Training plan · Suffolk
RIDE Suffolk Sunrise training plan 2027
Sunday 16 May 2027, Framlingham College. 164.2 km with 1,087 m of climbing.
In short
Give yourself 12 to 16 weeks for RIDE Suffolk Sunrise on Sunday 16 May 2027. The 102-mile Champion route from Framlingham College climbs only 1,087 m (3,566 ft) on quiet, mostly flat lanes, so the day turns on time in the saddle rather than hills: holding an even effort for six hours or so, eating little and often, and reaching the route split at mile 48 by the cut-off. Build your long ride towards four or five hours and practise riding steadily with others. On WattPlan's model of the course, a rider with an FTP of 230 watts weighing 75 kg rides it in about 5 h 37 min.
RIDE Suffolk Sunrise at a glance
| Date | Sunday 16 May 2027source |
|---|---|
| Start and finish | Framlingham Collegesource |
| Distance (Champion) | 164.2 km (102 miles), 1,087 m of climbingsource |
| Distance (Classic) | 104.6 km (65 miles), 359 m of climbingsource |
| Distance (Cool) | 67.6 km (42 miles), 256 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 08:15.source |
| Feed stations | Three on the Champion, at about 22, 56 and 82 miles: Little Bealings, Fressingfield and Holton in 2026.source |
| Cut-off (2026 manual) | Champion riders had to reach the Classic route split, 48 miles in, by 11:15, or finish on the Classic. The event closes at 17:00.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 |
| History | A May fixture for almost 20 years, and one of the biggest charity sportives in the East, the organiser says.source |
The course
Profile from WattPlan's model of the course (164.7 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, 43, 65, 87, 110, 132, 154. 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 Suffolk Sunrise
Twelve to sixteen weeks of structured training suits most riders for the Champion route, which means starting between late January and late February for 16 May. If 100 miles is new to you, take the full sixteen.
Much of the build falls in winter, so plan indoor sessions for the dark and icy weeks. WattPlan builds the weeks from today to 16 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.
A flat 100 miles is still a long day
The organiser describes flat, fast routes on quiet lanes, suited both to experienced riders setting an early-season benchmark and to newer riders riding further than they have before. With so little climbing there are few descents to rest on, so you pedal almost all the way, and the distance is the challenge.
The long ride is the session that matters most. Build it by about 30 minutes every two or three weeks until you have ridden four to five hours, a month or so before the event, and add sweet spot intervals of 10 to 20 minutes once or twice a week to get used to holding a steady effort for a long time.
Riding with others
On flat, open lanes the effort depends on your pace and the wind more than on the hills. Riding with others and taking turns at the front saves energy, so practise in a small group before the day: hold a straight line, look ahead rather than at the wheel in front, and call out holes and junctions. The rider manual has a short guide to riding in a group.
Pacing to the split and the aid stations
In 2026, Champion riders had to reach the Classic route split, 48 miles in, by 11:15, or finish on the Classic. If 2027 keeps that time, a 07:00 start gives you four and a quarter hours for those 48 miles, an average of about 11 mph with stops, and an 08:15 start only three hours, which takes 16 mph. Unless you ride well above that, start early in the window.
The Champion has three aid stations, at about 22, 56 and 82 miles. Eat every 45 minutes from the start, around 60 to 90 grams of carbohydrate an hour, and carry what you need between stops. The calculator above shows the power WattPlan's model gives you over the course and how long it takes. The event closes at 17:00.
Weather in May
Scole, the nearest Met Office climate station to Framlingham, averages a high of 18 °C and a low of 8 °C in May, with about 38 mm of rain in the month. Expect a cool start, wear layers you can take off, and carry a light waterproof, tubes, a pump and a phone, because the broom wagon can help at the roadside but cannot carry riders back.
Your plan to 16 May
WattPlan builds the weeks from today to Sunday 16 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 4 hours on Saturdays: a 16-week plan starting Monday 25 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 8, with a longest ride of 4 hours. Pick your own days below to see yours.
Free to start, and the RIDE Suffolk Sunrise 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 Suffolk Sunrise?
Twelve to sixteen weeks suits most riders for the 102-mile Champion route, so start structured training between late January and late February for Sunday 16 May 2027.
How hard is RIDE Suffolk Sunrise?
The Champion route is 102 miles (164.2 km) with 1,087 m (3,566 ft) of climbing on mostly flat lanes, so the challenge is the distance rather than the hills. The Classic is 65 miles with 359 m of climbing and the Cool 42 miles with 256 m.
Is RIDE Suffolk Sunrise a good first 100-mile ride?
The organiser pitches its flat routes at newer riders riding further than before as well as at experienced riders. With little climbing, the work is building your long ride steadily over 12 to 16 weeks, and the 65-mile Classic is there if 102 miles feels like too big a step.
What is the cut-off for RIDE Suffolk Sunrise?
In 2026, Champion riders had to reach the Classic route split, 48 miles in, by 11:15, or finish on the Classic, and the event closed at 17:00. Starting early in the 07:00 to 08:15 window gives you the most time.
Is RIDE Suffolk Sunrise 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 Suffolk Sunrise 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 Suffolk Sunrise, official site
- RIDE Suffolk rider manual (2026)
- Action Medical Research RIDE Series
- RIDE Suffolk Sunrise 2027 entries
- Met Office, Scole climate averages
WattPlan is not connected with the RIDE Suffolk Sunrise 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.