Trail Marathon / 50K Training Plan + ULTRA RACE GUIDE

Hello, I’m Alastair from Trail and Kale and welcome to my ULTIMATE guide on how to train for a trail marathon or 50k ultra marathon. This trail marathon / 50k training plan and race guide covers EVERYTHING you need to know about trail marathon training and racing tactics.

I have chosen to bundle this post as a marathon and 50k training guide because I use a very similar training schedule and race tactics for both race distances, and let’s face it there’s “only” 8km difference between the two.

This free training and racing guide is packed full of trail running advice, including how to choose your target trail marathon / 50k race for your first trail marathon or ultramarathon, create a personalized trail marathon / 50k training plan based on your chosen race.

Have you been thinking about running a road marathon, and want to SMASH IT? Check out our marathon training plans next!

I’ll also share how to train for your chosen race, the best trail running gear for the said race, how to fuel while ultra marathon training and racing, how to avoid overtraining injuries, secret race tactics, and more!

This isn’t your average marathon / 50k training plan, this truly is my ULTIMATE guide to smashing your first trail marathon / 50k trail race with all the experience I have learned over the years – and I’m sharing some secrets you definitely won’t have read before!

I have been planning to craft this mega article on how to train for a trail marathon (and 50k ultra marathon) for such a long time, and as I started writing it, I realized that it is going to be a rather long post…

Get comfortable for this one, and BOOKMARK IT with the heart icon in the bottom right of your screen ready for when you need to dive back into it, during the relevant times in your trail marathon / 50k training plan detailed in this post. Oh and if you enjoy this post then subscribe to our Newsletter to be notified of new content.

I have also done my best to make the trail marathon / 50k advice in this guide just as helpful for those of you who are looking to run your first marathon, as for those more experienced trail runners who are looking to run their next trail ultra marathon faster, or with less time spent in the pain cave.

If you prefer your trail marathon / 50k training plan advice in video form, then click here to visit the full ‘trail marathon / 50k training plan & racing guide’ playlist on our YouTube Channel, or watch the videos embedded below.

PLEASE NOTE that although I may be referring to trail marathon training specifically in this video series, all the advice and information is highly relevant to 50k ultra marathon training too as I employ the exact same training and racing methods.

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The Ultimate Trail Marathon / 50k Training Plan: Table of Contents

1. How to choose your first (or next) trail marathon or 50k
2. Creating a personalized marathon / 50k training plan
3. Choosing the best running gear for your trail marathon or 50k ultra marathon
4. How to fuel your body while ultra marathon training and during your trail marathon / 50k
5. How to avoid overtraining running injuries
6. Race tactics to help you outsmart your competition
7. My proven ultra marathon recovery routine: Recovery is just as important as training
8. Preparing for race day and managing startline nerves
9. Finish your race feeling strong and don’t forget to smile! 🙂

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Before getting into how to choose your race, I’d like to quickly let you know that we have a whole section on running advice in our ‘Running 101‘ series which shares running tips and techniques on topics like how to improve running form, how to run faster, how and why to improve cadence, the importance of interval training, the best stretches for runners, and many more! Check it out after reading this 50k training plan.

1. How to Choose A Trail Marathon (or 50k Race) And How Your Choice Will Dictate Your Training Plan

If you want to work out how to put together a trail marathon or 50k training plan and execute it like an absolute boss, performing to the best of your ability when the day of your race arrives, it’s important to know the specifics of the trail race you’re training for.

Race metrics like elevation gain, elevation loss, altitude, terrain, climate/weather, and even the amount of people who will be in the race are all key performance indicators that can have a significant bearing on how you should be training for your first, or next trail marathon / 50k.

This information will therefore dictate what your marathon / 50k training plan should look like in terms of priorities and focus areas.

This phase of your trail marathon or 50k planning should be seen as a fun moment where you have the opportunity to commit yourself to something truly epic, fun, beautiful, unique, or all of the above rolled into one.

