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Training plan

30-week 100-mile plan with readiness gates

Use a 30-week 100-mile plan only after a readiness audit, then build terrain, fueling, night and cutoff decisions gradually.

Updated Aug 9, 2026

Compare the plan

Your training plan

Start with the weeks, not the fine print

See what each week is trying to achieve, then choose the number of training days that fits your life. The schedule comes first; workouts, adjustments, and calculators are below it.

Start at week 1
Length
30 weeks
Frequency
4–7 days
Easy session
~50 min
Long session
~4 hr
Check readiness and safety before week 1

This plan starts from

  • • You can complete 90–120 minutes easy without breaking down.
  • • You’re willing to train by time-on-feet (not ego pace).

Pause and reassess when

  • • Recurring overuse pain under volume.
  • • Inability to recover from long sessions (fix sleep/stress first).

This is general training information, not medical advice.

Week by week

Your 30-week plan

Start with the first phase. Open later phases when you are ready for them. Each week shows the long session, priority work, and a load guide when one is available.

  1. Base

    Weeks 1–9

    Build time-on-feet and durability; keep it easy.

  2. Build

    Weeks 10–21

    Add terrain specificity and back-to-back durability.

  3. Peak

    Weeks 22–27

    Race-specific long sessions + cutoff-aware pacing.

  4. Taper

    Weeks 28–30

    Reduce load; keep a touch of specificity; arrive healthy.

BaseWeeks 1–9
View 9 weeks

Build time-on-feet and durability; keep it easy.

Opens with: Long easy time-on-feet (trail/road) + hiking practice · 2 cutback weeks

  1. Week

    1

    Base

    Build time-on-feet and durability; keep it easy.

    Long session
    Long easy time-on-feet (trail/road) + hiking practice
    Priority sessions
    Hills (controlled) + hiking efficiency · Back-to-back long sessions (scaled)

    Weekly load guide: 4 hr 30 min–7 hr 16 min

  2. Week

    2

    Base

    Build time-on-feet and durability; keep it easy.

    Long session
    Long easy time-on-feet (trail/road) + hiking practice
    Priority sessions
    Hills (controlled) + hiking efficiency · Back-to-back long sessions (scaled)

    Weekly load guide: 4 hr 40 min–7 hr 32 min

  3. Week

    3

    Base

    Build time-on-feet and durability; keep it easy.

    Long session
    Long easy time-on-feet (trail/road) + hiking practice
    Priority sessions
    Hills (controlled) + hiking efficiency · Back-to-back long sessions (scaled)

    Weekly load guide: 4 hr 50 min–7 hr 48 min

  4. Week

    4

    BaseCutback

    Build time-on-feet and durability; keep it easy.

    Long session
    Long easy time-on-feet (trail/road) + hiking practice
    Priority sessions
    Hills (controlled) + hiking efficiency · Back-to-back long sessions (scaled)

    Weekly load guide: 5 hr–8 hr 4 min

  5. Week

    5

    Base

    Build time-on-feet and durability; keep it easy.

    Long session
    Long easy time-on-feet (trail/road) + hiking practice
    Priority sessions
    Hills (controlled) + hiking efficiency · Back-to-back long sessions (scaled)

    Weekly load guide: 5 hr 10 min–8 hr 20 min

  6. Week

    6

    Base

    Build time-on-feet and durability; keep it easy.

    Long session
    Long easy time-on-feet (trail/road) + hiking practice
    Priority sessions
    Hills (controlled) + hiking efficiency · Back-to-back long sessions (scaled)

    Weekly load guide: 5 hr 20 min–8 hr 36 min

  7. Week

    7

    Base

    Build time-on-feet and durability; keep it easy.

    Long session
    Long easy time-on-feet (trail/road) + hiking practice
    Priority sessions
    Hills (controlled) + hiking efficiency · Back-to-back long sessions (scaled)

    Weekly load guide: 5 hr 30 min–8 hr 52 min

  8. Week

    8

    BaseCutback

    Build time-on-feet and durability; keep it easy.

