Training plan Ultra Trail XL Beginner 24 Weeks

A Few Tips Before Starting Your Trail Training Program

Since the very beginning, our mission at AthleteSide has been to help you progress. This means we focus on education, not just conditioning. Our trail training plans include detailed instructions for mountain running, elevation work, and specific strengthening.
Whatever the distance, each trail training plan comes with an explanation of technical terms, a weekly breakdown, tips and useful guidance. An effective trail training program is also built around you, your goals, and your races.

This training program has been developed in collaboration with certified trail and ultra-trail coaches. It is designed so that each session is easy to understand and follow.

We have attached particular importance to the quantification of the training load using the TRIMP. It allows for objective tracking of the intensity and volume of sessions, in order to optimize progress without risking overtraining.

Before starting this trail training plan, a medical consultation is recommended to evaluate physical condition and detect any contraindications. A cardiovascular check-up with an ECG and, if necessary, a stress test may be required.

This program is flexible and can be adapted to your schedule. You can adjust the sessions and days according to your availability, while avoiding scheduling several consecutive intense sessions.

Consistency is essential for progress. In trail running, adaptation to varied terrain and elevation takes time. Results are not seen in a week, but the improvement over 12 to 20 weeks can be considerable.

Happy training to all!

Reminder on Training Intensities – ESIE Scale

The intensity of a session is based on:

• Heart rate (HR)
• Power
• Subjective feeling

Ideally, zones are determined via a stress test in a sports medicine laboratory.

Failing that, you can estimate the Maximum Heart Rate (MHR) as follows:

• Male: MHR = 220 – age
• Female: MHR = 226 – age

Intensity Zones (Z1 to Z7)

Tips for Uphill Sessions

Uphill work is fundamental in trail running. This is often where races are won or lost. Here are the key principles to progress in ascents.

• Muscle power: Develop the strength of quadriceps, calves, and glutes to climb efficiently.
• Running economy: Learn to manage your effort to avoid blowing up at the start of a climb.
• Power hiking technique: On steep slopes (>15%), power hiking is often more efficient than running.

• Short hills (30s to 2min): To work on explosiveness and muscle power.
• Medium hills (5 to 10min): To develop uphill threshold.
• Long hills (20min+): To work on specific ascent endurance.

• Use poles on long climbs to relieve your legs.
• Keep your heart rate controlled: better to start slowly than to burn all your matches.
• Work on your power hiking technique: regular steps, pushing on your thighs.

• D+: Positive elevation gain (meters climbed)
• Hill repeats: Uphill repetitions
• Power hiking: Fast walking with hands on thighs

Tips for Downhill Sessions

Downhill running is often neglected in training yet it makes the difference in races. This is also where injuries are most common. Here's how to improve.

• Gain time: Good descenders recover precious minutes.
• Preserve muscles: Poor downhill technique destroys quadriceps.
• Avoid injuries: Ankles, knees, and back are heavily stressed.

• Look far ahead: Anticipate the terrain 3-5 meters in front of you.
• Low center of gravity: Slightly bend your knees, lean your torso forward.
• Quick short steps: Rather than long braking strides.
• Arms spread: For balance on technical terrain.

• Start on easy terrain (wide path, not very technical).
• Progress to more technical terrain (single tracks, roots, rocks).
• Include 1 technical descent session per week.

• D-: Negative elevation (meters descended)
• Single track: Narrow and technical path
• DOMS: Delayed onset muscle soreness (common after descents)

Tips for Long Runs

The long run is the pillar of trail training. It builds your endurance and ability to chain hours of effort.

• Develop fundamental endurance: Get the body used to prolonged effort.
• Test gear: Shoes, pack, clothing, poles.
• Test nutrition: Gels, bars, drinks, hydration strategy.
• Strengthen mental toughness: Learn to manage difficult moments.

• Frequency: Once a week (or every 10-15 days for ultras).
• Duration: 2h to 5h depending on your goal distance.
• Intensity: Moderate (Z2-Z3), you should be able to talk.
• Terrain: Similar to your target race.