For more expert trail running (and ultra running) advice, subscribe to our YouTube Channel via the button below:

Choosing a Trail Marathon vs. 50k Ultramarathon

Most ultra runners, if asked, ‘What is an ultra marathon’ may give the response that ‘an ultra marathon is any distance longer than a marathon distance – so anything longer than 26.2 miles (42k)’. This is the technical definition of an ‘ultra marathon’.

However, once you get into long-distance trail and ultra running and you learn the secrets of how to run longer without getting tired, you realize that shorter ultra marathons, and even trail marathons, can be more ‘ultra’ than longer ultra-marathon distances.

Running a 50k distance is not significantly longer than running a marathon distance, but earns a prize for being the shortest ultra marathon you can run and is, therefore, a very popular race distance for people wanting to run their first ultramarathon, because the distance is so often the most obvious metric to focus on when you’re setting your goals as a runner.

However, consider whether you want to run the longer race distance, or face the bigger challenge. I have run trail marathons and even 30k races in the mountains that are technically SIGNIFICANTLY more challenging than 50k ultramarathons I have run.

That has been due to the other elements mentioned above, including being raced at altitude, having more significant elevation gain and loss to overcome, and being on more technical terrain that takes longer or requires more effort to run on. It’s worth thinking about!

Here are some helpful resources for choosing a trail marathon or 50k trail race

On trailandkale.com we have created a database of some of our favorite trail marathons and 50k’s around the world (this is by no means all of them and our database is constantly growing.

These lists of our favorite trail marathons and 50k ultra marathons is a great place to start if you’re thinking about doing one of the big International trail marathons, and our events database homepage shares all our favorite trail races including shorter distance races and ultramarathons too.

Here are some excellent external resources that make it easy to find local trail running races:

• ultrasignup.com – For races in the USA
• runningintheusa.com – For races in the USA
• active.com/running/trail-running – For races in the UK, Europe, and also USA.

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2. Trail Marathon / 50k Training Plan: How to Train for a Trail Marathon

The techniques and types of training runs in this trail marathon / 50k training plan should, in some ways, also apply to shorter 10km, 21km (half marathons), 30km races too – the main differences will be the distances and ‘time-on-feet’ for each ultramarathon training run.

Ok, so as I mentioned above, your chosen trail marathon / 50k ultra marathon is going to determine your specific marathon or 50k training plan but there are some key ultra marathon training runs and goals that you need to think about hitting.

There is a way to make your training a little bit easier, and that’s by having a running partner, this could be one of your friends or even your spouse.

And before you say it, there are 4 clever training processes that we have developed that you can use in order to be able to run with your running partner, even though they may be slower (or faster) than you.

Before I go on, allow me to quickly answer a burning question for many runners taking on their first 50k ultra marathon.

How Far is 50k in Miles?

Yes, a surprisingly popular question we get is “how far is 50k in miles?”. If you’re used to training in miles then it’s helpful to know how long a 50k distance is in miles: Converting 50k to miles is around 31 miles. If you’re used to converting 5k race distances to miles (which is 3.1 miles) then this is ‘just’ ten times that!

READ NEXT: How long does it take to run a mile?

It’s important to note that some trail marathon / 50k race distances will not be exactly the distance listed in the race title, and it’s fairly common that the distance can be longer.

Trail and ultramarathon races are not like road races where you can be more precise in measuring distances, and this adds to the overall ‘charm’ and mental challenge of running a trail race.

I’ve had ultra marathon races that have been nearly 2 miles longer than the stated race distance; not what you want when you see your GPS watch reach the last few meters of your race yet there’s no finish line in sight, haha – unless you’ve done some research beforehand and know what to expect.

Be prepared for these scenarios by researching “actual” race lengths for your 50k race – you can get ahold of the previous year’s race GPX files from participants on Strava to check the distance for yourself.

Sometimes these GPS routes are also shared on the race organizer’s website – this way you can learn in advance whether your 50k race is actually 56k, or nearly 35 miles long.

As many races (and pretty much all races in Europe) will be measured in km rather than miles, it helps to not only know what 50k is in miles, but also to be able to roughly convert kilometers to miles in your head so you know what those distance markers mean when you pass them, or when you consult the race profile and maps.

You could even take things a step further, and learn to train using kilometers as your primary distance measurement, instead of miles.