    Long session
    Long easy time-on-feet (trail/road) + hiking practice
    Priority sessions
    Hills (controlled) + hiking efficiency · Back-to-back long sessions (scaled)

    Weekly load guide: 5 hr 40 min–9 hr 8 min

  9. Week

    9

    Base

    Build time-on-feet and durability; keep it easy.

    Long session
    Long easy time-on-feet (trail/road) + hiking practice
    Priority sessions
    Hills (controlled) + hiking efficiency · Back-to-back long sessions (scaled)

    Weekly load guide: 5 hr 50 min–9 hr 24 min

BuildWeeks 10–21
View 12 weeks

Add terrain specificity and back-to-back durability.

Opens with: Back-to-back long sessions (scaled) + fueling rehearsal · 3 cutback weeks

  1. Week

    10

    Build

    Add terrain specificity and back-to-back durability.

    Long session
    Back-to-back long sessions (scaled) + fueling rehearsal
    Priority sessions
    Hills (controlled) + hiking efficiency · Back-to-back long sessions (scaled)

    Weekly load guide: 6 hr–9 hr 40 min

  2. Week

    11

    Build

    Add terrain specificity and back-to-back durability.

    Long session
    Back-to-back long sessions (scaled) + fueling rehearsal
    Priority sessions
    Hills (controlled) + hiking efficiency · Back-to-back long sessions (scaled)

    Weekly load guide: 6 hr 10 min–9 hr 56 min

  3. Week

    12

    BuildCutback

    Add terrain specificity and back-to-back durability.

    Long session
    Back-to-back long sessions (scaled) + fueling rehearsal
    Priority sessions
    Hills (controlled) + hiking efficiency · Back-to-back long sessions (scaled)

    Weekly load guide: 6 hr 20 min–10 hr 12 min

  4. Week

    13

    Build

    Add terrain specificity and back-to-back durability.

    Long session
    Back-to-back long sessions (scaled) + fueling rehearsal
    Priority sessions
    Hills (controlled) + hiking efficiency · Back-to-back long sessions (scaled)

    Weekly load guide: 6 hr 30 min–10 hr 28 min

  5. Week

    14

    Build

    Add terrain specificity and back-to-back durability.

    Long session
    Back-to-back long sessions (scaled) + fueling rehearsal
    Priority sessions
    Hills (controlled) + hiking efficiency · Back-to-back long sessions (scaled)

    Weekly load guide: 6 hr 40 min–10 hr 44 min

  6. Week

    15

    Build

    Add terrain specificity and back-to-back durability.

    Long session
    Back-to-back long sessions (scaled) + fueling rehearsal
    Priority sessions
    Hills (controlled) + hiking efficiency · Back-to-back long sessions (scaled)

    Weekly load guide: 6 hr 50 min–11 hr

  7. Week

    16

    BuildCutback

    Add terrain specificity and back-to-back durability.

    Long session
    Back-to-back long sessions (scaled) + fueling rehearsal
    Priority sessions
    Hills (controlled) + hiking efficiency · Back-to-back long sessions (scaled)

    Weekly load guide: 7 hr–11 hr 16 min

  8. Week

    17

    Build

    Add terrain specificity and back-to-back durability.

    Long session
    Back-to-back long sessions (scaled) + fueling rehearsal
    Priority sessions
    Hills (controlled) + hiking efficiency · Back-to-back long sessions (scaled)

    Weekly load guide: 7 hr 10 min–11 hr 32 min

  9. Week

    18

    Build

    Add terrain specificity and back-to-back durability.

    Long session
    Back-to-back long sessions (scaled) + fueling rehearsal
    Priority sessions
    Hills (controlled) + hiking efficiency · Back-to-back long sessions (scaled)

    Weekly load guide: 7 hr 20 min–11 hr 48 min

  10. Week

    19

    Build

    Add terrain specificity and back-to-back durability.

    Long session
    Back-to-back long sessions (scaled) + fueling rehearsal
    Priority sessions
    Hills (controlled) + hiking efficiency · Back-to-back long sessions (scaled)

    Weekly load guide: 7 hr 30 min–12 hr 4 min

  11. Week

    20

    BuildCutback

    Add terrain specificity and back-to-back durability.

