Trail race training blueprint
Average elevation: 3,400 m. No room for error.
At 159.2 km with 9,612 m of elevation gain, this is an ultra-distance effort that demands careful fueling, pacing, and mental resilience. At 60 m of vertical per kilometer, much of the course is runnable — the plan focuses on building your aerobic cruising speed while preparing you for the steeper sections. The official cutoff is 48 hours, so pace management starts from week one.
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High alpine terrain: scree, snowfields, exposed ridges, river crossings, and passages above 4,000 m. This is mountaineering with a bib number.
July in the San Juans: afternoon thunderstorms are near-certain above treeline. Lightning, hail, and sudden whiteouts.
Swap concrete training days, or mark a day done/skipped without changing the race-specific template.
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Key sessions include route buttons that deep-link into the Planner with pre-filled distance + elevation filters.
The plan is scaled from the race profile, not a generic road-running template.
Training emphasis: sustained climbing, downhill resilience, and efficient hike-run transitions.
If your race has a time limit, this estimates the minimum average pace and whether your target finish time clears the cutoff.
Use the personal subscription URL for a live saved plan. The snapshot .ics is useful for a one-time calendar import or backup.
Disclaimer: this plan is general information, not medical advice. Adjust based on fatigue, experience, and injury history.
At 159.2 km with 9,612 m of elevation gain, this is an ultra-distance effort that demands careful fueling, pacing, and mental resilience. At 60 m of vertical per kilometer, much of the course is runnable — the plan focuses on building your aerobic cruising speed while preparing you for the steeper sections. The official cutoff is 48 hours, so pace management starts from week one. This training plan adapts the 16-week structure specifically for 159.2 km with 9,612 m of elevation gain, scaling weekly volume and vert targets so your body is ready for race-day demands.
Ultra-distance trail races require a different approach to training than road marathons. Time on feet matters more than pace, and vertical accumulation is as important as distance. The plan includes back-to-back long days in peak weeks to simulate the fatigue of late race stages, plus dedicated recovery weeks every fourth week.
The 16-week programme is divided into four phases designed around the specific demands of 159.2 km and 9,612 m of climbing:
At 60 m of vertical per kilometer, the Hardrock 100 100M course is significantly steeper than average. Training should include dedicated power-hiking sessions (poles recommended), steep downhill technique drills, and eccentric strength work for quad resilience. Practice eating and drinking on steep climbs — this is where many runners lose time to nausea and energy dips.