I have always trained and prepared for trail races using kilometers, but also have learned how to convert common distances such as 50k to miles in my head. If you’re new to this, you can always write the conversions down on your arm for quick reference while racing!

Distance & Elevation Gain – How to overcome them on race day

I like to simplify my ultra marathon training wherever possible and approach it from a logical standpoint. There are 2 hard facts that we know about your chosen trail marathon / 50k race based on the race profile: distance and elevation gain -> here’s how to ensure you are prepared to overcome them both:

1. DISTANCE – You know how far you need to run, 26.2 miles (42.2 km) / 31 miles (50k)

Make sure you can physically run close to 26.2 miles or 31 miles on the day of your race. You don’t need to do a training run of 26.2 miles or 31 miles (for a 50k ultra marathon) before your race but I’d strongly advise running at least 22 miles (35km) in one go for a marathon, and 26 miles or so for a 50k ultramarathon.

Knowing what it feels like to run for this long will give your body & mind the essential muscle memory and mental fortitude you need to make it easier the next time you reach the same milestone.

You can ALWAYS find an extra 4 or so miles on race day because you are going to be pumped up on adrenaline and super determined to finish and let’s be honest, probably willing to hit the pain cave more than you would during a training run.

Remember that making it to the start line is half the battle of finishing a race, meaning you don’t want to overdo it in ultra marathon training and risk an overuse injury.

My gloriously oversimplified golden rule for knowing I can easily run the distance on race day is to make sure that my weekly mileage is roughly 1.5x to 2x the distance of my upcoming race.

So, if you can be running 50 miles (80km) a week of similar terrain and elevation gain as your chosen race (injury-free and comfortably), then you’ve got your trail marathon race in the bag already. Apply this same method to your 50k training plan.

2. ELEVATION GAIN, AND LOSS – You can get this information from your race profile

Similar to my wonderfully oversimplified rule above regarding distance, make sure you can handle 1-2x race elevation gain in training each week.

Do not underestimate the additional strength and energy required to run up and down hills during a marathon / 50k ultramarathon. This is why it’s essential to build strength training and hill repeats into your marathon / 50k training plan.

So, once a week do hill repeats, and that includes downhill-repeats. I’m assuming your other ultra marathon training runs will include a little bit of elevation gain so don’t feel like you need to get all your weekly elevation in one hill rep session each week.

Note: If you don’t live near hills, consider using a treadmill with an incline function for your hill repeats, or finding some long flights of stairs.

The number of hill repeats is really dependent on the elevation and grade of the hills you have available to you – what you don’t want is a hill with a small incline that forces you to run in excess of your required distance before you hit your elevation gain target.

When it comes to running downhill-repeats – you want to be running up slowly and running back down at 90% of your capacity. You’ll be amazed at how much your flat running speed increases after a few of these sessions.

Uphill and downhill repeats are an awesome form of interval training for trail runners because they will prepare you for hills that show up throughout your race, whether it’s at mile 5 or mile 25. Nothing prepares your quads and calves better than hill repeats!

If you need more convincing about the benefits of hill training, read my guide to uphill running, which is packed full of tips to help you run hills more efficiently (and quickly).

To summarize the training process of uphill and downhill repeats:

1. Run uphill at 80-90% capacity
2. Jog down the same hill at 20-40% capacity to catch your breath
3. Jog back uphill at 20-40% capacity being careful not to go anaerobic and take yourself out of the game
4. Sprint back down the hill at 80-90% capacity
5. Take a break for a couple of minutes to catch your breath
6. REPEAT

Doing hill repeats is also very mentally challenging because you’re literally going back and forth over an over which some people may find boring (I personally see a challenge in the struggle, which is what motivates me to keep going).

On race day you’re going to be running for hours so it’s imperative to make sure you’re mentally comfortable in your own head during this time because you’ll likely be entering the pain cave at some point.

Knowing what the pain cave feels like, and knowing that you can always get out of it will give you extra confidence on race day – this is something that hill repeats trains you to manage. Train hard, race easy!

Another type of interval training that is perfect for trail runners is fartlek training, which is essentially a more playful form of interval training where you can choose interval distances based on landmarks in the distance such as a funny-looking tree or a bench, for example.

