Compiled and fact-checked by Tommo, Verus founder · Last verified August 2026 · Spot an error?

Running · Ultra Marathons

Pilgrim Challenge 2027

Race day
Saturday, 6 February 2027
Location
The North Downs Way, Surrey, UK
Distance
66 mi / 106.2 km

Pilgrim Challenge: 6 February 2027, 66 miles, from Farnham, Surrey. Entry, route, a pace chart and the race-day forecast.

149Days

Pilgrim Challenge Race Timeline

Training Phase Build Phase Taper Race Week Race Day Race Completed

149 days to go

More than 126 days out — a good window to build a consistent base before ultra-specific training ramps up.

Generated mark — no elevation published for this course

Pilgrim Challenge 2027: quick answers

When is Pilgrim Challenge 2027?

Pilgrim Challenge 2027 takes place on Saturday, 6 February 2027.

Where does Pilgrim Challenge start?

Pilgrim Challenge starts at Farnham, Surrey. The organiser hasn't published a finish location.

How many miles is Pilgrim Challenge?

Pilgrim Challenge is 66 miles (106.2km).

How much does Pilgrim Challenge cost to enter?

Entry through XNRG, with 2026 and 2027 editions both open for booking at the time of writing.

Key Race Metrics & Overview

Date
Saturday, 6 February 2027
Distance
66 miles / 106.2km
Location
The North Downs Way, Surrey, UK
Start Point
Farnham, Surrey
Surface
The North Downs Way — chalk, woodland singletrack and field path, in February mud

Not published by the organiser at the time of writing: finish point, start time, cut-off time, age requirement, tracking app. Verus records these as unconfirmed rather than estimating them — check the official race website closer to race day.

Direct Entry Summary

Entry through XNRG, with 2026 and 2027 editions both open for booking at the time of writing.

Ballot Policy

No ballot — entry is direct through XNRG.

Pilgrim Challenge Race Day Weather

A real forecast appears here once one exists for race day — usually about a week to ten days out. Nothing is shown until then, because a made-up forecast is worse than none.

Pilgrim Challenge Route Map & Elevation Profile

Starting at Farnham, Surrey. The organiser hasn't published a finish location. Total elevation gain is not published for this event, and Verus does not estimate one.

Is Pilgrim Challenge flat?

No official elevation figure is published for this course, so Verus doesn't state one. The organiser describes the going as: the north downs way — chalk, woodland singletrack and field path, in february mud.

Pilgrim Challenge Course Profile

Elevation change not published for this event.

Startmi 33.066mi

Tap a point on the course for details.

mi 0.0

Farnham, Surrey

Start line.

Where Pilgrim Challenge starts and finishes

Pilgrim Challenge starts at Farnham, Surrey. We haven't been able to place those on a map accurately enough to show one — a pin in the wrong place is worse than no pin.

These are the start and finish points, not the route. Verus doesn't hold course files for this race, and drawing a line between two pins would be a guess you might end up training on.

Full Pilgrim Challenge Route Breakdown

Sixty-six miles along the North Downs Way over two days — out on the Saturday and back along the same trail on the Sunday, which makes it unusually easy to pace: you have already seen every mile of day two. A February date means genuinely heavy going underfoot.

Pilgrim Challenge Pace Calculator & Splits

Pilgrim Challenge Pace Calculator

Enter a target finish time to see your pace and projected splits.

hrs
min
sec
target time

Average pace / mile

3:38

Average pace / km

2:16

5K11:18
10K22:36
Half Marathon47:40
30K1:07:47
Finish4:00:00

Pilgrim Challenge Pace Chart

Split markers calculated for standard checkpoints — no official pacers are confirmed for this event.

Target Pace /mi Pace /km 5K10KHalf Marathon30KFinish
3:00 2:44 1:42 8:2816:5735:4550:503:00:00
3:15 2:57 1:50 9:1118:2238:4455:053:15:00
3:30 3:11 1:59 9:5319:4641:4359:193:30:00
3:45 3:25 2:07 10:3521:1144:411:03:333:45:00
4:00 3:38 2:16 11:1822:3647:401:07:474:00:00
4:15 3:52 2:24 12:0024:0050:391:12:014:15:00
4:30 4:05 2:33 12:4325:2553:381:16:164:30:00
4:45 4:19 2:41 13:2526:5056:371:20:304:45:00
5:00 4:33 2:49 14:0728:1559:351:24:445:00:00
5:30 5:00 3:06 15:3231:041:05:331:33:125:30:00
6:00 5:27 3:23 16:5733:541:11:301:41:416:00:00
6:30 5:55 3:40 18:2236:431:17:281:50:096:30:00
7:00 6:22 3:57 19:4639:331:23:251:58:387:00:00

Pilgrim Challenge Finish Time Estimator

Enter a recent 5K, 10K or Half Marathon time to estimate your Pilgrim Challenge finish time.

