50K Training Plan

16 weeks·5 days / wk·50k·intermediate

Weeks: 16
Sessions: 79
Peak week: 50 mi; week 13
Long run: 21 mi; week 13
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 9.5 + 5.5 mi	5 · 4 key	27 mi	Long 9.5 + 5.5 mi
Vertical target: 2700 ft Tue Oct 6 Hill power-hike + run 3 × 4 min 4 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 mi Warm-up 15 min easy 15 min @ marathon effort · 8:25/mi Cool-down 10 min easy Thu Oct 8 Easy run 4 mi 4 mi easy · @ 9:28–10:25/mi; trails if you can Sat Oct 10 Long trail run 9.5 mi 9.5 mi 9.5 mi on terrain like race day · @ 9:28–10:25/mi on flats; power-hike climbs Vertical target: 1500 ft · practise race-day fuel and kit Sun Oct 11 Back-to-back 5.5 mi 5.5 mi 5.5 mi on tired legs · @ 9:28–10:25/mi Vertical target: 800 ft · include a 20–30 min hiking block on the steepest climb
Weeks 2–16 locked Unlock the full plan. Every session, every week Paces and loads from your numbers PDF, calendar and Garmin export Re-plans when you miss a key session Billing period$79 / year$14 / month Annual works out at $6.58 a month Secure checkout with Stripe · Cancel any time
02	Base: time on feet + hiking skillLong 11 + 6.5 mi	5 · 4 key	29.5 mi	Long 11 + 6.5 mi
03	Base: time on feet + hiking skillLong 12 + 7.5 mi	5 · 4 key	31.5 mi	Long 12 + 7.5 mi
04	Cutback: recover, no back-to-backLong 8 + 4.5 mi	5 · 2 key	21.5 mi	Long 8 + 4.5 mi
05	Base: time on feet + hiking skillLong 13.5 + 8 mi	5 · 4 key	33.5 mi	Long 13.5 + 8 mi
06	Build: back-to-back long runs + vertLong 14.5 + 9 mi	5 · 4 key	35.5 mi	Long 14.5 + 9 mi
07	Build: back-to-back long runs + vertLong 16 + 9.5 mi	5 · 4 key	37.5 mi	Long 16 + 9.5 mi
08	Cutback: recover, no back-to-backLong 10.5 + 6 mi	5 · 2 key	27 mi	Long 10.5 + 6 mi
09	Build: back-to-back long runs + vertLong 17 + 10.5 mi	5 · 4 key	41 mi	Long 17 + 10.5 mi
10	Peak: race-simulation weekendsLong 18.5 + 11 mi	5 · 4 key	44.5 mi	Long 18.5 + 11 mi
11	Peak: race-simulation weekendsLong 19.5 + 11 mi	5 · 4 key	47 mi	Long 19.5 + 11 mi
12	Cutback: recover, no back-to-backLong 12.5 + 7.5 mi	5 · 2 key	32 mi	Long 12.5 + 7.5 mi
13	Peak: race-simulation weekendsLong 21 + 11 mi	5 · 4 key	50 mi	Long 21 + 11 mi
14	Taper: keep the legs freshLong 14.5 + 9 mi	5 · 4 key	40 mi	Long 14.5 + 9 mi
15	Taper: keep the legs freshLong 10.5 + 6.5 mi	5 · 4 key	32 mi	Long 10.5 + 6.5 mi
16	Race week — 50KRace 31 mi	4 · 1 key	12 mi	Race 31 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: 4:22:34before terrain and aid stations

The numbers

About this plan

This 50k training plan spends 16 weeks moving from 27 mi to 50 mi a week, with week 13 the biggest. Week 8 sits at 27 mi; that weekend is 10.5 + 6 mi. The longest single run is 21 mi in week 13, and the Sunday back-to-back peaks at 11 mi.

Weekly vertical rises with volume to 4900 ft, and 220 minutes of steep power-hiking sit in midweek hill sessions. Cutbacks — week 4 (21.5 mi), week 8 (27 mi) and week 12 (32 mi) — drop the back-to-back so the legs recover.

Flat easy pace is 9:28–10:25/mi at VDOT 42; on a 50K trail, effort beats pace. The 3-week taper runs 50 mi → 12 mi in race week, closing 542 mi of training.

Week 1, shown in full above, is 27 mi: Tuesday — hill power-hike + run 3 × 4 min; Wednesday — steady tempo 15 min, 4 mi; Thursday — easy run, 4 mi; Saturday — long trail run 9.5 mi; Sunday — back-to-back 5.5 mi.

The phases run base weeks 1–5 (27–33.5 mi), build weeks 6–9 (35.5–41 mi), peak weeks 10–13 (44.5–50 mi), taper weeks 14–15 (32–40 mi) and race week 16 (12 mi).

Questions

FAQ

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

50 mi in week 13, from 27 mi in week 1 and 27 mi in week 8.

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

21 and 11 mi on consecutive days load tired legs without one 32-mi day's recovery cost.

How much vertical should I train for with the 50k training plan?

4900 ft a week at the peak of 16 weeks; match it to your course profile.

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

3 weeks, from 50 mi to 12 mi, with the 50K on the Saturday of week 16.

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