50 Mile Training Plan

20 weeks·5 days / wk·50 mile·intermediate

Weeks: 20
Sessions: 99
Peak week: 62.5 mi; week 17
Long run: 26 mi; week 17
Taper: 3 wk

BaseCutbackBuildPeakTaperRace

Weekends pair a long run with a back-to-back run to train fatigue resistance without a single huge day.

Week-by-week training plan
Wk	Focus	Sessions	Volume	Biggest session
01	Base: time on feet + hiking skillLong 12.5 + 7.5 mi	5 · 4 key	33.5 mi	Long 12.5 + 7.5 mi
Vertical target: 4000 ft Tue Oct 6 Hill power-hike + run 3 × 4 min 4.5 mi Warm-up 15 min easy · @ 9:28–10:25/mi 3 × 4 min on a 10–15% grade · alternate: odd reps power-hike hands-on-knees, even reps run; walk down Cool-down 10 min easy Wed Oct 7 Steady tempo 15 min 4.5 mi Warm-up 15 min easy 15 min @ marathon effort · 8:25/mi Cool-down 10 min easy Thu Oct 8 Easy run 4.5 mi 4.5 mi easy · @ 9:28–10:25/mi; trails if you can Sat Oct 10 Long trail run 12.5 mi 12.5 mi 12.5 mi on terrain like race day · @ 9:28–10:25/mi on flats; power-hike climbs Vertical target: 2200 ft · practise race-day fuel and kit Sun Oct 11 Back-to-back 7.5 mi 7.5 mi 7.5 mi on tired legs · @ 9:28–10:25/mi Vertical target: 1200 ft · include a 20–30 min hiking block on the steepest climb
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02	Base: time on feet + hiking skillLong 14 + 8.5 mi	5 · 4 key	36 mi	Long 14 + 8.5 mi
03	Base: time on feet + hiking skillLong 15 + 9 mi	5 · 4 key	37.5 mi	Long 15 + 9 mi
04	Cutback: recover, no back-to-backLong 10 + 6 mi	5 · 2 key	26.5 mi	Long 10 + 6 mi
05	Base: time on feet + hiking skillLong 16.5 + 10 mi	5 · 4 key	40 mi	Long 16.5 + 10 mi
06	Base: time on feet + hiking skillLong 17.5 + 10.5 mi	5 · 4 key	41.5 mi	Long 17.5 + 10.5 mi
07	Build: back-to-back long runs + vertLong 18.5 + 11 mi	5 · 4 key	44.5 mi	Long 18.5 + 11 mi
08	Cutback: recover, no back-to-backLong 12 + 7 mi	5 · 2 key	31 mi	Long 12 + 7 mi
09	Build: back-to-back long runs + vertLong 19.5 + 11.5 mi	5 · 4 key	46 mi	Long 19.5 + 11.5 mi
10	Build: back-to-back long runs + vertLong 20.5 + 12 mi	5 · 4 key	49 mi	Long 20.5 + 12 mi
11	Build: back-to-back long runs + vertLong 21.5 + 13 mi	5 · 4 key	51 mi	Long 21.5 + 13 mi
12	Cutback: recover, no back-to-backLong 14 + 8.5 mi	5 · 2 key	36 mi	Long 14 + 8.5 mi
13	Peak: race-simulation weekendsLong 22.5 + 13.5 mi	5 · 4 key	54 mi	Long 22.5 + 13.5 mi
14	Peak: race-simulation weekendsLong 23.5 + 14 mi	5 · 4 key	55.5 mi	Long 23.5 + 14 mi
15	Peak: race-simulation weekendsLong 25 + 15 mi	5 · 4 key	59.5 mi	Long 25 + 15 mi
16	Cutback: recover, no back-to-backLong 16 + 9.5 mi	5 · 2 key	40.5 mi	Long 16 + 9.5 mi
17	Peak: race-simulation weekendsLong 26 + 15.5 mi	5 · 4 key	62.5 mi	Long 26 + 15.5 mi
18	Taper: keep the legs freshLong 18.5 + 11 mi	5 · 4 key	50.5 mi	Long 18.5 + 11 mi
19	Taper: keep the legs freshLong 13 + 8 mi	5 · 4 key	40.5 mi	Long 13 + 8 mi
20	Race week — 50-mileRace 50 mi	4 · 1 key	15 mi	Race 50 mi

Your paces

Easy / long: 9:28–10:25/miflat-ground reference; go by effort on climbs
Marathon effort: 8:25/mi
Threshold: 7:53/mi
Flat-course equivalent finish: 7:05:01before terrain and aid stations

The numbers

About this plan

This 50 mile training plan spends 20 weeks moving from 33.5 mi to 62.5 mi a week, with week 17 the biggest. Week 10 sits at 49 mi; that weekend is 20.5 + 12 mi. The longest single run is 26 mi in week 17, and the Sunday back-to-back peaks at 15.5 mi.

Weekly vertical rises with volume to 7200 ft, and 288 minutes of steep power-hiking sit in midweek hill sessions. Week 4 (26.5 mi), week 8 (31 mi), week 12 (36 mi) and week 16 (40.5 mi) are cutbacks.

Flat easy pace is 9:28–10:25/mi at VDOT 42; on a 50-mile trail, effort beats pace. The 3-week taper runs 62.5 mi → 15 mi in race week, closing 851 mi of training.

Week 1, shown in full above, is 33.5 mi: Tuesday — hill power-hike + run 3 × 4 min, 4.5 mi; Wednesday — steady tempo 15 min, 4.5 mi; Thursday — easy run, 4.5 mi; Saturday — long trail run 12.5 mi; Sunday — back-to-back 7.5 mi.

The phases run base weeks 1–6 (33.5–41.5 mi), build weeks 7–11 (44.5–51 mi), peak weeks 13–17 (54–62.5 mi), taper weeks 18–19 (40.5–50.5 mi) and race week 20 (15 mi).

Questions

FAQ

How many miles a week does the 50 mile training plan peak at?

62.5 mi in week 17, from 33.5 mi in week 1 and 49 mi in week 10.

Why back-to-back long runs on the 50 mile training plan?

26 and 15.5 mi on consecutive days load tired legs without one 42-mi day's recovery cost.

What vertical does the 50 mile training plan build to?

Up to 7200 ft in week 17 — adjust for your 50-mile course.

How long is the taper in the 50 mile training plan?

3 weeks, from 62.5 mi to 15 mi, with the 50-mile on the Saturday of week 20.

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