This plan is specifically designed for the Tor des Géants! The author has finished the TDG (2023, 112 hours) along with many other 200+ mile races, and this plan was built from his own GPS file of the race.
The Tor is ~330 km with 24,000+ meters (80,000+ ft) of climbing and just as much descending. The GPS data showed climbing speed held steady for five days while descending speed dropped about 25%. That makes the downhills the biggest place to gain (or lose) time, and trashed quads are one of the main reasons people DNF. So this plan is built around vertical gain and loss, with a dedicated focus on downhill durability.
What's included:
- 26 weeks of structured workouts (RPE-based) with planned vertical for every session
- Two strength sessions per week built in the TrainingPeaks strength builder, including a weekly "Downhill Legs" eccentric strength session that progresses across the plan
- Downhill-specific run workouts (downhill repeats, technical descents, long descents, descending on tired legs), each with treadmill/stair options if you don't live near mountains
- Loaded power hiking, back-to-back long runs, a night-finish long run, an overnight long run and a 3-day "Mini-Tor" training block
- Benchmark tests for uphill fitness AND downhill durability so you can see your progress
- Life base split targets for 100, 115, 130 and 145 hour finishes, with cutoff guidance
- Tor-specific tips: section-by-section course notes, life base strategy, sleep, fueling, poles, altitude and weather, heat in the valleys, mandatory gear, the TOR bag, foot care, travel and logistics, taper and race week
The plan assumes you have finished a mountain 100 miler (or a big-vert 100K) and can comfortably train 6-8 hours a week, including a 2 hour trail run, before starting. Peak weeks reach roughly 18-20 hours and 20,000+ ft of vert.
The plan is based on time and vertical gain.
If you have any questions please contact me!
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