It’s something I love to do because it prepares you for times when you may need to speed up in order to put distance between you and a competitor that you passed out on the trails.

You can learn more about that and more in my sneaky race tactics section later in this post.

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Additional ultra marathon training advice and required weekly runs

Double long runs on the weekend

Do double long runs on the weekend if you can, for example, 15 miles (25km) on Saturday and 12 miles (20km) on Sunday. You’ll recover faster than just bashing out 22 miles (35k) on a Saturday.

Plus you’ll be less likely to injure yourself due to running ‘too much too soon’. That being said you should try to do at least one long run of around 22 miles, or 26 miles when training for a 50 ultra marathon.

Do 1x tempo run each week

Tempo runs will help you get comfortable running at a fast pace for sustained periods of time and is one of the best ways to become a faster runner. If you’re unfamiliar with tempo runs – they are run at a relatively fast pace you can keep running at for around 60 mins before feeling like you may want to collapse.

Learn more about tempo runs here, where we also share two tempo workouts that you can incorporate into your training plan.

You shouldn’t ever get to that point of exhaustion during tempo training though, so make sure you run at this pace for around 45-50 minutes. This is likely to be around 6 miles (10km) for many people.

Do 1x easy recovery run each week

Don’t forget to do 1 easy run each week, this is literally a run of around 6-9 miles (10-15km) that is done at 30-40% your maximum intensity, it needs to feel REALLY easy and it’s important as it helps with your recovery phase.

Easy runs on the road are a great opportunity to properly measure your VO2 Max each week, and see how it’s improving throughout your training program.

Seeing your VO2 max increase over time is a great motivator because you’ll unequivocally know that your endurance is improving, thanks to your training plan and consistency of exercise – and there’s no better motivator than seeing hard results like this!

Compliment your running with cross training sessions

Try to do at least 2 cross training gym sessions a week to work on your core strength and other important running muscle groups like your glutes, quads, and shoulders.

If you have a bicycle or static trainer (like a Peloton, for example) and enjoy cycling then throwing in some cycling sessions will really benefit your running. Learn more about effective cross-training for runners.

If you’re not sure where to start with a strength-focused cross training exercise routine for runners, I put together this YouTube video which has my favorite exercises for improving trail running strength.

No equipment is required and the whole workout can be done from the comfort of your own home.

Take a day off to rest your legs and body if you need to (or do some Yoga)

Resting is just as important a part of any trail marathon / 50k training plan as running itself. If your body is feeling drained then it’s possible you have been overtraining. Take a day off and continue with your training the next day.

For more information on how to fuel your body while running, avoiding muscle cramping and overtraining injuries, plus my tried & tested recovery routine, keep on reading.

If you’re not sure where to start or have never done yoga before, don’t worry! Simply watch our Yoga for trail runners video on YouTube and follow along for the perfect 10-minute yoga routine for runners.

Summarizing all these training sessions, your marathon /50k training plan should look like this

Many of you may have unusual work hours, or may even work on the weekends so feel free to shift this trail marathon / 50k training plan to best fit your current schedule. As a general rule, if this is your first trail marathon or 50k ultramarathon, give yourself at least 2-3 months to get your weekly mileage in the right place ready for race day – bearing in mind that you want to be running 1.5-2x of your race distance each week, comfortably. Please have a read of our “How To Improve Your Running Form and Prevent Overuse Injuries” post before getting stuck into ultra marathon training, it shares excellent advice on running in an efficient way.

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3. The Best Trail Running Gear For Your First Trail Marathon / 50k Ultra Marathon

You’ve put in so much hard work training for your trail marathon / 50k ultra marathon, so don’t let inadequate gear fall short of all that effort.

I review outdoor gear for a living, so believe me when I tell you that not all running gear is made equal. In fact, it’s quite remarkable how bad some gear actually is underneath all the marketing fluff that you may have read in an advertisement.

There are some essential items of gear that you should definitely have for running a trail marathon race, some items which will help but not entirely necessary gear, and then there’s mandatory gear that some big mountain races require you to take with you for your own safety.

