The North Coast Race.
The 20-mile race at The North Coast Race crosses Jersey’s north coast from east to west, from St Catherine’s almost at sea level to Les Landes. No single hill settles this one. The sum does: more than 1,000 metres of climbing on rugged coastal path calls for a build-up that makes constant up and down feel routine.
The North Coast Race 2027: Course, Elevation & Route Profile
The start at St Catherine’s sits just above sea level, and the first 15 kilometres are the most restless. The path swings between about 20 and 90 metres, dropping right down and climbing back out again and again. A steep step at kilometre 6 is only the opener: kilometre 8 brings the longest climb of the day, a little over a kilometre with ramps above 20 percent, and kilometre 13.5 a shorter one that averages double figures.
After that the course runs higher and calmer. At kilometre 17 you reach Les Fontaines, where the 10-mile race starts, and from there both races share the line. One deep cut remains: just past kilometre 23 the path falls to around 20 metres and rises straight back above 70, again with pitches beyond 20 percent. The finish at Les Landes sits at about 80 metres.
The surface sets the character. These are genuine coastal trails with long rugged passages and technical sections, and only about an eighth of the distance is flat. Aid comes at two points, Bouley Bay and Devil’s Hole.
| Start | Length | Ø | Max. | Gain | Cat. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| km 0.6 | 0.6 km | 6.4 % | 11.9 % | +37 m | — |
| km 3.4 | 0.9 km | 3.4 % | 11.8 % | +31 m | — |
| km 6.2 | 0.5 km | 12 % | 19.3 % | +54 m | — |
| km 7.9 | 1.3 km | 6.5 % | 22.2 % | +81 m | Cat. 4 |
| km 12.6 | 0.7 km | 6.8 % | 17.1 % | +44 m | — |
| km 13.6 | 0.7 km | 10.6 % | 19.9 % | +71 m | — |
| km 18.6 | 0.7 km | 7.5 % | 16.3 % | +51 m | — |
| km 23.4 | 0.6 km | 9.2 % | 21.3 % | +57 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 The North Coast Race.
Start under control
Think of the race in two parts, split at kilometre 15. The front holds the hardest climbs, the back holds the longer distance, and whatever you overspend early is missed twice over later. Hike the steep ramps from the start, even when that still feels unnecessary in the opening kilometres. On paths like these, running a slope costs a lot of strength and buys little time.
Hold your rhythm
The race is decided between kilometre 17 and the finish. The cut at kilometre 23 is the test: if you top out and can break straight back into a run, your plan has worked and the last ten kilometres, with their smaller waves, stay runnable. If you are reduced to a walk here, this stretch costs more time than any climb before it.
Spend what is left
The real trap is the downhill. Around 40 percent of the course descends, a good third of that steeply, and on rugged ground fresh legs invite a speed your quads will not repay later. Ease off on the descents in the first half, and carry enough food and drink yourself for the long stretches around the two aid points.
Training plan for The North Coast Race: 12-week build
Build the base
Expect somewhere around four to six and a half hours, depending on fitness and footing. This is no steady long run: short steep climbs, steep descents and a few runnable passages trade places, so a long aerobic effort is shot through with brief hard spikes you cannot sit out.
Train race pace
The skill that matters shows up after three hours or more: hiking a short steep climb briskly and breaking back into a run at the top without a pause. Train that exact transition. Build sets of two to five minutes of steep hiking into your long runs, each followed straight away by running, and place them deliberately in the second half of the session so they land on tired legs.
Rehearse the course
Downhill running matters just as much. The many steep drops load the quads harder than the climbs do, so schedule regular sessions with longer descents on uneven ground, plus strength work for legs and core. Choose stony, broken paths for the long runs where you can: forest-road mileage does little for the technical sections, and hours of watching your footing tire you just as the climbing does.
Arrive fresh
The 1 May date puts the build-up across winter and spring, so plan the longest sessions for the weeks before it. Use them to test your vest and fuelling too, because with only two stations you carry a good part of your supplies yourself over 20 miles.
Courses
Download the The North Coast Race course as a GPX file for your watch or bike computer.
Let YOUB adapt your plan for The North Coast Race 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 The North Coast Race.
How long is The North Coast Race?
The North Coast Race is 32.19 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 The North Coast Race have?
The North Coast Race has around 1,090 m of elevation gain over 32.19 km. That affects pacing, muscular load, and preparation for late-race sections.
What is the route profile of The North Coast Race?
The North Coast Race is classified as Mountainous, averaging 32.5 vertical metres per kilometre. 13% of the route is flat, 32% climbs moderately (2 to 6%) and 15% is steeper than 6%.
What climbs does The North Coast Race have?
The hardest climb of The North Coast Race starts at kilometre 7.9, runs for 1.3 km at an average of 6.5% and gains 81 metres. Cycling-convention rating: Cat. 4. 8 climbs are mapped in total.
Is The North Coast Race a loop course?
No, The North Coast Race is a point-to-point course: start and finish are in different places.
Is there a GPX file for the The North Coast Race course?
Yes. The The North Coast Race 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 The North Coast Race?
Preparation for The North Coast Race should account for 32.19 km, 1,090 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 The North Coast Race?
The pacing strategy for The North Coast Race should reflect 32.19 km, 1,090 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 The North Coast Race take place?
The North Coast Race takes place on May 1, 2027.
Where does The North Coast Race take place?
The North Coast Race takes place in St. Ouen, United Kingdom.
Which distances does The North Coast Race offer?
The North Coast Race offers 2 distances — 20 Mile: 32.19 km; 10 Mile: 16.09 km.
How do I register for The North Coast Race?
Registration runs through the organiser: trailmonkeyjersey.com. YOUB shows you the course, elevation profile and training plan for your preparation.
