Training plan · Kent
RIDE Castle training plan 2027
Sunday 9 May 2027, Tonbridge Juddians RFC. 160.9 km with 1,896 m of climbing.
In short
Give yourself 12 to 16 weeks for RIDE Castle on Sunday 9 May 2027. The 100-mile Champion route from Tonbridge climbs 1,896 m (6,222 ft), and almost none of it comes in the flat first 22 miles to Hadlow: after that it climbs to Ide Hill by its easier side, then works through a long run of short, steep hills south of Hartfield. Build a long ride of four to five hours on hilly roads, practise climbing seated in a low gear, and pace the first half so you pass mile 52.4 before the 12:15 cut-off. On WattPlan's model of the course, a rider with an FTP of 230 watts weighing 75 kg rides it in about 5 h 55 min.
RIDE Castle at a glance
| Date | Sunday 9 May 2027source |
|---|---|
| Start and finish | Tonbridge Juddians RFCsource |
| Distance (Champion) | 160.9 km (100 miles), 1,896 m of climbingsource |
| Distance (Classic) | 117.5 km (73 miles), 1,214 m of climbingsource |
| Distance (Cool) | 57.9 km (36 miles), 446 m of climbingsource |
| Roads | Open roads throughout. Marshals stand at some junctions to advise riders, but they cannot stop the traffic.source |
| Start | Champion riders start between 07:00 and 07:45. Registration opens at 06:00.source |
| Feed stations | Three on the Champion, at about 22, 50 and 74 miles: Hadlow, Hartfield and Wadhurst village halls in 2026.source |
| Cut-off (2027) | Champion riders must reach mile 52.4 by 12:15 or take a shorter route back. The ride closes at 18:00.source |
| Riders | About 800 on the start line, the organiser says.source |
| Entry for 2027 | Open now at early-bird prices: £48 for the Champion, £43 for the Classic and £38 for the Cool, plus a booking fee. Riders must be 16 or over.source |
The course
Profile from WattPlan's model of the course (156.7 km routed over OpenStreetMap roads with SRTM heights, © OpenStreetMap contributors). The organiser's figures are in the table above, and their route is the one that counts on the day.
Your power and time on the course
Enter your FTP and weight and WattPlan's route model rides the course for you the way a long day is best ridden: harder on the climbs, where a watt buys the most speed, and easier on the flat, at an effort you can hold to the finish. The figures below are for 230 W and 75 kg until you do.
| Climb | Summit (km) | Length | Average | Steepest | Your power | Your time |
|---|
Eat at about km 22, 41, 62, 81, 99, 119, 137. Riding something else? The free pacing calculator does this for any route from its GPX. In the app, Route analysis adds your own fade over a long day, the wind on the day and a pacing file for your bike computer.
How long to train for RIDE Castle
Twelve to sixteen weeks of structured training suits most riders for the Champion route, which means starting between mid-January and mid-February for 9 May. Early-bird entries are open now, so there is time to ride steadily through the winter before the training proper begins.
Much of the build falls in winter, so plan indoor sessions for the dark and icy weeks. WattPlan builds the weeks from today to 9 May around the days and hours you can ride, runs the indoor sessions on a smart trainer in the app, and adjusts the plan when you miss a session.
The course: flat to Hadlow, then the hills
On the 2026 route map the ride heads east from Tonbridge through Paddock Wood and loops back to the first aid station at Hadlow on flat lanes. Then it turns for the hills: up to Ide Hill, which the organiser picks out for its view across Kent, down to Edenbridge and south to the second aid station at Hartfield after 50 miles.
From Hartfield the Champion loops south and east through Crowborough to the third aid station at Wadhurst, then comes back past Hever to Tonbridge. The Classic turns for home after Hartfield, and the Cool route heads back to Tonbridge before Ide Hill.
