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Ultra Training Plan Finder

Tell it about your race and where your running is now. It picks the training plan that fits from Jake's free 50K, 50 mile, 100K and 100 mile plans, tells you the date to start, and works out your weekly climbing.

Your race

The total climbing listed on the race website

Your plan

50K Training Plan for Beginners

Starts with three mile days and tops out at a 50 mile week in week 13, with 15 mile back-to-back long runs.

  • The regular 50K plan starts with a 32 mile week. The beginner version starts with three mile days, which is closer to where you are now.
Get the free planRead about it first

When to start

  1. 1

    Aerobic Base Building Plan

    Start now, until December 14, 2026. You have less than the full 12 weeks, so run what you can of it before your race plan begins.

    • Every week2,000 ft to 3,000 ft
  2. 2

    50K Training Plan for Beginners

    Start December 14, 2026. Race week is the week of April 5, 2027.

Your weekly climbing on this plan

  • Base and intensity weeks2,400 ft
  • Specificity weeks3,600 ft
  • Recovery and taper weeks1,200 ft

How the finder picks

Every race plan on the site is 16 weeks long, so the finder counts back 16 weeks from your race to get your start date. If you have more time than that, it adds Jake's 12 week aerobic base plan first, and the off-season plan before that if there is room.

The plan itself comes from the rules Jake gives in each post: how many miles a week you should be running before you start, how much experience the plan expects, and how much elevation it was built for. Your weekly climbing targets are the percentages from that plan, applied to your race's elevation gain.

Want to see them all side by side? Here are all of Jake's training plans.

Common questions

How long are the training plans?

Every race plan on the site is 16 weeks long, from the 50K plans to the advanced 100 mile plan. The aerobic base building plan and the off-season plan are 12 weeks each.

What should I do if my race is more than 16 weeks away?

Run the 12 week aerobic base building plan first, then go straight into your 16 week race plan. Jake runs the base plan before any 50K, 100K or 100 mile plan. If you have even more time, the 12 week off-season plan comes before the base plan.

Which plan should I use for my first ultra?

50K is a great first ultra distance. If you are running under about 30 miles a week, start with the 50K plan for beginners. The regular 50K plan starts with a 32 mile week and works for a first ultra or a tenth.

How much elevation should I train with?

Each plan sets its weekly climbing as a share of your race's total elevation gain. Enter your race's gain above and the finder works out the weekly numbers for your plan.

Are the plans free?

Yes. Each plan is laid out in its post, and most come as a free spreadsheet when you sign up on the plan's page.