Sample plan

50K trail training plan

Olivia's 50K in the hills.

Olivia is 38 and has five years on the trails: four days a week, around 40 km with well over a thousand metres of climb and a 30 km long run. Sixteen weeks to a 50 km race with 2,800 m of climb, aiming to finish strong in about eight hours.

Built by Tuin on 7 September 2026
Shown from this week, so it reads like a plan starting today — every weekday, distance and session is exactly as it was written.

The runner is made up. The plan is not: it is exactly what Tuin built from these numbers, through the same door every athlete's first plan goes through. It was written in English — the other two languages are translated word for word, never renumbered, and strength exercises are named from a standard glossary so they read the same everywhere.

Why this plan looks like this

Olivia's plan is the one written in a different currency: her sessions are set by time on feet and by metres climbed, never by a pace on a hill, because a pace on a 20% gradient tells a runner nothing. Her eight weeks already carry more than a thousand metres of climb a week, so the block is not about learning to climb — it is about holding a climb for eight hours.

What the coach was told

Goal
Winter 50K trail
Race day
31 January 2027
Distance
50 km
Climb
2,800 m D+
Target
Finish strong
Runs per week
4
Weekly volume
~40 km
Longest run
30 km
Recent effort
10 km · 47:00
Threshold pace
4:55/km

The eight weeks before

Weekly kilometres the coach read before writing a single session — the runs it built on.

46
48
52
53
34
55
56
52

1940 m · 2060 m · 2120 m · 2250 m · 1180 m · 2250 m · 2360 m · 2090 m D+

What the coach said, handing it over

Good news: your last 8 weeks already show real trail fitness — 30km long runs, 1450m of vert, hill reps and uphill tempos on repeat. That's not a beginner's base, so I've built a plan that keeps that shape and grows it toward your 50K/2800m day, in Cruise mode (gentle ramps, ~1 quality day/week, a deload roughly every 4th week).

Assumptions I made — tell me if any are off: (1) I kept your Tue/Wed/Fri/Sat run days and put your one weekly strength session on Thursday, since that's your free day and it's never the day before your Saturday long run. (2) Easy pace I've set around 5:50–6:20/km based on your recent easy trail runs. (3) Long run grows from your current ~24-30km toward ~34km peak (about 70% of race distance) by mid/late December, then tapers — never past the 4-5h time cap. (4) Weekly vert climbs toward ~2,600m at peak (roughly your race's D+), with three dedicated downhill sessions (weeks of Dec 7, Dec 21, Jan 4) to blunt quad damage before race day, spaced so the last one lands about 3 weeks out. (5) Race week (Jan 25–31) carries a short uphill sharpener Tue, easy days around it, and openers with strides the day before — never an all-easy taper week, that's what leaves legs flat on race day.

Full detail runs through the next 6 weeks and race week; the weeks between are outlined (same sessions and numbers, shorter descriptions) — I'll sharpen each as it comes into view. Shout if your weekly volume, days, or the 8-hour goal itself need adjusting.

The plan, week by week

Sixteen weeks is a lot to scroll. Every week is folded — open the ones you want, and week one is open already.

16 weeks · Peak week 16 · 65 km planned

Week 1from 12 Oct5 sessions40 km planned

Settling into the block at your current volume

  • Tue 13
    Easy · 8 km @ 5:50–6:20/km · 40–55 min
    Easy trail run, conversational pace.
  • Wed 14
    Uphill tempo · 8 km · 40–50 min
    Sustained climb at a strong-but-controlled effort — this is your race-specific tempo.
  • Thu 15
    Strength
    Back squat 4 × 5 · heavy ~5RM · Single-leg calf raise (straight knee) 3 × 8 · bodyweight/light · Single-leg calf raise (bent knee) 3 × 8 · bodyweight/light · Bulgarian split squat 3 × 6 · moderate-heavy · Single-leg hip thrust 3 × 8 · moderate
  • Fri 16
    Easy · 8 km @ 5:50–6:20/km · 40–55 min
    Easy trail run, conversational pace.
  • Sat 17
    Long · 24 km · 175–215 min
    Long run in the hills — same shape as your recent long runs, nothing new.
Week 2from 19 Oct5 sessions48 km planned

Small build, first short hill-power session

  • Tue 20
    Easy · 9 km @ 5:50–6:20/km · 50–60 min
    Easy trail run, conversational.
  • Wed 21
    Short hill repeats · 8 × (45s / 2 min) · 35–50 min
    Short, steep hill power reps — the trail equivalent of a speed session.
  • Thu 22
    Strength
    Trap bar deadlift 4 × 5 · heavy · Single-leg calf raise (straight knee) 3 × 8 · bodyweight/light · Single-leg calf raise (bent knee) 3 × 8 · bodyweight/light · Split squat 3 × 6 · moderate-heavy · Single-leg hip thrust 3 × 8 · moderate
  • Fri 23
    Easy · 9 km @ 5:50–6:20/km · 50–60 min
    Easy trail run, conversational.
  • Sat 24
    Long · 26 km · 195–235 min
    Long run in the hills, a touch further than last week.
Week 3from 26 Oct5 sessions46 km planned

