Trail 75K / 50 Miles Training Plan: 22 Weeks, Beginner, Heart Rate
A structured, progressive 22-week heart-rate plan to get you to the finish line of your first trail 75K / 50 Miles healthy and confident. It builds your aerobic base, climbing and descending strength and race-day routines step by step, with an easier week every fourth week.
The Race
A typical trail 75K to 50 miles: 75-80 km with about 2,000-3,500 m (6,500-11,500 ft) of climbing. A long day of 10-16 hours for most runners: fueling, pacing and foot care matter as much as fitness. The plan works for any trail race of this distance: the race day is set as an event on the final Saturday.
Who It Is For
You have finished a trail 50K, run 4 times a week (about 4.5 h) and can run 90 min on hilly trails.
Your 22 Weeks
- Phases: Preparation weeks 1-2, Base weeks 3-9, Build weeks 10-14, Specific weeks 15-19, Taper weeks 20-21, race week 22.
- Weekly: 4 runs and 2 strength sessions, about 3.8 h rising to 9.4 h of running.
- Long runs: 1h30 to 5h00, with back-to-back runs up to 2h00.
- Climbing: about 450 m rising to 1750 m a week.
- Trail skills: hill repeats, power hiking, downhill technique, fueling practice and a dress rehearsal.
- Strength: two RunForce 45-min sessions built in the TrainingPeaks Strength Builder (A: Force & Posterior Chain; B: Single-Leg & Mountain Durability), with a demonstration video for every exercise.
Heart Rate Training
Every run is prescribed in RunForce heart-rate zones (% of max HR), with a field check in week 1. Workouts explain how to use heart rate on climbs, on short efforts and in the heat.
The RunForce Beginner Trail Series
Seven progressive plans: 10K, 20K, 30K / 20 Miles, 50K, 75K / 50 Miles, 100K and 100 Miles, each in Heart Rate, RPE and Pace versions. Finish one, recover for 2-4 weeks, then start the next distance. This plan is also available in RPE and Pace versions. Search "RunForce Beginner Trail" in the TrainingPeaks store.
Your Coach: Adrien Thévenet
Endurance coach since 2011, working with elite athletes, professional endurance athletes, major race winners, and a Spartan National Champion across road, trail, and mountain running.
Certifications:
-25 Years of Endurance Sports Experience
-TrainingPeaks Level 2
-UESCA Ultrarunning
-RRCA Certified
-STRYD Power Coach
-ACE Certified
With 25 years in endurance sports, I offer tailored coaching for diverse runners - from beginners to sub 3-hour marathoners. Emphasizing well-being, we collaborate on a program that fits your life keeping you motivated.