    Long session
    Back-to-back long sessions (scaled) + fueling rehearsal
    Priority sessions
    Hills (controlled) + hiking efficiency · Back-to-back long sessions (scaled)

    Weekly load guide: 7 hr 40 min–12 hr 20 min

  12. Week

    21

    Build

    Add terrain specificity and back-to-back durability.

    Long session
    Back-to-back long sessions (scaled) + fueling rehearsal
    Priority sessions
    Hills (controlled) + hiking efficiency · Back-to-back long sessions (scaled)

    Weekly load guide: 7 hr 50 min–12 hr 36 min

PeakWeeks 22–27
View 6 weeks

Race-specific long sessions + cutoff-aware pacing.

Opens with: Key long session with terrain focus + cutoff pacing practice · 1 cutback week

  1. Week

    22

    Peak

    Race-specific long sessions + cutoff-aware pacing.

    Long session
    Key long session with terrain focus + cutoff pacing practice
    Priority sessions
    Hills (controlled) + hiking efficiency · Back-to-back long sessions (scaled)

    Weekly load guide: 8 hr–12 hr 52 min

  2. Week

    23

    Peak

    Race-specific long sessions + cutoff-aware pacing.

    Long session
    Key long session with terrain focus + cutoff pacing practice
    Priority sessions
    Hills (controlled) + hiking efficiency · Back-to-back long sessions (scaled)

    Weekly load guide: 8 hr 10 min–13 hr 8 min

  3. Week

    24

    PeakCutback

    Race-specific long sessions + cutoff-aware pacing.

    Long session
    Key long session with terrain focus + cutoff pacing practice
    Priority sessions
    Hills (controlled) + hiking efficiency · Back-to-back long sessions (scaled)

    Weekly load guide: 8 hr 20 min–13 hr 24 min

  4. Week

    25

    Peak

    Race-specific long sessions + cutoff-aware pacing.

    Long session
    Key long session with terrain focus + cutoff pacing practice
    Priority sessions
    Hills (controlled) + hiking efficiency · Back-to-back long sessions (scaled)

    Weekly load guide: 8 hr 30 min–13 hr 40 min

  5. Week

    26

    Peak

    Race-specific long sessions + cutoff-aware pacing.

    Long session
    Key long session with terrain focus + cutoff pacing practice
    Priority sessions
    Hills (controlled) + hiking efficiency · Back-to-back long sessions (scaled)

    Weekly load guide: 8 hr 40 min–13 hr 56 min

  6. Week

    27

    Peak

    Race-specific long sessions + cutoff-aware pacing.

    Long session
    Key long session with terrain focus + cutoff pacing practice
    Priority sessions
    Hills (controlled) + hiking efficiency · Back-to-back long sessions (scaled)

    Weekly load guide: 8 hr 50 min–14 hr 12 min

TaperWeeks 28–30
View 3 weeks

Reduce load; keep a touch of specificity; arrive healthy.

Opens with: Shorter long session + mobility

  1. Week

    28

    Taper

    Reduce load; keep a touch of specificity; arrive healthy.

    Long session
    Shorter long session + mobility
    Priority sessions
    Hills (controlled) + hiking efficiency · Back-to-back long sessions (scaled)

    Weekly load guide: 9 hr–14 hr 28 min

  2. Week

    29

    Taper

    Reduce load; keep a touch of specificity; arrive healthy.

    Long session
    Shorter long session + mobility
    Priority sessions
    Hills (controlled) + hiking efficiency · Back-to-back long sessions (scaled)

    Weekly load guide: 9 hr 10 min–14 hr 44 min

  3. Week

    30

    Taper

    Reduce load; keep a touch of specificity; arrive healthy.

    Long session
    Shorter long session + mobility
    Priority sessions
    Hills (controlled) + hiking efficiency · Back-to-back long sessions (scaled)

    Weekly load guide: 9 hr 20 min–15 hr

Weekly schedule

Choose the rhythm you can repeat

The phase progression stays the same. Your choice only changes how you spread the priority sessions, easy work, and recovery across the week.