This list of gear doesn’t include nutrition, electrolytes, or water – I talk about that later in this trail marathon / 50k training plan. I’m going to start this list with the gear I believe you absolutely should have to help you smash your ultra marathon race.

7 Essential items of gear for running a trail marathon / 50k race

1. Trail Running Shoes (Comfortable, Durable, and High-Performance)

If you’re not 100% sure what type of trails you’re going to be spending most of your time on during your race, then it’s worth having all-mountain trail running shoes suited to marathon running that can perform in every situation.

For example, you may have to run on roads for a couple of miles in the middle of your trail marathon or 50k, it happens! Here is a list of our favorite trail running shoes for different types of racing, which is worth reading if you have a specific race terrain that you want the best trail shoes for.

If you don’t have the shoes that will allow you to run across varying terrain, comfortably, then you may lack confidence during certain technical sections of the race, where other runners may glide past you due to their better choice of shoes with a superior outsole and support.

If on the other hand, you’re thinking about going for a top 10 finish then trail racing shoes may be more your style.

You may find it helpful to visit our ultimate trail running shoes buyer’s guide via the button below, it will teach you everything you need to know about different types of trail running shoes and ultimately help you choose the best shoes for your trail marathon / 50k race.

2. Hydration Pack (A means to carry water, food, and personal belongings)

Most trail runners nowadays will own at least one hydration pack (also known as a hydration vest, race vest, or running vest), as they are the best, and most efficient way to carry essentials including water, energy food, spare clothing (including your running hat when not being worn), mobile phone, keys, and even trekking poles… the list goes on and is only limited to your requirements or creativity :).

The alternative to a hydration vest is bleak, and that involves stuffing your pockets full of necessities that will bounce up and down during your run, turning what should be a fun experience into a punishing one.

I guess if you’re good at running long distances minimally then a running belt may be an option for you – although I wouldn’t recommend it for a trail marathon that may last 5 hours or more.

Mid-capacity hydration packs are the most popular choices for most trail runners running the marathon distance and 50ks. It’s important to remember that comfort, storage capacity, and durability are the three top features to be most concerned about when choosing a running hydration pack.

Some hydration packs have the capability to use a water bladder, while others allow you to store collapsible water bottles; I usually use the latter setup.

Use the buttons below to read our running hydration pack buyer’s guides for men and women:

3. A Technical Running Hat (Protect your head and face)

It’s worth wearing a hat while running because they wick sweat away from your face/eyes and they keep your head/face/neck shaded from sun damage (and also rain).

I’ve done all the research and tested many technical running hats, so if you need a hat, have a read of my ultimate buyer’s guide below.

4. Breathable Running Socks

You’re likely to be running for up to 5 hours on a trail marathon, depending on the amount of climbing, the difficulty of terrain, and also your speed – so you need to make sure your feet are comfortable and as dry as possible throughout the experience.

A breathable sock with cushioning and compression support in all the right places will keep your feet energized and raring to go during your race. Read our running socks buyer’s guide below to get the right pair for you.

5. GPS Running Watch

A good GPS watch can be such a great trail running training tool for so many reasons. If you have a wrist-based heart-rate monitor you can train and race while paying close attention to your heart rate zones – this is the best way to train specifically to your individual fitness level at any given point in time.

Think of your heart as your engine and the GPS watch with HR sensor as your fuel and efficiency gauge. A GPS running watch needs to have certain features for it to be your perfect ultra marathon training and racing companion. These features are:

1. a very long battery life to be able to track your running data over many hours, sometimes even days if you’re an ultrarunner. There’s nothing worse than having your watch die on you in the middle of an ultra race.
2. actionable features that help you know when to adjust your effort levels, like a heart rate monitor, for example. Having a barometer allows you to know exactly how much climbing/elevation gain you have accumulated, with an estimate of how much still remains – this data is invaluable for trail and mountain runners.
3. navigation features in case you get lost in the mountains and need to find your way back on course or back to safety. Also very important if you want to explore new trail routes, without having to carry a map. This is one of my favorite features of my Garmin Fenix 6 Pro.
4. good durability to withstand hours in the mountains during varying weather conditions, from rainstorms to extreme cold but also environmental changes like river crossings, for example.
5. a comfortable fit for usage over many hours, especially important if you have small wrists and don’t want to be carrying a heavyweight around with you for hours on end.
6. a barometer to help us know our current elevation and when a potential lightning storm may be on its way so that we can take cover if necessary.
7. a good software platform for analyzing activity data and tracking our ultra marathon training performance over time.
8. the ability to play music, ready for when you need that pain-cave pick-me-up!

