Stour Valley Path 100 (SVP100).
The Stour Valley Path 100 (SVP100) runs one way from Newmarket Memorial Hall to Brantham Leisure Centre, 102 kilometres with no loop back to the start. The climbing looks modest, but most of the steep ramps sit beyond kilometre 60, and anyone who runs the early hours too freely pays for it there.
Stour Valley Path 100 (SVP100) 2027: Course, Elevation & Route Profile
The longest climb of the day comes early: from kilometre 4 the course rises for nearly two kilometres, and by kilometre 10 it has already reached its high point at around 150 metres. From there it loses height steadily through Great Thurlow towards Clare. At kilometre 39, just past the second checkpoint, the first short ramp interrupts the run, and the course then rolls through Long Melford down into lower ground.
From kilometre 60 the character changes. Six short climbs follow by kilometre 87, none longer than a kilometre, each one handing its height straight back. They are steepest beyond Lamarsh at kilometre 73 and again right at the end at kilometre 87, where the pitches pass 15 percent.
The SVP100 is a point-to-point trail ultra. Six checkpoints divide the day, from Great Thurlow to Stratford St. Mary, and the last three are shared with the SVP50, which begins in Sudbury. After the final hill the course drops almost to sea level, and the remaining ten kilometres to the finish at the Brantham leisure centre are flat.
| Start | Length | Ø | Max. | Gain | Cat. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| km 4.1 | 1.8 km | 4 % | 8.5 % | +71 m | — |
| km 38.7 | 0.5 km | 5.9 % | 10.2 % | +31 m | — |
| km 59.9 | 0.7 km | 5 % | 8.5 % | +36 m | — |
| km 64.9 | 0.6 km | 7.8 % | 14 % | +45 m | — |
| km 72.5 | 0.4 km | 9.3 % | 17.2 % | +35 m | — |
| km 80.9 | 0.9 km | 4.6 % | 11.5 % | +41 m | — |
| km 83.7 | 0.7 km | 4.5 % | 10.2 % | +31 m | — |
| km 86.5 | 0.4 km | 9 % | 16.1 % | +36 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 Stour Valley Path 100 (SVP100).
Start under control
The first half asks for restraint above all. On fresh legs the climb from kilometre 4 feels almost too easy, and the long gradual descent after it lifts your pace without asking. Keep it deliberately below what feels effortless: it is just over 18 kilometres to Great Thurlow and nearly 19 more to Clare, the longest gaps between two aid stops.
Hold your rhythm
The SVP100 is decided between kilometres 60 and 88. No single ramp costs much, but they arrive with more than half the race in your legs, and each one forces a change of rhythm. March the steep pitches briskly rather than forcing them, then start running again the moment you top out. If you can still run the descents in between, you gain more time here than on any of the fresh kilometres earlier.
Spend what is left
The trap closes at the very end. From kilometre 91 it is flat, nothing makes you walk any more, and anyone who overspent earlier is reduced to a shuffle exactly here. Keep the stop at Stratford St. Mary short and plan to run the last eight kilometres without a break.
Training plan for Stour Valley Path 100 (SVP100): 12-week build
Build the base
Expect roughly eleven to sixteen hours as an age-group runner. For most of that time this is a calm aerobic effort, with a run of short spikes laid over it late, on tired legs. The climbing itself is not the problem; its timing is.
Train race pace
That is why the hills belong at the end of your long runs. Put short climbs of 300 to 500 metres into the final hours of a long run, several in a row, each with an easy run back down. Practise switching between strong hiking and running again at once, because that transition repeats constantly between kilometres 60 and 88 on race day.
Rehearse the course
Two long sessions on consecutive days prepare you for the closing stretch. The second day shows whether you can still hold an even running stride on level ground when your legs are tired. The flat kilometres before Brantham no longer ask for strength, only for clean form under fatigue, and this is the one way to rehearse it.
Arrive fresh
Over this many hours, fuelling carries the race. The checkpoints offer High5 products, bananas, pastries, sweets, water, cola and electrolyte. Use training to find out which of these your stomach still accepts after ten hours, and how much you want to carry yourself on the long sections to Clare. With the race held in August, put some of these runs on warm days so that you know how much you need to drink.
Courses
Download the Stour Valley Path 100 (SVP100) course as a GPX file for your watch or bike computer.
Let YOUB adapt your plan for Stour Valley Path 100 (SVP100) 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 Stour Valley Path 100 (SVP100).
How long is Stour Valley Path 100 (SVP100)?
Stour Valley Path 100 (SVP100) is 102 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 Stour Valley Path 100 (SVP100) have?
Stour Valley Path 100 (SVP100) has around 849 m of elevation gain over 102 km. That affects pacing, muscular load, and preparation for late-race sections.
What is the route profile of Stour Valley Path 100 (SVP100)?
Stour Valley Path 100 (SVP100) is classified as Rolling, averaging 8.4 vertical metres per kilometre. 50% of the route is flat, 21% climbs moderately (2 to 6%) and 2% is steeper than 6%.
What climbs does Stour Valley Path 100 (SVP100) have?
The hardest climb of Stour Valley Path 100 (SVP100) starts at kilometre 4.1, runs for 1.8 km at an average of 4% and gains 71 metres. 8 climbs are mapped in total.
Is Stour Valley Path 100 (SVP100) a loop course?
No, Stour Valley Path 100 (SVP100) is a point-to-point course: start and finish are in different places.
Is there a GPX file for the Stour Valley Path 100 (SVP100) course?
Yes. The Stour Valley Path 100 (SVP100) 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 Stour Valley Path 100 (SVP100)?
Preparation for Stour Valley Path 100 (SVP100) should account for 102 km, 849 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 Stour Valley Path 100 (SVP100)?
The pacing strategy for Stour Valley Path 100 (SVP100) should reflect 102 km, 849 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 Stour Valley Path 100 (SVP100) take place?
Stour Valley Path 100 (SVP100) takes place on August 7, 2027.
Where does Stour Valley Path 100 (SVP100) take place?
Stour Valley Path 100 (SVP100) takes place in Newmarket, United Kingdom.
Which distances does Stour Valley Path 100 (SVP100) offer?
Stour Valley Path 100 (SVP100) offers 2 distances — SVP100: 102 km; SVP50: 50 km.
How do I register for Stour Valley Path 100 (SVP100)?
Registration runs through the organiser: svp100.co.uk. YOUB shows you the course, elevation profile and training plan for your preparation.