Training for short, steep climbs
RIDE Castle's climbing comes in short hills rather than long climbs. Its 1,896 m is spread over a string of them, most only a few minutes long on WattPlan's model of the course, and they keep coming through the second half of the day. That suits riders who can climb at a steady effort, recover over the top and go again.
In training, find hills of two to six minutes near you and ride them seated and steady, three or four times in a session, once a week. Fit the lowest gears your bike takes, and add a weekly hilly ride that teaches you to settle back into a rhythm between climbs. The calculator above shows the power and time WattPlan's model gives you over the whole course.
Pacing, the cut-off and the aid stations
For 2027, Champion riders must reach mile 52.4 by 12:15 or be sent on a shorter route home. A 07:00 start leaves five and a quarter hours for those miles, an average of about 10 mph with stops, and a 07:45 start four and a half hours, just under 12 mph. If you are unsure of your pace, start early in the window and keep the stops short.
The Champion has three aid stations, at about 22, 50 and 74 miles, with hot and cold drinks and snacks. Eat every 45 minutes from the start, around 60 to 90 grams of carbohydrate an hour, and carry what you need between stops. The ride closes at 18:00.
Weather and kit for May in Kent
Edenbridge, on the route, averages a high of 17 °C and a low of 7 °C in May, with rain on about eight days of the month, so expect a cool start. Wear layers you can take off and carry a light waterproof.
The roads stay open to traffic, and the broom wagon can help at the roadside but cannot carry riders back, so bring tubes, a pump, a multi-tool and a phone.
Your plan to 9 May
WattPlan builds the weeks from today to Sunday 9 May 2027 around the days you can ride, and eases off before the day. Take a rider with 230 W of FTP who rides 3 to 5 hours a week now and has an hour on Tuesdays and Thursdays and up to 5 hours on Saturdays: a 16-week plan starting Monday 18 January 2027 has 6 weeks of base, 6 of build, 3 of peak and 1 of taper. It opens at 4 hours a week and builds to 9.5, with a longest ride of 5 hours. Pick your own days below to see yours.
Free to start, and the RIDE Castle is filled in for you. Premium adds the whole plan to race day and adjusts it when you miss a session or ride harder than planned.
Questions riders ask
How long should I train for RIDE Castle?
Twelve to sixteen weeks suits most riders for the 100-mile Champion route, so start structured training between mid-January and mid-February for Sunday 9 May 2027.
How hard is RIDE Castle?
The Champion route is 100 miles (160.9 km) with 1,896 m (6,222 ft) of climbing on open roads: flat for the first 22 miles, then a long run of short, steep hills. The Classic is 73 miles with 1,214 m of climbing and the Cool 36 miles with 446 m.
Which RIDE Castle route should I choose?
For a first sportive, the 36-mile Cool route has one aid station and the least climbing. The 73-mile Classic adds Ide Hill and the hills to Hartfield, and the 100-mile Champion adds a hilly loop south through Wadhurst.
What is the cut-off for RIDE Castle?
Champion riders must reach mile 52.4 by 12:15 or are sent on a shorter route back, and the ride closes at 18:00. The organiser emails final details about a week before the ride.
Is RIDE Castle on closed roads?
No. The roads stay open to traffic, so ride to the Highway Code. Marshals stand at some junctions to advise riders, but they cannot stop the traffic for you.
When can I enter RIDE Castle 2027?
Entries are open now at early-bird prices: £48 for the Champion, £43 for the Classic and £38 for the Cool, plus a booking fee. Riders must be at least 16 on the day.
More event training plans
Sources
- RIDE Castle, official site
- RIDE Castle rider manual (2026)
- Action Medical Research RIDE Series
- RIDE Castle 2027 entries
- Met Office, Edenbridge climate averages
WattPlan is not connected with the RIDE Castle or its organiser. We've done our best to make sure everything here is accurate, from the details the organiser had published when we checked on Thursday 8 October 2026, and we'll update this page as more details come out. Confirm dates, routes and rules on the official site. Times and power figures come from a physics model and are estimates, not predictions of your result.