This 17-week trail running plan is designed for the sky running discipline that focuses on gain and descent. Sky running is defined by shorter distance races (generally between 20-50 km) and extreme elevation gain and descent in mountainous terrain. The plan begins with specific hill sprints to build strength and durability before transitioning to 8 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 add in downhill leg strength. The plan includes uphill and downhill-focused intervals to improve speed and turnover for these faster races.

Because sky running has a wide variety of distances and elevation profiles, this plan offers a base format for a 35 km (20 miles) long and 2500 m (8200 ft) altitude race. There are instructions within the plan to modify the long run to fit your racing needs. You will need to change the long run in Training Peaks to fit your specific race, but we provide information on how to calculate the long run. This plan has some flexibility with cross-training and easier weeks built in to absorb your training. The plan culminates in a two-week taper to get you well-rested for the big day.

Listen to our podcast episode about the creation of this plan and training for a skyrace.

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.