Events/HONC — Hell of the North Cotswolds

HONC — Hell of the North Cotswolds

Gravel

Date

Sun, 5 Sept 2027

Venue

Winchcombe, Gloucestershire (North Cotswolds)

Countdown

September

Distance

140km

Total climb

2,200m

This is not a smooth-tarmac sportive. HONC links quiet Cotswold lanes with farm tracks, stony byways and muddy bridleways, so tyre choice, grip and handling matter as much as fitness.

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The course

The route

Out and back from Sudeley Castle across the North Cotswolds, with 50, 75, 100 and 140km options and up to 2,200m of climbing at the full distance. Every route mixes tarmac lanes with farm tracks, stony byways and bridleways, marked by the distinctive black-and-yellow HONC arrows.

Weather

Early-September, Winchcombe

20°CTypical high

10°CTypical low

5°CColdest in 20 years

39%Days with rain

Highs around 20°C and lows around 10°C, but it has dropped to 5°C. Rain on 39% of days.

NASA POWER data, 2006-2025, the week either side of race day

Training

Training for the HONC — Hell of the North Cotswolds

We don't do generic plans. We combine deep knowledge of this race's demands with your recent training, then build a plan with you that progresses as you do.

Beina integrates directly with your existing tools to understand your current fitness, and synchronise your planned sessions.

Intervals.icu

A cumulative off-road day

Typical sessions

Hundreds of short, punchy climbs on loose or muddy ground, never one long mountain pass

Off-road climbing costs more energy than the same gradient on smooth tarmac

Hours of rough ground tire your hands, upper body and concentration, not just the legs

Weather swings it wildly: dry is fast and dusty, wet can double the difficulty

What your weeks look like

Typical sessions

Off-Road Punch Repeats: 8 to 12 x 1-2min hard on short off-road climbs, spin recovery

Long Off-Road Endurance: 3 to 4.5hr on gravel and mixed terrain, your key weekly ride

Event-Bike Simulation: long rides on the actual bike and tyres to lock in handling and fuelling

Handling drills on loose, muddy ground to cut the energy cost of rough terrain

Not a generic schedule

Typical sessions

Built from your current fitness and the time you actually have

Adapts every week as Beina learns how you respond

Syncs your sessions straight to Garmin and Wahoo

One clear next session, never a wall of spreadsheet

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7-day free trial, no card required.

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