Continued build

  • Tue 27
    Easy · 9 km @ 5:50–6:20/km · 50–60 min
    Easy trail run.
  • Wed 28
    Uphill tempo · 8 km · 40–50 min
    Sustained climb tempo, same shape, slightly longer work.
  • Thu 29
    Strength
    Back squat 4 × 5 · heavy ~5RM · Single-leg calf raise (straight knee) 3 × 10 · light-moderate · Single-leg calf raise (bent knee) 3 × 10 · light-moderate · Bulgarian split squat 3 × 6 · moderate-heavy · Single-leg hip thrust 3 × 8 · moderate
  • Fri 30
    Easy · 9 km @ 5:50–6:20/km · 50–60 min
    Easy trail run.
  • Sat 31
    Long · 28 km · 205–250 min
    Long run in the hills.
Week 4from 2 Nov4 sessions39 km planned

Deload — absorb the last three weeks before building again

  • Tue 3
    Easy · 8 km @ 5:50–6:20/km · 40–55 min
    Easy, short, no pressure.
  • Wed 4
    Short hill repeats · 6 × (40s / 2 min) · 30–40 min
    Lighter version of the hill session — quality kept, volume down.
  • Fri 6
    Easy · 8 km @ 5:50–6:20/km · 40–55 min
    Easy, short.
  • Sat 7
    Long · 20 km · 150–180 min
    Shorter long run — this is the down week, on purpose.
Week 5from 9 Nov5 sessions51 km planned

Back to building — first longer hill session

  • Tue 10
    Easy · 9 km @ 5:50–6:20/km · 50–60 min
    Easy trail run.
  • Wed 11
    Long hill repeats · 4 × (4 min / 3 min) · 45–55 min
    Longer climbing reps — the trail VO2 session, a new shape for this block.
  • Thu 12
    Strength
    Trap bar deadlift 4 × 5 · heavy · Single-leg calf raise (straight knee) 3 × 10 · light-moderate · Single-leg calf raise (bent knee) 3 × 10 · light-moderate · Split squat 3 × 6 · moderate-heavy · Single-leg hip thrust 3 × 8 · moderate
  • Fri 13
    Easy · 9 km @ 5:50–6:20/km · 50–60 min
    Easy trail run.
  • Sat 14
    Long · 29 km · 215–260 min
    Long run in the hills, edging past your recent longest.
Week 6from 16 Nov5 sessions49 km planned

New peak long run for this stretch

  • Tue 17
    Easy · 10 km @ 5:50–6:20/km · 55–70 min
    Easy trail run.
  • Wed 18
    Uphill tempo · 9 km · 45–60 min
    Sustained climb tempo, longest of the block so far.
  • Thu 19
    Strength
    Back squat 4 × 4 · heavy ~5RM · Single-leg calf raise (straight knee) 3 × 10 · moderate · Single-leg calf raise (bent knee) 3 × 10 · moderate · Bulgarian split squat 3 × 6 · moderate-heavy · Single-leg hip thrust 3 × 8 · moderate
  • Fri 20
    Easy · 9 km @ 5:50–6:20/km · 50–60 min
    Easy trail run.
  • Sat 21
    Long · 30 km · 225–270 min
    Long run in the hills — your new peak distance for now.
Week 7from 23 Nov4 sessions45 km planned

Deload

  • Tue 24
    Easy · 9 km @ 5:50–6:20/km · 50–60 min
    Easy, short.
  • Wed 25
    Short hill repeats · 6 km · 30–40 min
    6×40s hill power, light.
  • Fri 27
    Easy · 8 km @ 5:50–6:20/km · 40–55 min
    Easy, short.
  • Sat 28
    Long · 22 km · 165–195 min
    Shorter long run, down week.
Week 8from 30 Nov5 sessions58 km planned

Build resumes, first hike-run session

  • Tue 1
    Easy · 10 km @ 5:50–6:20/km · 55–70 min
    Easy trail run.
  • Wed 2
    Hike-run alternations · 8 km · 40–50 min
    Power-hike/run alternations — mountain over/under, race-specific.
  • Thu 3
    Strength
  • Fri 4
    Easy · 9 km @ 5:50–6:20/km · 50–60 min
    Easy trail run.
  • Sat 5
    Long · 31 km · 230–275 min
    Long run in the hills, another small step up.
Week 9from 7 Dec5 sessions59 km planned

First downhill session — building quad resilience

  • Tue 8
    Easy · 10 km @ 5:50–6:20/km · 55–70 min
    Easy trail run.
  • Wed 9
    Downhill repeats · 8 km · 40–50 min
    Downhill reps, quick light feet — quad prep, descent #1 of 3.
  • Thu 10
    Strength
  • Fri 11
    Easy · 9 km @ 5:50–6:20/km · 50–60 min
    Easy trail run.
  • Sat 12
    Long · 32 km · 240–285 min
    Long run in the hills.
Week 10from 14 Dec4 sessions47 km planned

