Free 20 km trail plan: 800 m D+ in 10 weeks

20 min easy to the bottom of an 8–12% climb, then 6 × 1' uphill at 88–93% of max heart rate, jogging or walking back down as recovery. 10 min cool-down. Heart rate lags on short efforts: aim for the top of the range by the end of each rep, and keep the last rep as good as the first.

30 min, at home, no equipment. 3 rounds of: 12 step-ups per leg onto a chair or a sturdy step, 10 split squats per leg, 15 slow calf raises on a step (3 seconds down), 30 s single-leg balance per leg with eyes closed, 30 s side plank per side. Quads take the hit on descents and ankles on rough ground: this is cheap insurance.

40 min easy on flat or rolling ground, 62–70% of VMA. You should be able to talk in full sentences.

1h05 on trails with about 250 m D+, at 65–75% of max heart rate. Run the flats and gentle climbs, power-hike anything steeper than 15%, and practise eating every 30–40 minutes.

20 min easy, then 2 × (8 × 30" fast / 30" jog), 3 min easy between sets, 10 min cool-down. Fast = 95–100% of VMA, jog = 60%. Flat ground or a track.

30 min, at home, no equipment. 3 rounds of: 12 step-ups per leg onto a chair or a sturdy step, 10 split squats per leg, 15 slow calf raises on a step (3 seconds down), 30 s single-leg balance per leg with eyes closed, 30 s side plank per side. Quads take the hit on descents and ankles on rough ground: this is cheap insurance.

45 min easy on flat or rolling ground, 62–70% of VMA. You should be able to talk in full sentences. Finish with 6 × 20" strides, walking back.

1h15 on trails with about 350 m D+, at 65–75% of max heart rate. Run the flats and gentle climbs, power-hike anything steeper than 15%, and practise eating every 30–40 minutes.

20 min easy to the bottom of an 8–12% climb, then 8 × 1'30 uphill at 88–93% of max heart rate, jogging or walking back down as recovery. 10 min cool-down. Heart rate lags on short efforts: aim for the top of the range by the end of each rep, and keep the last rep as good as the first.

30 min, at home, no equipment. 3 rounds of: 12 step-ups per leg onto a chair or a sturdy step, 10 split squats per leg, 15 slow calf raises on a step (3 seconds down), 30 s single-leg balance per leg with eyes closed, 30 s side plank per side. Quads take the hit on descents and ankles on rough ground: this is cheap insurance.

20 min easy to a technical descent (roots, rocks, 10–20%). 6 × 1' downhill at a controlled effort (RPE 5/10), hiking back up as recovery. Quick, short steps, eyes 3–4 metres ahead, arms wide for balance, feet landing under your hips. Speed comes later: today is about feet you trust. 10 min easy to finish.

1h25 on trails with about 450 m D+, at 65–75% of max heart rate. Run the flats and gentle climbs, power-hike anything steeper than 15%, and practise eating every 30–40 minutes. Bring your poles and use them on every long climb.

40 min easy on flat or rolling ground, 62–70% of VMA. You should be able to talk in full sentences. Finish with 6 × 20" strides, walking back.

20 min, at home, no equipment. 3 rounds of: 12 step-ups per leg onto a chair or a sturdy step, 10 split squats per leg, 15 slow calf raises on a step (3 seconds down), 30 s single-leg balance per leg with eyes closed, 30 s side plank per side. Quads take the hit on descents and ankles on rough ground: this is cheap insurance.

20 min easy to a technical descent (roots, rocks, 10–20%). 5 × 1' downhill at a controlled effort (RPE 5/10), hiking back up as recovery. Quick, short steps, eyes 3–4 metres ahead, arms wide for balance, feet landing under your hips. Speed comes later: today is about feet you trust. 10 min easy to finish.

1h on trails with about 250 m D+, at 65–75% of max heart rate. Run the flats and gentle climbs, power-hike anything steeper than 15%, and practise eating every 30–40 minutes.

20 min easy to the bottom of an 8–12% climb, then 8 × 2' uphill at 90–95% of max heart rate, jogging or walking back down as recovery. 10 min cool-down. Heart rate lags on short efforts: aim for the top of the range by the end of each rep, and keep the last rep as good as the first.

30 min. 3 rounds of: 8 slow single-leg squats off a step per leg (5 seconds down: this is what descents do to your quads), 12 jumping step-ups per leg, 20 single-leg calf raises per leg, 10 single-leg deadlifts per leg, 45 s plank. Only 2 rounds in a lighter week.