Your 5K time

hrs
min
sec

Estimated Pilgrim Challenge finish

10:37:58

An estimate only, based on Pete Riegel's race-time prediction formula. Real marathon performance depends on endurance, training specificity, pacing and race-day conditions — not just your speed over a shorter distance.

Training for a different distance? Try the full pace calculator, race time predictor or pace chart.

Got your target time? Save it to your profile.

Tag Pilgrim Challenge, set your goal pace, and let Verus track your countdown, training and fundraising in one place.

Start Your Verus Journey

Pilgrim Challenge Race Day Checklist

Tap items to mark off your race-day readiness.

0/4
  • Race number attached, and any timing chip fitted per your race pack instructions
  • Weather-appropriate kit, plus something warm and disposable to discard before the start
  • A plan for reaching Farnham, Surrey
  • A meeting point agreed with family and friends for after the race

Training Strategy for Pilgrim Challenge

Standard Training Window

20-24 weeks is the realistic window for a first 66-mile ultra, assuming you already have a marathon's worth of base behind you. The block that matters is back-to-back long weekends — a long run on Saturday followed by a second, slower one on Sunday — which builds time on feet and teaches you to run on tired legs without the recovery cost of one enormous day. Practise your race-day nutrition on every one of them; at this distance the stomach fails before the legs do.

Terrain Specificity

This is a largely flat course, so most of your long runs can mirror that — flat and steady, building time on feet rather than hill strength.

The Taper Phase

Drop volume hard across the final three to four weeks — further out and steeper than a marathon taper, because a 30-mile training day costs weeks of recovery, not days. Keep some easy running and a little terrain-specific work in, but the goal is to reach Farnham, Surrey with fresh feet and a rested gut rather than one more long run in the bank.

Pacing Execution

Lock in your target pace using the interactive splits calculator below — no official pacers are confirmed for this event, so a pace band on your watch is the more reliable option.

Fuel & Hydration Prep

Test your race-day fuel and hydration plan on your long training runs, not for the first time on race day — check the Race Day Checklist below for what's actually on this course.

66-Mile Ultra Nutrition & Fueling Plan

2-3 Days Prior

A deliberate increase in carbohydrate over the two to three days before the race is the well-established approach at marathon distance.

Race Morning

Eat a carbohydrate-focused breakfast two to three hours before the start, and stick to something you've already tested in training rather than trying anything new.

On-Course Fueling

Most runners take on carbohydrate every 30 to 45 minutes from about an hour in, alongside fluid at the on-course stations.

Post-Race Recovery

A mix of carbohydrate and protein in the hour or so after finishing supports recovery.

Pilgrim Challenge Charity Places 2027

No formal charity-place scheme published — runners commonly fundraise for a charity of their own choosing.

Impactful Storytelling

Lead with your personal story — explain why the charity matters to you. Personal connection generates 3x more support than a generic link broadcast.

Social Campaign Milestones

Share key training milestones on Instagram (first 10-miler, peak week, race week) with your fundraising link in bio. Publicly thanking donors prompts secondary gifts!

Running Pilgrim Challenge for charity?

Link your JustGiving page to Verus and show up right here alongside other Pilgrim Challenge fundraisers — goal, progress and story, all in one place.

Add Your Fundraiser to Verus

Travel & Logistics

Road closures

No road closures — the Pilgrim Challenge is run off-road (The North Downs Way — chalk, woodland singletrack and field path, in February mud), so local traffic is unaffected.

Pilgrim Challenge Frequently Asked Questions

Everything you need to know for race weekend.

Race details independently compiled and fact-checked by Tommo against the official Pilgrim Challenge site , last verified August 2026. Always confirm official timings and policies directly prior to race day.