Deload

  • Tue 15
    Easy · 9 km @ 5:50–6:20/km · 50–60 min
    Easy, short.
  • Wed 16
    Short hill repeats · 6 km · 30–40 min
    Light hill power.
  • Fri 18
    Easy · 8 km @ 5:50–6:20/km · 40–55 min
    Easy, short.
  • Sat 19
    Long · 24 km · 175–215 min
    Shorter long run, down week.
Week 11from 21 Dec5 sessions60 km planned

Approaching peak — second downhill session

  • Tue 22
    Easy · 10 km @ 5:50–6:20/km · 55–70 min
    Easy trail run.
  • Wed 23
    Downhill repeats · 8 km · 40–50 min
    Downhill reps — descent #2 of 3.
  • Thu 24
    Strength
  • Fri 25
    Easy · 9 km @ 5:50–6:20/km · 50–60 min
    Easy trail run.
  • Sat 26
    Long · 33 km · 245–295 min
    Near-peak long run — biggest time-on-feet day of the block so far.
Week 12from 28 Dec5 sessions62 km planned

Peak week

  • Tue 29
    Easy · 10 km @ 5:50–6:20/km · 55–70 min
    Easy trail run.
  • Wed 30
    Uphill tempo · 9 km · 45–60 min
    Sustained climb tempo.
  • Thu 31
    Strength
  • Fri 1
    Easy · 9 km @ 5:50–6:20/km · 50–60 min
    Easy trail run.
  • Sat 2
    Long · 34 km · 255–305 min
    Peak long run — about 70% of race distance.
Week 13from 4 Jan5 sessions57 km planned

Third and last downhill session, then easing off

  • Tue 5
    Easy · 10 km @ 5:50–6:20/km · 55–70 min
    Easy trail run.
  • Wed 6
    Downhill repeats · 8 km · 40–50 min
    Last downhill session — descent #3 of 3, landing ~3-4 weeks out.
  • Thu 7
    Strength
  • Fri 8
    Easy · 9 km @ 5:50–6:20/km · 50–60 min
    Easy trail run.
  • Sat 9
    Long · 30 km · 225–270 min
    Long run, easing back slightly after peak week.
Week 14from 11 Jan5 sessions50 km planned

Taper begins

  • Tue 12
    Easy · 9 km @ 5:50–6:20/km · 50–60 min
    Easy trail run.
  • Wed 13
    Long hill repeats · 7 km · 35–45 min
    Climbing reps, volume starting to ease.
  • Thu 14
    Strength
  • Fri 15
    Easy · 8 km @ 5:50–6:20/km · 40–55 min
    Easy trail run.
  • Sat 16
    Long · 26 km · 195–235 min
    Long run, clearly shorter than peak — taper underway.
Week 15from 18 Jan5 sessions39 km planned

Taper — volume down, legs staying sharp

  • Tue 19
    Easy · 8 km @ 5:50–6:20/km · 40–55 min
    Easy trail run, ending in a few strides.
  • Wed 20
    Uphill tempo · 6 km · 30–40 min
    Short maintenance climb tempo, volume well down.
  • Thu 21
    Strength
  • Fri 22
    Easy · 7 km @ 5:50–6:20/km · 35–50 min
    Easy, short.
  • Sat 23
    Long · 18 km · 135–160 min
    Short long run, mostly about keeping legs moving.
Week 16from 25 Jan7 sessions65 km planned

Race week

  • Mon 25
    Rest
    Full rest.
  • Tue 26
    Uphill tempo · 4 × (2 min / 3 min) · 30–40 min
    Race-week sharpener — short, keeps legs sharp without costing anything. You should finish feeling like you could do it again.
  • Wed 27
    Easy · 5 km · 25–35 min
    Easy recovery jog, flat if you can find it.
  • Thu 28
    Rest
    Full rest.
  • Fri 29
    Easy · 4 km · 20–25 min
    Short and easy, legs loose.
  • Sat 30
    Easy · 5 × (25s / 90s) · 25–30 min
    Openers — easy jog finishing with a few relaxed strides, gentle uphill if there's one nearby.
  • Sun 31
    Race day · 50 km · 440–520 min
    Winter 50K — 2,800m of climb. Even effort early, save something for the last third, and eat/drink from the gun.
Other plans
First trail, 25K →Trail marathon, 42K →5K under 20:00 →5K in 22:00 →5K under 25:00 →5K in 30:00 →10K under 40:00 →10K under 42:00 →10K in 45:00 →10K in 50:00 →10K in 55:00 →Half under 1:30 →Half in 1:45 →Half in 2:00 →Half in 2:10 →Half in 2:15 →First half, 2:30 →Marathon under 3:00 →Marathon in 3:30 →Marathon in 3:45 →Marathon in 4:00 →First marathon, 4:30 →

Yours would look different

Tuin writes every plan from the runs it can actually see and the goal you set — then keeps rewriting it as your weeks happen. The whole of it is free for 7 days.

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50K trail training plan · Tuin