This 20-week trail running plan is designed for the demands of the 171km (106 miles) and 10,000m (32,000ft) UTMB race or a similarly profiled 100-mile mountain race. The plan begins with specific hill sprints to build strength and durability before transitioning to 10 weeks of muscular endurance. The muscular endurance workouts are crucial to ensure your legs are ready for the demands of climbing and descending in the race. In the later part of the plan, you will start the functional runner routine that focuses on mobility, range of motion and specific strength for runners.

Along with these key workouts, the weekends are designed with a gradual progression of mileage and elevation gain and descent based on the elevation profile of the race. There are also notes on incorporating night running, pole use and mandatory kit. This plan follows the traditional four week cycle of a three week build to one consolidation week to absorb the training. The peak week tops out with an almost 50-mile (78km) week with almost 15,000ft (4600m) of elevation gain and descent. The plan culminates in a two-week taper to get you well rested for the big day.

Enjoy your training and be sure to tag @uphill_athlete with your training pictures and videos.

This plan is based on your RPE, or “Rate of Perceived Exertion,” where workout intensities are guided by how hard you are working based on your perception of effort (how hard the workout feels to you) rather than by heart rate. This plan is an adapted option for those who want to learn to calibrate their true effort levels in their workouts.

Whether you use an RPE-based or heart rate-based training plan, we recommend that you use a chest-strap heart rate monitor and GPS watch to log all your training.