Trail race training blueprint
A marathon beneath the roof of the Alps.
At 24.2 km with 1,613 m of elevation gain, this is a fast, punchy distance where speed and hill strength both matter. With 67 m of vertical per kilometer, expect significant hiking sections — training should emphasise power-hiking and efficient descending. The official cutoff is 6 hours, so pace management starts from week one.
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Mix of valley paths, forest trails, and alpine terrain. The Aiguillette des Posettes climb is long and steep.
Late June: warm valleys, cool and potentially stormy at altitude.
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 24.2 km with 1,613 m of elevation gain, this is a fast, punchy distance where speed and hill strength both matter. With 67 m of vertical per kilometer, expect significant hiking sections — training should emphasise power-hiking and efficient descending. The official cutoff is 6 hours, so pace management starts from week one. This training plan adapts the 16-week structure specifically for 24.2 km with 1,613 m of elevation gain, scaling weekly volume and vert targets so your body is ready for race-day demands.
Shorter trail races reward aggressive pacing and strong climbing. The plan emphasises quality intensity — hill repeats, tempo efforts, and race-pace sessions — while building enough endurance to finish strong on tired legs.
The 16-week programme is divided into four phases designed around the specific demands of 24.2 km and 1,613 m of climbing:
At 67 m of vertical per kilometer, the Marathon du Mont-Blanc 23K 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.