15 min easy, 3 × 8' at 82–87% of VMA (comfortably hard, a few words at a time) with 2 min easy between, 10 min cool-down.

1h35 on trails with about 550 m D+, at 65–75% of max heart rate. Run the flats and gentle climbs, power-hike anything steeper than 15%, and practise eating every 30–40 minutes.

20 min easy, then 3 × 8' climbing steadily at 82–87% of max heart rate on a long, runnable climb (5–10%). Walk or jog down as recovery. 10 min cool-down. Hike if the grade forces you to, but keep the heart rate in range.

30 min. 3 rounds of: 8 slow single-leg squats off a step per leg (5 seconds down: this is what descents do to your quads), 12 jumping step-ups per leg, 20 single-leg calf raises per leg, 10 single-leg deadlifts per leg, 45 s plank. Only 2 rounds in a lighter week.

20 min easy, 6 × 3' at 90–95% of VMA with 2' jog recovery, 10 min cool-down. On the flat: the higher the ceiling, the easier every climb feels.

1h45 on trails with about 650 m D+, at 65–75% of max heart rate. Run the flats and gentle climbs, power-hike anything steeper than 15%, and practise eating every 30–40 minutes. Bring your poles and use them on every long climb.

20 min easy to the bottom of an 8–12% climb, then 10 × 1'30 uphill at 88–93% of max heart rate, jogging or walking back down as recovery. 10 min cool-down. Heart rate lags on short efforts: aim for the top of the range by the end of each rep, and keep the last rep as good as the first.

30 min. 3 rounds of: 8 slow single-leg squats off a step per leg (5 seconds down: this is what descents do to your quads), 12 jumping step-ups per leg, 20 single-leg calf raises per leg, 10 single-leg deadlifts per leg, 45 s plank. Only 2 rounds in a lighter week.

20 min easy to a technical descent (roots, rocks, 10–20%). 8 × 1'15 downhill at a controlled effort (RPE 5/10), hiking back up as recovery. Quick, short steps, eyes 3–4 metres ahead, arms wide for balance, feet landing under your hips. Speed comes later: today is about feet you trust. 10 min easy to finish.

1h55 on trails with about 750 m D+, at 65–75% of max heart rate. Run the flats and gentle climbs, power-hike anything steeper than 15%, and practise eating every 30–40 minutes.

20 min easy, then 3 × 10' climbing steadily at 82–87% of max heart rate on a long, runnable climb (5–10%). Walk or jog down as recovery. 10 min cool-down. Hike if the grade forces you to, but keep the heart rate in range.

30 min. 3 rounds of: 8 slow single-leg squats off a step per leg (5 seconds down: this is what descents do to your quads), 12 jumping step-ups per leg, 20 single-leg calf raises per leg, 10 single-leg deadlifts per leg, 45 s plank. Only 2 rounds in a lighter week.

15 min easy, then 5 × 5' power hiking up the steepest climb you have (15% and more), with poles, at 75–85% of max heart rate. Short steps, push down hard on the poles, and run the flatter bits. Easy descent between reps. This is how most people climb on race day: it deserves practice.

2h on trails with about 850 m D+, at 65–75% of max heart rate. Run the flats and gentle climbs, power-hike anything steeper than 15%, and practise eating every 30–40 minutes. Bring your poles and use them on every long climb. Run the last 25 min at race effort (75–82% of max heart rate).

20 min easy to the bottom of an 8–12% climb, then 6 × 2' uphill at 90–95% of max heart rate, jogging or walking back down as recovery. 10 min cool-down. Heart rate lags on short efforts: aim for the top of the range by the end of each rep, and keep the last rep as good as the first.

20 min of mobility: ankle circles and calf stretches, hip openers, 2 × 30 s single-leg balance per leg. Nothing that leaves you sore before the race.

40 min easy on flat or rolling ground, 62–70% of VMA. You should be able to talk in full sentences. Finish with 6 × 20" strides, walking back.

1h20 on trails with about 450 m D+, at 65–75% of max heart rate. Run the flats and gentle climbs, power-hike anything steeper than 15%, and practise eating every 30–40 minutes.

20 min easy, then 2 × 5' climbing steadily at 82–87% of max heart rate on a long, runnable climb (5–10%). Walk or jog down as recovery. 10 min cool-down. Hike if the grade forces you to, but keep the heart rate in range.

30 min easy on flat or rolling ground, 62–70% of VMA. You should be able to talk in full sentences. Finish with 6 × 20" strides, walking back.

20 km, about 800 m D+. Start slower than feels right: climbs at 75–82% of max heart rate, eat and drink from the first hour, and save your legs for the last descents.