Skip to content

Unravel Fitness

  • About
  • Class Schedule
  • Services
  • Recommended Products
  • Blog

Unravel Fitness

Health & Wellness

50 mile Ultramarathon Training Plan & Guide

December 11, 2020 by admin

A 50 mile Ultramarathon is a commitment to yourself; is not only challenging on the body and the mind. It takes consistency and dedication to your training and a lot of time out of your schedule to get there. You’ll find yourself faced with opportunities to participate in other hobbies and actives instead of staying on track. Finishing an Ultra is different for everyone but at the end you’ll feel a wave of accomplishment wash over you. For most of us, one thing is certain, the journey its self will feel more important and rewarding than the competition.

Is this guide for you?

For safety reasons, this is NOT a couch to Ultramarathon guide. It is a guide for regular runners that have experience in endurance training along with an interest in tackling a 50 mile race. Having a solid running base along with the physical experience of training will give you the best chances for success in completing your race and training cycles injury free.

  • Do you feel comfortable running long runs over 20 miles?
  • Are you regularly running 35-40 miles a week injury free?

If you answered yes to these, or are very close, then you have a solid running base and this program is for you. If you’re not there yet, I recommend building up to these prerequisites before following the program.

This program slowly and safely builds over 24 weeks with a taper every 3-4 weeks. Tapering allows your mind and body to recover and rebuild. This program finishes off with a 3 week taper ensuring you are reseted, recovered and ready for race day.

Key:

Hills & Speed Work– are strength building runs; adapt the legs to ascending and descending hills.

Regular Run– done at an easy pace, about 60% exertion, also known as a conversational pace.

Long Run– an easy effort pace. This is a great time to practice and play around with your nutrition, hydration, and shoes etc.

Back to Back Long Run– can be brutal but its a good way to practice listening to your body. *LISTEN TO YOUR BODY* These runs help your legs adapt to fatigue. If you’re feeling tired from a weeks worth of training forget about the time and focus on the miles. Run #2 can be taken slowly, integrate walks and breaks as needed.

Active Recovery Day- exercise that require light effort. Movements that lets the legs rest from running. No plyometrics. Yoga and stretching would be best; other examples are swimming, or biking. We want to encourage blood flow, stimulate healing and cardiovascular endurance with low impact.

Rest Day- pivotal in any training program. It allows the body to repair muscles and other systems. This allows you to keep training safely and makes your runs feel stronger.

Cross Training– is highly recommended but at the bottom of the priority list. Prioritize your milage and recovery before integrating cross training or strength training into your regiment. It is not included in this plan but feel free to integrated it as needed. Strength training and cross training can focus more on upper body and core movements to compliment running

The Program

This guide keeps safety in mind and give you some leeway if you slack off in the beginning. If you’re a seasoned runner feel free to start the program at a later week but don’t neglect the taper weeks. It is possible for seasoned endurance runners to prepare for a 50 mile run safely in as little as 16 weeks. I’m a big fan of playing it safe and giving your mind a chance to adapt to the new routine as well as your body.

Mileage includes warm up and cool downs. Adjust the days to fit into your schedule but try to maintain the same pattern of rest, run, speed/hill, run, rest, long run, and back to back long run. You’ll notice for the second long run it is prescribed in time instead of milage. The overall weekly milage is based on a 10:00/mile pace, don’t worry if your over all milage changes because your mile run is faster or slower than that. Instead on the back to back long run focus on the prescribed time. This will allow you to listen to your body better- run harder on good days, slower on tougher days.

WeekMondayTuesdayWednesdayThursdayFridaySaturdaySundayTotal Miles
1REST64 (speed)6REST10-121 hour34
2REST64 (hills)6REST12-141 hour 10 mins37
3REST65 (speed)7REST14-161 hour 10 mins41
4REST435REST10Active Recovery22 + AR
5REST75 (hills)7REST16-181 hour 20 mins45
6REST76 (speed)7REST16-181 hour 20 mins46
7REST76 (hills)7REST18-201 hour 30 mins49
8REST535REST12Active Recovery25 + AR
9REST86 (speed)8REST221 hour 45 mins54
10REST106 (hills)8REST122 hours58
11REST86 (speed)8REST241 hour 45 mins56
12REST646REST14Active Recovery28+ AR
13REST106 (hills)8REST222 hours58
14REST126 (speed)10REST142.5 hours57
15REST107 (hills)8REST262 hours63
16REST747REST14Active Recovery32+ AR
17REST1058REST203 hours63
18REST12810REST241 hour 45 mins64
19REST848REST14Active Recovery34+ AR
20REST1246REST311 hour59
21REST14810REST162.5 hours63
22REST1068REST181 hour48
23REST848REST101 hour36
24REST4REST30 minsRESTRACE DAY57
Heather Hart, ACSM EP-C

Good luck and happy running!


This blog post is a recap of key points from multiple sources listed below & personal experience:

  • https://relentlessforwardcommotion.com/free-50-mile-ultramarathon-training-plan-guide/
  • https://runnersconnect.net/
  • https://www.rei.com/learn

Post navigation

Previous Post:

Habit Challenge 2020

Next Post:

Preparing for A Triathlon

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

MINDBODY Login

Schedule

Classes

Class Descriptions

Topics

Subjects

Active Recovery Beginner Blog body measurements bootcamp calories cardio CBD covid-19 cycling habit challenge Hemp hydration iifym keto Kettlebell macros marathon Marijuana meal prep mobility mobility challenge narcolepsy nutrition organic outdoor paleo plant based protein race Running Spartan Race strength training supplements Swimming swing Training guide triathlon ultramarathon vegan water weight loss whole30 Workout Yoga

Ultimate Macro Calculator

Calculate My Macros!

Contact Us

  • ndondoyano@gmail.com
  • 408-771-7075

Follow Us!

Contact Us

  • ndondoyano@gmail.com
  • 408-771-7075
© 2023 Unravel Fitness | WordPress Theme by Superbthemes