12-Week Ultra Running Base Training Plan
Aerobic base block before any ultra build: Zone 2 volume, hill strength, strength foundation, decoupling test. A structured 12-week plan by RunForce.
Who Is This For
Trail and ultra runners between seasons, or 20-26 weeks before a goal race, who want a bigger aerobic engine and stronger legs before starting a race-specific plan.
Plan at a Glance
- Distance: Not race-specific: a 12-week training block
- Duration: 12 weeks
- Level: Intermediate
- Training days/week: 5-6 (5 runs + strength)
- Peak training: about 8 h of running a week, long run 2h45
- Terrain: Rolling to hilly trail, long easy climbs
- Elevation profile: Climbing grows from about 500 m to about 1,600 m (1,600-5,200 ft) a week. Weekly climbing in the plan: 500 m (1,600 ft) rising to 1,750 m (5,700 ft).
How the Structured Workouts Work
- Targets: heart rate as a % of max HR, with a range for every step (warm-up, reps, recoveries, cool-down). Enter your max HR in TrainingPeaks; week 1 includes a field check.
- Zones: Z1 60-70% (RPE 2-3), Z2 70-78% (RPE 3-4), Z3 79-86% (RPE 5-6), Z4 86-91% (RPE 7-8), Z5 91-100% (RPE 8-9).
- RPE: each target also shows its 1-10 effort, for short reps, heat, altitude or running without a heart-rate monitor.
- No pace targets: pace means little on climbs and technical trail.
- Devices: workouts sync to compatible watches (e.g. Garmin, COROS, Suunto, Apple Watch). A chest strap is recommended.
- Strength: Strength Builder sessions with videos, sets, reps and a target RPE.
Prerequisites
Running 4-5 times a week (about 4.5 h), a 75-min long run, no current injury.
What Is Included
- 12 weeks of structured workouts: Foundation weeks 1-2, Aerobic Development weeks 3-8, Strength & Muscular Endurance weeks 9-10, Consolidation week 11, assessment week 12. An easier week every 3-4 weeks.
- Purposeful long runs, plus a fueling lesson on every long run.
- Baseline and retest sessions in week 1 and week 12.
- RunForce Strength Builder sessions with exercise videos, sets, reps and RPE: 2 a week in the foundation phases, 1-2 in the specific phases.
Your Coach: Adrien Thévenet
UESCA-certified Ultrarunning Coach. 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.