4 days/week (Beginner-friendly)

4 days/week · Beginner

  • • Consistency and durability first.

5 days/week (Balanced week)

5 days/week · Intermediate

  • • Includes one hills session and one long-session focus.

6 days/week (Advanced)

6 days/week · Advanced

  • • Only if recovery is stable; keep intensity controlled.

Adjust the plan

What changed this week?

Open the situation that matches your week. Do not cram missed work into the next few days.

Missed workout
  • • Protect the long session; drop extra intensity.
  • • Don’t stack back-to-backs to ‘catch up’.
Low sleep week
  • • Keep it easy; reduce long-session duration by 15–25%.
  • • Replace hills with hiking if needed.
Fatigue signals
  • • If legs feel dead, replace with easy hike and mobility.
  • • Prioritize fueling and sleep; treat it like a cutback week.
Pain or injury
  • • Pain that changes gait is a stop signal.
  • • Swap to hiking/biking until pain-free; return gradually.
Travel week
  • • Short sessions win: keep one long hike/run and one hills touch if possible.
  • • Use time-based training and stay consistent.

Workout guide

Understand the sessions in the plan

Use this as a reference when a workout name appears in your week. You do not need to read every entry before starting.

Time-on-feet long session

Why: Build durable endurance without over-focusing on pace.

Do: 120–240+ minutes easy. Include hiking on climbs if terrain demands it.

Swap with

  • • Split into two sessions on high-stress weeks; keep total time similar.

Stop or scale back when

  • • Sharp pain that changes form.
  • • Needing multiple days to recover every week.
Back-to-back long sessions (scaled)

Why: Train durability and pacing under accumulated fatigue.

Do: Two consecutive days: long easy + medium easy. Keep both controlled and finish feeling stable.

Swap with

  • • If injury-prone: one long run + one long hike.

Stop or scale back when

  • • Turning day 2 into a race.
  • • Fatigue that spills into the entire next week.
Hills (controlled) + hiking practice

Why: Build climbing efficiency and downhill resilience safely.

Do: 6–12 × 2–4 min uphill at controlled effort; hike steep reps. Jog easy down.

Swap with

  • • Stair climbing or incline treadmill if needed.

Stop or scale back when

  • • Knee pain on descents.
  • • Over-striding downhill.
Cutoff pacing rehearsal

Why: Practice pacing that keeps you safe against cutoffs without burning matches.

Do: 60–120 min with segments at your cutoff-safe effort. Practice aid-station efficiency (quick in/out).

Swap with

  • • Do it as a hike-run combo on trails.

Stop or scale back when

  • • Chasing pace on terrain that demands hiking.
  • • Skipping fueling while ‘testing’ pace.
Fueling practice (GI-friendly)

Why: Train your gut and reduce race-day surprises.

Do: On long sessions: practice a simple schedule and adjust products if GI issues appear.

Swap with

  • • Lower intensity + smaller doses if tolerance is low.

Stop or scale back when

  • • Repeated GI distress without changes.
  • • Ignoring hydration in heat.
Strength durability (lower-body + trunk)

Why: Support downhill resilience and long-duration posture.

Do: 2×/week, 25–40 min: single-leg, posterior chain, calves, trunk. Avoid soreness spikes.

Swap with

  • • Travel circuit with step-ups, calf raises, core.

Stop or scale back when

  • • DOMS ruining long sessions.
  • • Sharp joint pain.

More guidance

Read schedule examples and special cases

Open this for day-of-week examples, run/walk options, goal-specific notes, and useful links.

Is this plan length right for you?

Thirty weeks is a long planning window, not a shortcut around ultra experience. A 100-mile build needs durable easy volume, event-specific terrain practice and tested fueling, gear and cutoff decisions.

This plan is best for an experienced endurance runner with stable training and recent long-duration evidence. Before week one, confirm that the opening volume and back-to-back structure resemble work already tolerated. If that evidence is missing, choose the 50-mile training plan instead of compressing the opening phase.

