alert quads.
Spend what is left
The trap is the social setting itself. Chatting along, the low first half feels easier than it is, and matching someone else's pace there gets paid back on the three ramps after 43 km, when the light is already going. If the day turns against you, cutting it short is no defeat: the format explicitly allows running only part of the route.
Training plan for Solstice Social: 12-week build
Build the base
Allow something like six to nine hours for the full loop, depending on your pace and how much you walk. That makes it a calm aerobic effort broken up by many short steep sections, which lift your heart rate briefly but call for no hard intervals. The main stimulus you need is time on your feet rather than speed.
Train race pace
The real demand sits in the last third: gradients of almost 15 percent with 30 km already behind you, then three further ramps in the final seven kilometres. So move the climbing in your long runs towards the end of the session. A hilly final hour prepares you far better than the same hills straight after your warm-up.
Rehearse the course
Practise switching between a brisk uphill march and easy running over the crest as well. Add downhill running on tired legs, because after the high point you lose well over 100 metres within a few kilometres, and your quads still have the rest of the day to get through.
Arrive fresh
Conditions follow from the date: December, a very short day and an arrival around sunset. Put your longest sessions in the short days leading up to it, run part of them into dusk, and test a head torch and clothing that work from morning through to evening. Train yourself to eat regularly over many hours too, wearing the pack you intend to carry on the day.
Courses
Download the Solstice Social course as a GPX file for your watch or bike computer.
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Everything about Solstice Social - Exeter.
How long is Solstice Social?
Solstice Social is 50 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 Solstice Social have?
Solstice Social has around 784 m of elevation gain over 50 km. That affects pacing, muscular load, and preparation for late-race sections.
What is the route profile of Solstice Social?
Solstice Social is classified as Rolling, averaging 15.7 vertical metres per kilometre. 31% of the route is flat, 33% climbs moderately (2 to 6%) and 5% is steeper than 6%.
What climbs does Solstice Social have?
The hardest climb of Solstice Social starts at kilometre 31.2, runs for 1.7 km at an average of 8.3% and gains 143 metres. Cycling-convention rating: Cat. 4. 8 climbs are mapped in total.
Is Solstice Social a loop course?
Yes, Solstice Social is laid out as a loop: start and finish are in the same place.
Is there a GPX file for the Solstice Social course?
Yes. The Solstice Social 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 Solstice Social?
Preparation for Solstice Social should account for 50 km, 784 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 Solstice Social?
The pacing strategy for Solstice Social should reflect 50 km, 784 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 Solstice Social - Exeter take place?
Solstice Social - Exeter takes place on December 20, 2026.
Where does Solstice Social - Exeter take place?
Solstice Social - Exeter takes place in Exeter, United Kingdom.
How do I register for Solstice Social?
Registration runs through the organiser: rubyredrunning.com. YOUB shows you the course, elevation profile and training plan for your preparation.