The device I trust most to deliver ALL those features to me while ultramarathon training and racing is the Garmin Fenix 7, it really is a fantastic product.

To learn about other great GPS watches that are available, check out our Best GPS Watches for Trail Running and Ultra running Buyer’s Guide via the link below.

The Coros Apex is also a great GPS running watch if you’re on a budget.

6. Windproof/Waterproof Running Jacket

If your trail marathon / 50k is in the mountains you should learn to expect the unexpected when it comes to the weather conditions.

This is why you should always take a waterproof jacket with you when mountain running or you could find yourself in serious risk of hypothermia from being soaked and exposed to cold winds for extended periods of time. I always carry mine stuffed in the back of my hydration vest when I’m in the mountains.

Read our regularly updated Waterproof Running Jackets Guide for advice on choosing one that’s right for you.

7. A Case to Protect Your Phone

Phone protectors are so important when you consider that your mobile phone:

1. could potentially be your lifeline while out running should an unexpected emergency happen in the mountains.
2. is probably the most expensive accessory you carry while running, and also the most fragile item that isn’t built for the demands of trail runners.

We recognize the importance of protecting our phones while running in the mountains and as such use the Rokform Crystal case as our phone protector.

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5 Trail running items of gear that will help improve performance (not 100% essential)

1. Collapsible Trail Running Poles

Read our Trail Running With Poles: Benefits, Disadvantages, & Advice guide to understanding how poles can really help you through a challenging mountain marathon or ultra marathon, and if you decide you would like to take some collapsible poles with you in your hydration vest on race day please read our Trail Running Poles Buyer’s Guide to find the best ones for you.

2. Wireless Headphones

Nothing motivates me quite like music, please be sure to check your race website before taking your headphones as some events don’t allow them for safety reasons, as they prefer you to be fully aware of your surroundings.

3. Sunglasses

Running sunglasses offer UV protection for your eyes, keep flies out your eyes, and can help prevent your eyes from watering when running fast in colder conditions.

4. A Lightweight Running Headlamp

When you’re training for a trail marathon / 50k ultra marathon, the chances are you may have to run early in the morning, or late at night to fit your runs in around work hours. Maybe you just like to train during the darker hours.

Depending on the time of year and the time your race starts (some big marathons start before sunrise) you may be required to have a headlamp. Headlamps can be expensive, so it’s important to invest in a high-quality one that will stand the test of time and of course, perform as expected without failing on you.

A headlamp failure could be drastic if you’re out on the trails alone at night so make sure you read our running headlamp buyer’s guide below to learn about the best ones!

5. Gloves

Gloves are obviously useful for keeping your hands warm during cold-weather training and racing but can sometimes be useful if your race has a section where you’re required to scramble rocks with your hands. They are also useful for trail races in cold mountain conditions or the winter months.

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Mandatory gear for big international mountain trail races

Check your race website for information on mandatory equipment for your race. Depending on the difficulty of a race, and weather conditions, you may be required to take additional items like crampons, a headlamp, a waterproof jacket, waterproof trousers, your phone, a whistle, and even extra water.

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4. How To Fuel For A Trail Marathon /50k Ultra Marathon

What to eat when running a marathon /50k on trails

The next important thing is to practice eating during long training runs because on race-day you’ll be out running longer than you would be for say a road marathon because of the extra challenges that trail running throws at you.

I hope you enjoyed the trail marathon / 50k training plan and advice included here, and it answered many questions that you may have had but if not, please feel free to message me via the comments below, I check them regularly and will usually reply within a day.

Don’t forget to share this guide with a friend or group if you think they’ll also find it helpful!

-Alastair

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