Two Tunnels Races.
The 5km is the shortest of the Two Tunnels Races in Bath: an out-and-back on tarmac from Brickfields Park that turns just past the 2.5 km mark. It is an honest tempo effort with no steep ground, and the second half gives you a gentle fall back towards the finish.
Two Tunnels Races 2027: Course, Route Profile & Map
Start and finish are at Brickfields Park in the middle of Bath. The route leaves the park on tarmac and then follows the same line the longer tickets use to head out of town. The first kilometre is close to level, then from around km 1 the path rises steadily without ever turning steep. At the turnaround you stand roughly 35 metres above the start, and that is where you swing round.
That split is the whole character of the race: uphill going out, downhill coming home, on the same ribbon of path. One small wave remains shortly before you are back in the park.
The event takes its name from two railway tunnels, the 408 m Devonshire Tunnel and the 1,672 m Combe Down Tunnel. The 5km leaves the long one to the longer distances: you turn before the others run into it. There are no feed stations on this distance, and over five kilometres you will not miss them.
| Start | Length | Ø | Max. | Gain | Cat. |
|---|
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 Two Tunnels Races.
Start under control
Treat the turnaround as the line between two different races. Going out you run against a slight but unbroken rise, and the pace feels harder than the watch suggests. Do not let that tempt you into forcing it: keep the effort level and accept a slightly slower first half.
Hold your rhythm
The race is decided on the way back. Once you have turned, the fall of the path carries you, and this is where you collect what you invested. The trap is an over-quick first kilometre through the park and along the level opening: run that above threshold and you have nothing left to add on the rise to the turn, which wastes the fast half.
Spend what is left
The turn itself costs seconds, so take it cleanly and accelerate out of it on purpose. The last small wave before the finish is short enough to power over in your final sprint.
Training plan for Two Tunnels Races: 12-week build
Build the base
Expect 20 to 35 minutes of effort depending on your form. This is a race at or just above threshold, with no recovery stretches and no anaerobic spikes from steep ground. What the course asks for is holding a hard pace evenly and using the shift from slight rise to slight fall.
Train race pace
Your main building block is tempo running and longer intervals on a gentle incline, for example three blocks of ten minutes slightly uphill. They train exactly the feeling of the outward leg, where the effort runs higher than the pace suggests. Add shorter intervals that finish on a slight downhill so you learn to keep your cadence up on the way home instead of simply rolling.
Rehearse the course
Practise the turn as well: put a few out-and-back reps into your tempo sessions so that braking and getting going again come as no surprise. Because the whole route is on tarmac, the fast sessions belong on firm ground and in the shoes you plan to race in.
Arrive fresh
The race falls on 21 February, so your build-up runs through December and January. Schedule quality sessions so you can do them reliably in daylight or on well-lit paths during those weeks, and rehearse a thorough warm-up before fast running: over five kilometres there is no section in which to warm up on the go.
Courses
Download the Two Tunnels Races course as a GPX file for your watch or bike computer.
Let YOUB adapt your plan for Two Tunnels Races 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 Two Tunnels Races.
How long is Two Tunnels Races?
Two Tunnels Races is 5 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 Two Tunnels Races have?
Two Tunnels Races has around 50 m of elevation gain over 5 km. That affects pacing, muscular load, and preparation for late-race sections.
What is the route profile of Two Tunnels Races?
Two Tunnels Races is classified as Rolling, averaging 10.1 vertical metres per kilometre. 20% of the route is flat, 40% climbs moderately (2 to 6%) and 0% is steeper than 6%.
Is Two Tunnels Races a loop course?
Yes, Two Tunnels Races is laid out as a loop: start and finish are in the same place.
Is there a GPX file for the Two Tunnels Races course?
Yes. The Two Tunnels Races 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 Two Tunnels Races?
Preparation for Two Tunnels Races should account for 5 km, 50 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 Two Tunnels Races?
The pacing strategy for Two Tunnels Races should reflect 5 km, 50 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 Two Tunnels Races take place?
Two Tunnels Races takes place on February 21, 2027.
Where does Two Tunnels Races take place?
Two Tunnels Races takes place in Bath, United Kingdom.
Which distances does Two Tunnels Races offer?
Two Tunnels Races offers 8 distances — 5km: 5 km; 10km Return Ticket: 10 km; 10km Hilly Ticket: 10 km; Half Marathon Return Ticket: 21.1 km; Half Marathon Hilly Ticket: 21.1 km; Half Marathon City Ticket: 21.1 km and 2 more.
How do I register for Two Tunnels Races?
Registration runs through the organiser: relishrunningraces.com. YOUB shows you the course, elevation profile and training plan for your preparation.
