Event programsRunningStrength

50K Trail Ultra: 16 weeks, peaks at ~9 h.

50 km on trail with 1,000–2,500 m of climbing: time on feet, hiking the steep climbs, effort-capped for the first half. That's the intermediate plan; beginner runs 20, advanced runs 14 weeks.

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Written for where you are.

Beginner

20 weeks, 4–5 runs a week plus a gym circuit: long runs by time from 2 to 4¼ h, two back-to-back weekends, two dress rehearsals.Shortest runway 10 weeks · research minimum 14 · 5 sources

20 wk

3-8 h a week

Intermediate

16 weeks, 5–6 runs a week: VO2 first, then vert repeats, trail tempo, downhill and loaded-uphill work, back-to-back weekends and dress rehearsals.Shortest runway 9 weeks · research minimum 12 · 5 sources

16 wk

4-9 h a week

Advanced

14 weeks, 6–7 sessions a week for competitive runners: two quality sessions, full-load uphill muscular endurance, back-to-backs to ~65 km.Shortest runway 8 weeks · research minimum 10 · 5 sources

14 wk

5-11 h a week

The checklist comes with it.

T-14Bank sleep: extend sleep over the 1–2 weeks before the race (UTMB runners who did finished faster).

T-14Heat: if the race is hot, 7–10 consecutive days of heat exposure, then every third day (adaptation decays ~2.5%/day after 48 h).

T-7Mandatory gear laid out against the race list and packed in the vest you trained with: phone with safety numbers, cup ≥ 150 mL, ≥ 1 L water, 2 headlamps (≥ 200 lumens main) with spare batteries, ~800 kcal reserve, hooded waterproof, hat or buff, survival blanket, whistle.

T-7Poles decided in training (at least 6 EU3 poles sessions). If you use them, carry them from the start — they can't go in drop bags.

T-3Drop bags, one per allowed station: food for the next segment (hours × g/h), a lamp and batteries at the last drop before dusk with a 1–2 h slow buffer, warm layer, spare socks, lube, blister kit, meds.

T-3Crew sheet: fast / target / slow pace chart with arrival times at each crew station, a handoff list, and a rule that any sit-down stop over 5 min needs a reason.

T-2Carb-load about 10 g/kg/day for 48 h, low-fibre foods the day before.

race morningStart eating within 30 min; hike the climbs from the start; hold the effort cap for the first half.

Every plan cites its homework.

Ultra tapers, back-to-back shares and finish-time bands are expert opinion (dossier U3, U6, U8); Koop's figures come from search snippets of his book. Trail km depend on climbing — the plans are time-first.

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