Are you looking for a training plan that will push you to the next level? This advanced 50k training plan will do just that. I added strength workouts, hill strides, speed workouts and back-to-back long runs, and I go through every week of this 16 week plan so you are ready to take on your next trail 50k.
The 50k is the perfect distance. It's technically an ultra, but it's only about 5 miles longer than a marathon. I've already made a beginner 50k training plan and a normal 50k training plan. This is the advanced version, so only follow it if you are an advanced runner (or you have way too much time on your hands).
Rather watch? This whole plan is in the video above, and there's more on my YouTube channel.
Advanced 50k Training Plan
As always, this plan is brought to us by Training for the Uphill Athlete by Steve House, Scott Johnston and Kilian Jornet, the GOAT himself. If you consider yourself an ultra runner and you don't own this book yet, you've got to get it.
What sets this plan apart from my other 50k plans is that it includes strength, more speed and hill strides. It's just a better overall plan.
Before you start, I recommend doing my aerobic base building training plan first. It's a great way to start your training. You've got to get that aerobic capacity up and get your muscles ready for what's coming.
At the bottom of the plan you'll find the definitions for each kind of week and workout. And remember, you can switch days around as needed. If you want to do your speed intervals on a Monday or a Wednesday, that's fine. Just make sure you have at least 72 hours between your speed day and your long run.
Weeks 1-3: Intensity weeks
We are starting this plan off hot with three intensity weeks. An intensity week is the same as a specificity week, but with Zone 3 intervals and one long run with 40% of your race's vert.
Monday is an aerobic day with a strength workout. The strength workouts have three levels:
- Beginner: for people who haven't done strength, or have done a little without weights. Do these for the first four weeks.
- Intermediate: basically the same workouts as beginner, just made a little more difficult.
- Advanced: now you add weights. This is for when you've already been using weights or you're ready to start, which is about 8 weeks into this plan.
Tuesday is intervals: 4 to 6 x 10 minutes in Zone 3 with 2 minutes rest between reps. If you have miles left over, do 1 mile as a warm up and the rest as a cool down, or run them later in the day. Just make sure you get the mileage for the day.
Tuesday also has hill strides. Find a hill with about an 8% grade and do 6 to 10 reps of 30 seconds. Run up in Zone 4 (not an all-out effort) and jog back down. Like the strength training, add 2 reps every 4 weeks: start with 6, move to 8, and finish with 10.
Wednesday is red, which means recovery. Keep these runs in Zone 1.
Saturday is the long run, 40 to 80% of your weekly mileage. On your long runs, run the downhills hard. That means staying in Zone 2 on the way down. It's easy to just float the downhills, and that's fine during the week, but on your long runs push them into Zone 2 and don't slip into Zone 1.
You repeat that week three times.
Week 4: Recovery week
On recovery weeks you take days off as needed. If you want to swap in a cross training day, this is the week to do it. You'll have two recovery days, lower mileage, and one long run on the weekend.
Weeks 5-7: Specificity weeks
For specificity weeks you want to train on terrain like your race, and get 60 to 110% of your race's elevation.
Monday is still an aerobic day in Zone 2. Tuesday is specificity intervals, which are the same as normal intervals but in Zone 4 instead of Zone 3.
Then on the weekend you have back-to-back long runs of 15 miles each, with 40 to 80% of your weekly vert on those two runs. These runs will be hard, but they've helped me get to so many finish lines. I 100% recommend back-to-back long runs.
Week 7 has a purple day. That's your chance to do a B race if you want to. If you've seen my other videos, you know I'm not a fan of B races. But if you think they help you, do a trail marathon with about 50% of your 50k's vert. No road marathons, you're going to get injured. And whether you race it or run it as a 26 mile training run, stay in Zone 2. Don't go any higher. That's exactly why I don't like B races: I like to push myself when I race.
Week 8: Recovery week
Same as the first recovery week. Make sure you didn't push too hard if you did that B race.
Weeks 9-10: Intensity weeks
More intensity weeks. No back-to-back long runs, just one long run, and the intervals drop back to Zone 3.
Weeks 11-12: Specificity weeks
Two more specificity weeks. Remember to run on terrain like your race. If you can't, try to at least do your long runs on it. Travel somewhere with mountains, spend the weekend somewhere, and mimic your race's terrain and vert however you can.
Week 13: Recovery week
The last recovery week of the plan.
Weeks 14-15: Taper weeks
A taper week is basically a recovery week, but you still have one day of speed training, and you do 25% of your race's elevation.
Week 16: Race week
Race week, baby! Take it easy and don't spend too much time on your feet. Just focus on getting ready for your race.
Monday and Wednesday have 30 second intervals: 4 x 30 seconds with a 3 minute easy jog between reps. This keeps your legs sharp without making them tired. It just wakes the muscles up and gets them ready to race.
Saturday is race day. If you followed this plan, 50 kilometers is nothing for you. You are ready to crush it.
If you have any questions about the plan, leave them in the comments on the video and I'll answer them there. And for more training plans and trail running videos, subscribe on YouTube.