Are you looking for the perfect beginner 100k training plan? Well, you’re in luck! I used Kilian’s book “Training for the Uphill Athlete” to form the perfect plan and get you to that finish line! Running 100 kilometers is no joke and even this beginner plan requires a lot of time and effort.
For this plan, I cut about 30% of the volume from my original 100k Ultra Marathon Training Plan while still building up to a 100k week of training. So get ready to take on the impossible and run farther than you ever have!
Here is the Google Sheets link for the 100k Run Training Plan for Beginners.
Beginner 100k Training Plan
A few months ago I released the 100K ultramarathon training plan and a lot of people were saying that it was either too time-consuming, too difficult, or too much mileage. Today I’m coming to you with a beginner 100km racing training plan.
What makes this training plan different from the original training plan is that I just cut mileage by about 30% while still building up to a 100 km week (or 62 miles). I would recommend this training plan for people who are running their first 100 km race or people who are running a mostly flat 100 km race (this means below about 10,000 ft of vert).
This plan is meant to train you as well as possible with low volume and still get you to that finish line. As always, this training plan is brought to us by the running bible “Training for the Uphill Athlete” co-written by Kilian Jornet.
16 Week 100k Training Plan for Beginners
This training plan is 16 weeks long and has different topics each week to focus on. The training plan peaks at a 100-kilometer week of training while still being low-volume and easy to follow.
Weeks 1-4
Starting off, we got weeks 1 through 4. The first three weeks are intensity weeks, so we’re starting this training plan off hot. I would recommend following the aerobic base training plan that I released a few months ago as well before starting this plan. It’ll get your aerobic base really strong and ready for this training plan.
All right, on week one on Monday, we have an aerobic day, so you’re going to be running at zone two for the duration of your run. Tuesday is an interval day, which means you’re going to be doing 2-4 X 10-minute intervals at Zone 3 and you’re going to be taking a 2-minute recovery jog between reps. Then, if you have any additional miles for that day, you could do those in warm-up and cool-down.
Wednesday, we have a recovery day, which means we’re going to be doing low Zone 2 to Zone 1 training. Thursday we have Hill bounding. What this means is starting with a warm-up and then finding a 30% incline. You’re going to be doing 2 X 30-second hill repeats with a 2-minute rest between reps.
Then you’ll do 2 X 20-second hill skipping. You’re going to be skipping up the mountain and taking a 2-minute rest between reps. Then you’re going to be doing 8 X 10-second maximum power bounding uphill with a 2-minute rest between reps and if you have more mileage that you need to get done that day you could get it done in warm-up and cool-down.
Then on Friday, we have another aerobic day, so running in Zone 2, and then on Saturday, we have a long run of 15 miles. So this means that you’re going to be doing 40-80% of your weekly mileage on this day and your vert for the week so 40-80% of your weekly vert on this one run. Then after that, you have a rest day and then we’re going to repeat this for the next 2 weeks.
For elevation for these weeks, try to be getting at least 30% of your race’s total elevation gain. This means if you’re doing a race that has 10,000 ft of vert, you’re going to be doing 3,000 ft of vert on these intensity weeks and then 40 to 80% of that vert will be done on your long run.
On week four, we have a recovery week, which means we’re just going to be cutting mileage in half and taking days off if needed. It also means that you’re going to be cutting your vert in half. That means that you’re going to be doing 15% of your races vert on these weeks with 40% of the vert still on your long run on the recovery weeks.
Weeks 5-12
Next up we got a sizeable chunk of weeks from weeks 5-12. We’re starting with a specificity week, so we’re going to be training specifically for your race on these weeks. This means trying to train on similar terrain as your races and back-to-back long runs.
On Monday, we’re going to be doing an aerobic day followed by specificity intervals. The difference between specificity intervals and normal intervals is just that you’re going to be upping the Zone to Zone 4 instead of Zone 3.
Then after that, we’re going to have a recovery day followed by another aerobic day and then we have a 16-mile back-to-back long run. As I said, that’s why you must be training hard before starting this training plan because this training plan is pretty intensive even though it is for beginners.
For these back-to-back long runs you’re going to want to do 40-80% of your weekly vert and mileage on these days. I usually do about 70% of weekly mileage on just these two days but like I said you could go all the way down to 40 if you’re more comfortable doing that. You’ll also want to do an equal percentage of vert on these days. For specificity weeks you’re going to want to do 50% of your races vert on these weeks and then like I said about 70% of that vert done on your back-to-back long runs so spread across the both days of those long runs.
Skipping down to week eight, you can see we still have a specificity week, but just one long run is going to be done on this week. That’s because on this day you can choose whether you want to do a “B race” of 50km. If you’ve seen my previous videos, you’ll know that I am anti-B races anti-tuneup races. They don’t work for me. They make me tired come my goal race and I would not recommend them unless you are really wanting to do them. If they do work for you, then do this B Race.
Whether you’re doing a B race on this day, you are going to be running 50 km. Make sure to stay in Zone 2 and just take it easy. Bring plenty of food, liquids, gels, and everything that you’ll need to try to simulate your “A Race” as much as possible without overexerting yourself. Then we’re going to be topping out this training plan at 100 km week on week 12. You’re going to be doing 20-mile back-to-back long runs this week.
Weeks 13-15
Then we have week’s 13-15 which are taper weeks, so this means we’re going to start cutting mileage and just focusing on getting prepared for our race. We’re still going to be doing an interval day on Tuesday just to keep the leg sharp and ready to race. Then you’ll have a long run on the weekend.
During these weeks you can take days off as needed, you can cross-train, just do whatever it takes to feel good and ready for your race. You’re going to be doing 15% of your race elevation for these weeks and you’re going to be doing 40% of that 15% on your long runs.
Week 16
Then you know what time it is, race week baby! As you can see on Monday, we have 30-second intervals. For these 30-second intervals, you’re going to be doing 4 X 30-second intervals at Zone 3 pace with a 3-minute jog between reps.
These intervals are just little stimuli to keep your legs fresh and keep the turnover quick so you are ready to race. Then on the weekend, you have your 100 km race and you are going to crush it guaranteed if you follow this training plan.
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