Ultra Marathon Training Plan

20 weeks·5 days / wk·50k·intermediate

Weeks: 20
Sessions: 99
Peak week: 50 mi; week 17
Long run: 21 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 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
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02	Base: time on feet + hiking skillLong 10.5 + 6.5 mi	5 · 4 key	29 mi	Long 10.5 + 6.5 mi
03	Base: time on feet + hiking skillLong 11.5 + 7 mi	5 · 4 key	30.5 mi	Long 11.5 + 7 mi
04	Cutback: recover, no back-to-backLong 7.5 + 4.5 mi	5 · 2 key	21 mi	Long 7.5 + 4.5 mi
05	Base: time on feet + hiking skillLong 12.5 + 7.5 mi	5 · 4 key	32 mi	Long 12.5 + 7.5 mi
06	Base: time on feet + hiking skillLong 13.5 + 8 mi	5 · 4 key	33.5 mi	Long 13.5 + 8 mi
07	Build: back-to-back long runs + vertLong 14.5 + 8.5 mi	5 · 4 key	35 mi	Long 14.5 + 8.5 mi
08	Cutback: recover, no back-to-backLong 9.5 + 5.5 mi	5 · 2 key	24 mi	Long 9.5 + 5.5 mi
09	Build: back-to-back long runs + vertLong 15.5 + 9 mi	5 · 4 key	36.5 mi	Long 15.5 + 9 mi
10	Build: back-to-back long runs + vertLong 16.5 + 10 mi	5 · 4 key	38.5 mi	Long 16.5 + 10 mi
11	Build: back-to-back long runs + vertLong 17 + 10.5 mi	5 · 4 key	41 mi	Long 17 + 10.5 mi
12	Cutback: recover, no back-to-backLong 11 + 6.5 mi	5 · 2 key	28 mi	Long 11 + 6.5 mi
13	Peak: race-simulation weekendsLong 18 + 11 mi	5 · 4 key	42.5 mi	Long 18 + 11 mi
14	Peak: race-simulation weekendsLong 19 + 11 mi	5 · 4 key	45 mi	Long 19 + 11 mi
15	Peak: race-simulation weekendsLong 20 + 11 mi	5 · 4 key	47.5 mi	Long 20 + 11 mi
16	Cutback: recover, no back-to-backLong 13 + 7.5 mi	5 · 2 key	32.5 mi	Long 13 + 7.5 mi
17	Peak: race-simulation weekendsLong 21 + 11 mi	5 · 4 key	50 mi	Long 21 + 11 mi
18	Taper: keep the legs freshLong 14.5 + 9 mi	5 · 4 key	40 mi	Long 14.5 + 9 mi
19	Taper: keep the legs freshLong 10.5 + 6.5 mi	5 · 4 key	32 mi	Long 10.5 + 6.5 mi
20	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

Across 20 weeks this ultra marathon training plan builds 27 → 50 mi a week (peak in week 17). Week 10 sits at 38.5 mi; that weekend is 16.5 + 10 mi. The longest single run is 21 mi in week 17, and the Sunday back-to-back peaks at 11 mi.

288 minutes of power-hiking and a 4900-ft vertical peak prepare you for 50K climbs over 20 weeks. Cutbacks — week 4 (21 mi), week 8 (24 mi), week 12 (28 mi) and week 16 (32.5 mi) — drop the back-to-back so the legs recover.

On flat ground easy running is 9:28–10:25/mi; on the 4900-ft weeks, run by effort. After 678 mi over 20 weeks, the taper steps down to 12 mi in race week.

Week 1 of 20 is 27 mi in 5 sessions; the biggest is Saturday's 9.5 mi, and the key work is hill power-hike + run 3 × 4 min, steady tempo 15 min and long trail run 9.5 mi.

The phases run base weeks 1–6 (27–33.5 mi), build weeks 7–11 (35–41 mi), peak weeks 13–17 (42.5–50 mi), taper weeks 18–19 (32–40 mi) and race week 20 (12 mi).

Questions

FAQ

How many miles a week does the ultra marathon training plan peak at?

50 mi in week 17, from 27 mi in week 1 and 38.5 mi in week 10.

Why back-to-back long runs on the ultra marathon training plan?

A 32-mi weekend split 21 + 11 trains fatigue resistance over 20 weeks.

How much vertical should I train for with the ultra marathon training plan?

4900 ft a week at the peak of 20 weeks; match it to your course profile.

When does the ultra marathon training plan taper start?

After week 17 (50 mi); race week 20 is 12 mi.

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