Training plan · Essex
RIDE Essex training plan 2027
Sunday 29 August 2027, ARU Writtle, Chelmsford. 160.9 km with 1,321 m of climbing.
In short
Give yourself 12 to 16 weeks for RIDE Essex on Sunday 29 August 2027. The 100-mile Champion route from ARU Writtle, near Chelmsford, climbs 1,321 m (4,334 ft) in short, rolling rises through north Essex rather than on any long hill, so the day turns on riding those rises evenly, eating and drinking well on a late-summer day, and reaching the route split at mile 37 by the cut-off. Build your long ride towards four or five hours over the summer. On WattPlan's model of the course, a rider with an FTP of 230 watts weighing 75 kg rides it in about 5 h 26 min.
RIDE Essex at a glance
| Date | Sunday 29 August 2027source |
|---|---|
| Start and finish | ARU Writtle, Chelmsfordsource |
| Distance (Champion) | 160.9 km (100 miles), 1,321 m of climbingsource |
| Distance (Classic) | 109.4 km (68 miles), 868 m of climbingsource |
| Distance (Cool) | 57.9 km (36 miles), 427 m of climbingsource |
| Roads | Open roads throughout. Marshals stand at some crossings to advise riders, but they cannot stop the traffic.source |
| Start | Champion riders start between 07:00 and 07:45, Classic riders between 07:45 and 08:30 and Cool riders between 08:30 and 09:00.source |
| Feed stations | Three on the Champion, at about 19, 51 and 79 miles: the Foakes Memorial Hall in Great Dunmow, Bulmer and Wethersfield in 2026.source |
| Cut-off (2026 manual) | Champion riders had to reach the Classic route split, 37 miles in, by 10:30, or be diverted onto a shorter route. The event closes at 17:00.source |
| Riders | Over 900, the organiser says, which makes it one of its most popular rides.source |
| Entry for 2027 | Open now: £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 (160.1 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, 44, 66, 89, 110, 131. 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 Essex
Twelve to sixteen weeks of structured training suits most riders for the Champion route, which means starting between early May and early June for 29 August. Summer weeks get broken up by holidays and long evenings out, so a plan that moves with you matters more than a perfect one.
WattPlan builds the weeks from today to 29 August around the days and hours you can ride and adjusts the plan when you miss a session. Your outdoor rides arrive from Garmin, Strava or Wahoo by themselves, and the sessions go to a Garmin or Wahoo ELEMNT for the road.
The course
For 2026 the organiser reversed the routes. On that map the ride heads west from Writtle and north to the first aid station at Great Dunmow after 19 miles, then through Thaxted, Great Bardfield and Finchingfield. At 37 miles the Champion splits from the Classic for a loop east through Belchamp St Paul to the second aid station at Bulmer, south to Bures and Earls Colne and back through Sible Hedingham.
The third aid station comes at Wethersfield after 79 miles, and the route returns to Writtle through Felsted. The organiser says the undulations have riders in and out of the saddle: there is no single big hill, just a lot of short ones.
Training for rolling roads
Short rises reward riders who can lift the effort for a minute or two and settle again over the top without blowing up. In training, ride a rolling route once a week and practise climbing each rise at a steady, firm effort rather than sprinting it, then add intervals of three to five minutes around threshold once a week through the build.
Sweet spot work of 10 to 20 minutes builds the steady pace you hold between the rises. The calculator above shows the power WattPlan's model gives you over the course and how long it takes.
Pacing, the cut-off and the aid stations
In 2026, Champion riders had to reach the Classic route split, 37 miles in, by 10:30, or be diverted onto a shorter route. If 2027 keeps that time, a 07:00 start leaves three and a half hours for those 37 miles, an average of about 11 mph with stops, and a 07:45 start two and three quarter hours, which takes 13.5 mph. If you are unsure of your pace, start early in the window.
The Champion has three aid stations, at about 19, 51 and 79 miles. Eat every 45 minutes from the start, around 60 to 90 grams of carbohydrate an hour, and keep the stops short. The event closes at 17:00.
Heat and kit in late August
Writtle averages a high of 23 °C and a low of 12 °C in August, with rain on about eight days of the month, so plan for a warm afternoon. Carry two full bottles, drink regularly before you feel thirsty, refill at every aid station and wear sun cream. 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 and a phone.
Your plan to 29 August
WattPlan builds the weeks from today to Sunday 29 August 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 4 hours on Saturdays: a 16-week plan starting Monday 10 May 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 8, with a longest ride of 4 hours. Pick your own days below to see yours.
Free to start, and the RIDE Essex 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 Essex?
Twelve to sixteen weeks suits most riders for the 100-mile Champion route, so start structured training between early May and early June for Sunday 29 August 2027.
How hard is RIDE Essex?
The Champion route is 100 miles (160.9 km) with 1,321 m (4,334 ft) of climbing in short, rolling rises rather than long hills. The Classic is 68 miles with 868 m of climbing and the Cool 36 miles with 427 m.
Which RIDE Essex route should I choose?
The organiser suggests the 36-mile Cool route if you are new to cycling or short of training. The 68-mile Classic is more of a challenge, and the 100-mile Champion suits riders who have done a sportive before.
What is the cut-off for RIDE Essex?
In 2026, Champion riders had to reach the Classic route split, 37 miles in, by 10:30, or be diverted onto a shorter route, and the event closed at 17:00. Starting early in the 07:00 to 07:45 window gives you the most time.
Is RIDE Essex on closed roads?
No. The roads stay open to traffic, so ride to the Highway Code. Marshals stand at some crossings to advise riders, but they cannot stop the traffic for you.
When can I enter RIDE Essex 2027?
Entries are open now: £48 for the Champion, £43 for the Classic and £38 for the Cool, plus a booking fee. Over 900 riders take part, the organiser says.
More event training plans
Sources
- RIDE Essex, official site
- RIDE Essex rider manual (2026)
- Action Medical Research RIDE Series
- RIDE Essex 2027 entries
- Met Office, Writtle climate averages
WattPlan is not connected with the RIDE Essex 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.