Rest
30' Aerobic Threshold (AeT)
30' recovery
Rest (Core)
40' AeT
Rest
1:45 Long Run
Starting your plan with a rest day may seem counter intuitive, but this is time for you to focus and ensure you are ready to go!
15′ jog warm up with mobilisation drills.
30 minute tempo at the pace you can sustain for about 2 hours. If you have recently completed a half-marathon, you could use this as your gauge for pace. If not start out using a calculated Tempo HR. This should be comfortably hard!
On completion of this your HR trace should be constant with a slight drop in pace (5 or 10″ per km)
15′ jog cool down – aiming for Zone 1 HR.
You are going to record some simple data after this run as part of your first benchmark. Why benchmark on this kind of run? Because it’s where we are aiming for most physical progression and development. Building your aerobic engine will allow you to travel further, quicker and for less effort…honest!
Our training plans offer a benchmark testing system that allows you to submit progress reports at predetermined points throughout your plan, so you can monitor your own performance and we can help tailor the plan to your personal requirements.
To learn more, sign up now!
Sign UpThe aim is in the name! Not only should this run be helping you to recover, but we’re subtly telling your body that it needs to run on tired legs – deal with it! Pace is important here though, the effort should be very very easy (HR zone 1)
Another rest day – concentrate on good nutrition and hydration.
Also a good day to introduce some yoga and/or core strength work.
Same as Tuesday but 10 minutes more(!).
Use Tuesday as a guide and refine your effort if you need to.
15 minute warm up & mobilisation, and 15′ cool down.
Hydration, Nutrition and relax…
Your first long run!
Nice and easy, no checking your watch! Switch off, and notice the world around you. It’s likely this is going to be the effort you’ll be building for event-day.
Add in as much off-road running as you can; see our article on training for trails when you don’t have trails
Aim for an out and back run, 50 minutes out and 55 back, concentrate on a steady pace that feels like you could keep going..!
This week focus on learning about your chosen ultra. Find out about the terrain and key challenges from runners who have previously done it (try facebook groups etc) or from the organisers. This will begin to prepare you mentally for what is ahead AND help you tailor your programme effectively in coming weeks. Importantly, it will also help you with your next important task for the week – see kit prep below.
Stretch target – book accommodation and travel. Committing to these will make the upcoming event much more real for you. Researching local accommodation and travel will also give you a feel for the area and terrain.
If you don’t have your pack and shoes for race day now is the time to begin selecting – informed by your research on your chosen event – so that you can train in the shoes and pack in coming weeks. You need to leave yourself time to get it wrong completely if needs be, and test and adjust. Don’t wait. See more in our article on sustainable kit.
If you are transitioning from road running to trail, shoes and pack are likely to be your biggest changes.
See our pieces on trail shoe selection and choosing a pack.