• Bring enough water and food.
• Plan your route and let someone know.
• Respect the pace: the long run is not a race!
• Note your feelings to adjust future runs.

Tips for Trail Strength Training

Strength training is essential in trail running to prevent injuries and improve performance, especially uphill and downhill.

• Quadriceps: Heavily stressed downhill. Strengthening limits muscle damage.
• Hamstrings: Important for uphill propulsion.
• Calves: Essential for stability on technical terrain.
• Core: A solid trunk improves stride efficiency.
• Ankles: Proprioception to avoid sprains.

• Squats and lunges: With or without load, single-leg for balance work.
• Step-ups: Simulates the climbing motion.
• Eccentric descents: Slow descent squats to strengthen quadriceps.
• Core work: Plank, side plank, Superman.
• Proprioception: Single-leg balance, on unstable surface.

1 to 2 GPP sessions per week. Reduce during tapering phase.

Tips for Trail-Specific GPP Sessions

General Physical Preparation (GPP) in trail running must be adapted to the specific demands of the discipline: unstable terrain, significant elevation, prolonged efforts.

• Injury prevention: Strengthen joints (ankles, knees) often put to the test.
• Improved stability: Better management of technical terrain.
• Power gain: More strength for climbs.
• Fatigue resistance: More enduring muscles over long distances.

• Proprioception: Single-leg balance, eyes closed, on unstable surface.
• Ankle strengthening: Calf raises, ankle rotations with resistance band.
• Single-leg squats: Pistol squat or Bulgarian squat.
• Dynamic core work: Moving plank, mountain climbers.

Tips for Rest Days

Having one or more rest days per week in a trail training plan is important for several reasons.

• Muscle recovery: Trail running stresses muscles heavily, especially downhill. The body needs time to repair micro-tears.
• Overtraining prevention: Avoid chronic fatigue and overuse injuries.
• Physiological adaptation: It is during rest that the body adapts and progresses.
• Mental recovery: Mountain trail running also requires a lot of concentration.

• Anti-inflammatory nutrition: Fruits, vegetables, omega-3, turmeric.
• Hydration: Water helps eliminate metabolic waste.
• Sleep: 7 to 9 hours per night, that's when regeneration happens.
• Active recovery: Light walking, stretching, yoga, gentle swimming.
• Self-massage: Foam roller on quadriceps and calves.

Tips for a Typical Trail Week

Organizing your trail training week requires balancing different types of sessions while respecting recovery.

• Monday: Rest or active recovery (walking, yoga).
• Tuesday: Quality session (hills, threshold, intervals).
• Wednesday: Easy endurance run + GPP.
• Thursday: Downhill technique or technical trail.
• Friday: Rest or very light jog.
• Saturday: Long run with D+.
• Sunday: Rest or light active recovery.

• Don't chain two hard sessions: Alternate quality and recovery.
• Place the long run at the end of the week: To have time to recover.
• Listen to your body: If fatigue accumulates, don't hesitate to replace a session with rest.
• Include D+ every week: Even if you live on flat terrain (stairs, bridges...).

Post Trail Competition Recovery

Recovery after a trail or ultra-trail is crucial. Muscle damage, especially from descents, is significant and requires appropriate recovery time.

• Walk: A few minutes of light walking to avoid cramps.
• Hydrate: Water, electrolytes, or recovery drink.
• Eat: Carbohydrates and proteins within 30-60 minutes (3:1 ratio).
• Compression: Compression socks or sleeves to promote venous return.

• Active rest: Walking, swimming, very light cycling. No running for 3-7 days depending on distance.
• Massage or foam rolling: With caution on very damaged muscles.
• Cold baths or contrast: To reduce inflammation.
• Sleep: Maximize sleep time.

• Short trail (<30km): 3-5 days without running.
• Medium trail (30-60km): 7-10 days of progressive recovery.
• Ultra (>60km): 2-3 weeks minimum, or more depending on fatigue level.