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Below is the training schedule that the Ultraladies have used when training for a 50-Mile event. The schedule is designed with the "newbie" in mind and reflects the bare minimum training to "finish" your first 50-Mile endurance run.
The 50-Mile training builds upon the 50K training program so ideally you will have completed a recent 50K followed by a 4-6 week recovery period, before starting the 50-Mile training.
All distances are in miles.
| Week | Hard/Easy | M | Tu | W | Th | F | Sa | Su | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | H | -- | 4 | 6 | 4 | -- | 16 | 6 | 36 |
| 2 | H | -- | 4 | 6 | 4 | -- | 18 | 6 | 38 |
| 3 | E | -- | 4 | 4 | 4 | -- | 8 | 4 | 24 |
| 4 | H | -- | 4 | 6 | 4 | -- | 20 | 8 | 42 |
| 5 | H | -- | 4 | 6 | 6 | -- | 20 | 10 | 46 |
| 6 | E | -- | 4 | 4 | 4 | -- | 10 | 6 | 28 |
| 7 | H | -- | 4 | 6 | 6 | -- | 22 | 10 | 48 |
| 8 | H | -- | 4 | 8 | 6 | -- | 22 | 10 | 50 |
| 9 | E | -- | 4 | 4 | 6 | -- | 10 | 6 | 32 |
| 10 | H | -- | 4 | 8 | 6 | -- | 24 | 10 | 52 |
| 11 | H | -- | 4 | 8 | 6 | -- | 24 | 10 | 52 |
| 12 | E | -- | 4 | 6 | 6 | -- | 10 | 8 | 34 |
| 13 | H | -- | 4 | 10 | 6 | -- | 26 | 10 | 56 |
| 14 | H | -- | 4 | 10 | 6 | -- | 26 | 10 | 56 |
| 15 | E | -- | 4 | 8 | 6 | -- | 10 | 8 | 36 |
| 16 | H | -- | 4 | 12 | 6 | -- | 28 | 12 | 62 |
| 17 | H | -- | 4 | 12 | 6 | -- | 28 | 12 | 62 |
| 18 | Taper | -- | 4 | 8 | 6 | -- | 10 | 8 | 36 |
| 19 | Taper | -- | 4 | -- | 6 | -- | 10 | -- | 20 |
| 20 | Race | 4 | 3 | 2 | -- | -- | 50 | -- | 59 |
The 50-Mile schedule will have you training in cycles of two weeks hard; one week easy to allow recovery and help prevent overuse injuries that may occur from ramping up mileage too quickly. Two hard weeks followed by a recovery week will allow the next hard weeks to reach more optimal performance. Rest is essential; I recommend no running at all on Mondays/Fridays.
You will begin running back-to-back long runs on the weekends. Each weekend you will do one long run followed by one semi-long run. You will also begin building a semi-long mid-week run, preferably on Wednesday. Obviously you will have higher weekly mileage as a result. You may vary your schedule as necessary but nothing substitutes for the weekend long runs. Your long runs should simulate the conditions of the race course as to running surface, degree of hills, etc. As much as possible, try to train under conditions that will best prepare you for the race you've chosen.
Do not get caught up in over-training. Take every easy week as scheduled. Although it is an effort to train for a 50-Miler, you should gradually begin to notice that you feel stronger and recover faster than before. If you develop any recurring pains, ongoing fatigue or illness, you should consider dropping one of the mid-week runs for a while. It is entirely possible to run the 50-Miler without the midweek semi-long run, so it also may be dropped for a time, to allow problems to resolve.
When you are training for the 50-Miler, all other races should be used as training runs, including 50Ks. When it comes to 50-Mile training, go for "time on your feet" over fast races. The more time you spend on your feet, the better prepared you will be. It's best to avoid distances over 30-miles during the last 16-weeks of your training. Don't risk developing injuries that will interfere with the last phase of your training or will not heal by race date. When toeing the 50-Mile start line, it is better to be a little more under-trained than over-injured!
Questions? Send a note to Nancy Shura.
