The Ultimate Guide to Ultra Marathon Training Plans
If you’re here, you’re probably not looking for a generic spreadsheet with weekly mileage and a few long runs highlighted. You’re looking for a real ultra marathon training plan—one that respects where you are in life right now, how your body actually responds to training, and the kind of ultra you want to run.
I’m Kristian Morgan, an online ultra marathon running coach. I started running marathons back in 2000, long before GPS watches, online coaching platforms, or algorithm-driven training advice. Since then I’ve completed over 150 marathons and ultramarathons, lived and trained in Ethiopia for more than six months learning directly from runners and coaches there, and in 2023 I set the Appalachian Trail southbound record.
Everything on this page is shaped by lived experience—decades of training cycles, breakthroughs, mistakes, injuries, comebacks, and long days where nothing went to plan and you had to keep moving anyway. It’s not theory. It’s not trends. It’s written for runners who want to train intelligently, sustainably, and with long-term progress in mind—no matter their age or experience level.
Nearly half of all ultramarathon runners are between 40 and 59, and that matters—but smart, sustainable training benefits runners at every age.
Whether you’re moving up from the marathon distance, returning to structured training after time away, or chasing a performance goal that actually reflects your potential, the smartest training wins—not the hardest. This page explains exactly what that looks like. Check out my Coaching page.
What Is Ultra Marathon Training?
Ultra marathon training is not simply marathon training with more miles added on. That approach works just well enough to lure people into trouble—and then it stops working.
True ultra training is about durability over time, not just peak fitness on a single day.
A well-designed ultra marathon training plan develops:
Aerobic efficiency so effort stays sustainable for hours
Muscular endurance so form holds together late in races
Fueling skill so energy doesn’t become the limiting factor
Fatigue management so you can train consistently for months
Psychological resilience so setbacks don’t derail the process
Ultra marathon training also has to be specific. Terrain, elevation, technicality, weather, and race duration all shape how a plan should be built. A flat runnable 50K and a mountainous 100-mile race may share a name, but they do not share training demands. Hear from runners I coach.
Ultra Marathon Training by Distance
One of the most common mistakes runners make is treating all ultras as interchangeable. They’re not. Each distance comes with its own physiological and psychological demands.
50K Ultra Marathon Training Plans
A 50K is often the gateway into ultrarunning. For many athletes, it’s the bridge between road marathons and longer trail events.
Key characteristics of effective 50K training:
Aerobic fitness still plays a major role
Moderate speed and tempo work remain useful
Long runs typically peak between 3–4 hours
Fueling becomes important, but errors are recoverable
For runners with a strong marathon background, a 50K can often be trained for without dramatic mileage increases—if trail-specific strength and pacing are addressed.
50 Mile Ultra Marathon Training Plans
At 50 miles, the nature of training changes.
Here, time on feet becomes a dominant factor. Aerobic fitness still matters, but muscular fatigue, fueling errors, and pacing discipline are often what decide outcomes.
Effective 50-mile training emphasizes:
Progressive long runs
Strategic back-to-back long runs
Conservative early pacing habits
Fueling practice under fatigue
This is often the distance where runners first realize that more effort does not equal better results. Consistency and restraint outperform hero workouts. Check out my results.
100K Ultra Marathon Training Plans
The 100K distance sits in a demanding middle ground.
You need:
High aerobic efficiency
Deep muscular durability
Well-practiced nutrition strategies
Strong mental pacing discipline
For many runners—especially those balancing work, family, and long-term health—this is where recovery management often determines success. Training stress must be high enough to stimulate adaptation—but never so high that it disrupts consistency.
100 Mile Ultra Marathon Training Plans
A 100-mile ultra is not simply a longer race. It is a fundamentally different challenge.
Training priorities include:
Extreme durability
Sleep deprivation tolerance
Advanced fueling and hydration planning
Emotional regulation when things go wrong
Mileage matters here—but distribution matters more than totals. Sustainable structure beats occasional big weeks every time. Hear from more runners I coach.
Weekly Mileage Ranges for Ultra Marathon Training
There is no single mileage number that guarantees success. Anyone promising that is oversimplifying a complex system.
Typical ranges that work for most runners:
50K: ~40–60 miles per week
50 Mile: ~50–70 miles per week
100K: ~55–80 miles per week
100 Mile: ~65–100+ miles per week
The goal of mileage is not exhaustion—it’s adaptation.
Long Runs in Ultra Marathon Training
Long runs are the backbone of any ultra marathon training plan—and also the most common source of mistakes.
The purpose of the long run is not to prove toughness. It is to:
Practice efficient pacing
Dial in fueling and hydration
Build confidence under fatigue
Teach restraint early and resilience late
Back-to-Back Long Runs: When and Why They Work
Back-to-back long runs are one of the most misunderstood tools in ultra training.
Used correctly, they build resilience and confidence. Used poorly, they accumulate fatigue and increase injury risk. They are best applied selectively—not habitually.
Strength Training for Ultramarathon Runners
If you want to run ultras for years—not just finish one—strength training is non-negotiable.
Effective strength training focuses on:
Hip and pelvic stability
Posterior chain strength
Single-leg control
Core endurance under fatigue
This is not bodybuilding. It’s structural support for the miles you run.
Recovery and Injury Prevention in Ultra Training
Recovery is not passive. It’s an active skill.
The runners who thrive long-term are the ones who respond to fatigue early, plan recovery deliberately, and adjust training before problems escalate.
Why Personalized Ultra Marathon Coaching Works Better Than Generic Plans
Generic plans assume everyone recovers the same way. They don’t.
Personalized coaching means:
Training adapts to your life
Adjustments happen before setbacks
Your history, goals, and schedule matter
You’re guided by experience, not guesswork
Apply for Personalized Ultra Marathon Coaching
If you’re serious about running your best ultra—not just finishing—you don’t need more motivation. You need a plan that actually fits.
If you want a personalized ultra marathon training plan built around your goals, your schedule, and your body—not a template—apply for coaching below.
👉 Apply for Ultra Marathon Coaching
I work with a limited number of athletes so every plan gets the attention it deserves. If we’re a good fit, I’ll help you train smarter, stay healthy, and show up on race day ready to run the ultra you’re capable of—not just the one you survive.