Decision pointKeep the plan whenAdjust when
Opening loadThe first week resembles recent repeatable trainingThe first week would be a major jump
Key sessionevent-specific long work, recovery and fueling rehearsalsEffort, form or normal movement deteriorates
Support workEasy volume and strength fit around the priorityRecovery cost compromises the next key day
Missed weekResume from demonstrated capacitySeveral sessions would need to be stacked

Make the first decision before adding load

Audit the event's official course, cutoff, aid, mandatory gear and night-running demands before accepting the plan's opening load. Record completed sessions, effort, normal movement and next-day function. Progress one major variable at a time. If a session is missed, keep the next important workout only when recovery and timing support it; do not combine two hard sessions to catch up.

Protect event-specific long work, recovery and fueling rehearsals. Reduce non-specific intensity, back-to-back duration or optional races before removing the work most specific to the goal. Use the ultra cutoff planner for calculations, then keep the result subordinate to current training evidence.

The Physical Activity Guidelines support ability-aware progression, while the systematic review on strength and running describes average evidence rather than one mandatory exercise prescription. Neither source guarantees a finish time or makes this plan medical clearance. Stop for severe symptoms or pain that changes normal movement and seek appropriate care.

How to use this plan

Ultras reward durability and pacing discipline. Prioritize repeatable time-on-feet sessions, practice fueling early, and treat cutoffs as a pacing skill.

Tools

Use numbers only when they help the plan

Start with the weekly schedule. Use a calculator when you need pace, fueling, cutoff, or printable-plan details.

Ultra cutoff plannerOpen the tool with this plan’s defaults.Fueling schedule plannerOpen the tool with this plan’s defaults.
Use interactive calculators on this page
Loading cutoff planner…
Loading fueling planner…

Why this structure

The principles behind the plan

  • Ultras reward time-on-feet and durability, not heroic pace sessions.
  • Back-to-back sessions train fatigue resistance safely when scaled.
  • Cutoff planning is a pacing skill; train it like a discipline.
  • Fueling and hydration are part of the training plan, not a race-week afterthought.

Adaptive AI coach for iPhone

Let your coach adapt the plan.

Your adaptive AI coach reviews completed work and adjusts upcoming sessions after missed training, poor sleep, unusual fatigue, or a disrupted week.

Start training now

FAQs

Who should use 30-week 100-mile plan with readiness gates?

It is best suited to an experienced endurance runner with stable training and recent long-duration evidence and whose recent training makes the opening week familiar.

What should I do after a missed week?

Resume from demonstrated capacity, preserve recovery spacing and do not stack missed hard sessions into the next week.

Should I progress when a session feels unusually hard?

Hold or reduce the load when effort, symptoms, form or next-day function shows that the current dose is not yet repeatable.

Should I train by pace or time?

For ultras, time-on-feet is usually more useful than pace. Terrain changes pace; effort and durability are what transfer.

Do I need back-to-back long runs?

They can help, but they must be scaled and recovery-aware. If you’re injury-prone, use one long run and one long hike.

How do I prepare for cutoffs?

Use cutoff-safe effort in training, practice aid-station efficiency, and build margin for terrain and fatigue.

How much elevation training do I need?

Match the race demands. If the race is hilly, you need hills. If it’s flat, you still need durability.

How do I avoid GI issues?

Practice fueling early and often in long sessions. Adjust products and timing; don’t wait for race week.

What’s the biggest mistake?

Turning long sessions into races. Ultras reward staying consistent week after week.

Keep going

24-Week 50-Mile Plan: Build Trail Durability

Use a 24-week 50-mile plan with terrain readiness, long-run recovery, fueling and missed-week decisions.

Open guide

Ultra Cutoff Planner

Compute the minimum average pace to beat an ultra cutoff and sanity-check your buffer with a planned pace.

Open guide

Strength Training for Endurance Athletes: Evidence Lab

Review systematic evidence on strength training for endurance performance, then translate it into a minimal, recoverable weekly decision.

Open guide

Sources