Trail running plan From your first trail race to ultra
Trail training plan, built on effort-km.
A trail race isn’t just its distance: 22 miles with 6,500 ft of climbing is the effort of 34 flat miles. RunMorph builds your plan on that real load: climbs, descents, time on feet and paces adjusted for grade.
Coming soon in English · Free to start · No credit card needed
Three race formats, three different builds
Your plan depends on your race: distance, elevation, date. Tell us where you’re headed, RunMorph maps the route.
- ≤ 15 miFirst trail race
Finish your first trail race
A short course with under 3,300 ft of climbing. Short hill repeats to learn how to climb, relaxed descents, a rolling long run. You discover the terrain without wrecking your legs.
3-5 runs/week · 8 to 10 weeks · < 3,300 ft of gain - 15-50 mi25K to 80K
Handle the distance AND the climbing
Mountain marathons and beyond. Long climbs at threshold, technical descents, long runs with real vert and strength work: your load is counted in effort-km.
4-6 runs/week · 10 to 14 weeks · 4,000-15,000 ft of gain - 50 mi +Ultra goal
Train for your first ultra
Here, time on feet is what counts: 3- to 6-hour long runs, back-to-back weekends, fueling tested in training, poles. Your last big run falls three weeks out.
5-7 runs/week · 16+ weeks · weekend blocks
What a week of training looks like
Two excerpts from generated trail plans: same engine, two very different races.
Every session spells out the warm-up, the main set and the cool-down, with the climbing for each session and paces adjusted for grade. Your plan is generated in about 2 minutes, and your first week is ready right away.
Trail running isn’t measured in miles. It’s measured in effort.
Effort-km, your real unit
Effort-km = kilometers + meters of climbing ÷ 100: roughly, 330 ft of gain is worth one extra flat kilometer. Your plan sets the weekly load in effort-km and climbing rate, and your paces are given as flat-equivalent, adjusted for grade.
Climbs and descents: dedicated sessions
Short hill repeats and long climbs for uphill power, technical descents because eccentric braking destroys your quads, and that can be trained. Power-hiking the steep sections is a technique, not giving up.
Time on feet, without burning out
A peak long run at 50-60% of your race’s effort-km, your last big run three weeks out, an 85% easy / 15% hard split and a lighter week every 4 weeks. Give us your race date and the plan ends on race day.
Which race format for which level?
Benchmarks for amateur trail runners. What matters isn’t the distance but the total load: distance + climbing + time.
| Format | Distance | Typical gain | Finish time |
|---|---|---|---|
| XS | < 9 mi (15K) | 650-2,000 ft | 1:00 to 2:30 |
| S | 9-15 mi (15-25K) | 2,000-3,900 ft | 2:00 to 4:30 |
| M | 15-28 mi (25-45K) | 3,900-8,200 ft | 4 to 8 hours |
| L | 28-50 mi (45-80K) | 8,200-14,800 ft | 8 to 16 hours |
| XL / Ultra | 50 mi + | 13,000 ft + | 16 hours + |
Typical times for an amateur (runnable terrain: 5-6 mph; mountains and ultras: 3-4 mph). RunMorph calculates the load of your specific race in effort-km, from its actual distance and elevation gain.
4 mistakes that ruin a trail race
And how a structured plan fixes each one.
- 01
Thinking in min/mi
Grade skews everything: the same effort gives you 7.5 mph on the flat and 2.5 mph on a climb. The plan doses your effort in effort-km and shows “flat-equivalent” paces adjusted for elevation (about +1 min per 330 ft of climbing).
- 02
Neglecting downhill training
Eccentric braking destroys your quads: up to 15-40% less strength after a race with a lot of descent. The result: you’re just surviving the downhills by mid-race. The plan includes technical descents and strength work, because the protective effect can be trained.
- 03
Trying to run everything
On steep grades, hiking costs far less energy than running, at almost the same speed. The best runners power-hike: refusing to do it ruins your race management. The plan treats hiking the climbs as a real technique.
- 04
Underestimating time on feet and fueling
In trail running, it’s the duration that wears you down, not the distance. Progressive long runs, back-to-back weekends for bigger races, and fueling tested in training (30-60 g of carbs per hour in an ultra): nothing gets figured out on race day.
They leveled up
Real results from runners training with RunMorph.
“The plan got me ready for the climbs, the descents and above all for managing time on my feet. I finished 20 minutes ahead of schedule.”
“The AI coaching adjusted my sessions to how I felt that day. An unexpected age-group podium at the club race.”
Your trail plan in 3 steps
Create your account
Free, in 1 minute, no credit card. Email or Google.
Describe your race
Distance, elevation gain, date and the days you can train. Or connect Strava / Suunto: your PRs are detected automatically.
Get your trail plan
Generated in about 2 minutes: climbs, descents, long runs and elevation for every session. The first 3 weeks are included.
Frequently asked questions
What is an effort-km in trail running?
The effort-km expresses how hard a course really is: effort-km = distance (km) + elevation gain (m) / 100. In other words, 100 m (330 ft) of climbing is worth about one extra flat kilometer. Example: a 35 km (22 mi) trail race with 2,000 m (6,500 ft) of gain comes to 55 effort-km, the effort of about 55 km (34 mi) on flat ground. RunMorph builds your weekly training load in effort-km, not just miles.
How much climbing for a first trail race?
For your first trail race, aim for a short format: 9 to 15 miles with less than 3,300 ft of gain, roughly 2 to 4.5 hours of effort. That’s enough to discover climbs, descents and race management without the muscle damage of bigger races.
Should you walk the climbs in trail running?
Yes, and it’s not a failure: it’s a strategy. On steep grades, power-hiking is more economical than running at almost the same speed, and the best trail runners hike too. The plan teaches you to switch between running and hiking depending on the grade, with poles on longer races.
How do you train for elevation if you live somewhere flat?
With short hill repeats (the same hill, a bridge, stairs, climbs from 30 seconds to 4 minutes) and targeted strength work (quads, calves, core). The plan schedules these sessions every week: climbing power builds very well on a small hill done over and over.
Why do my quads hurt after downhills?
On the way down, your quads brake with every step: these “eccentric” contractions cause micro-damage in the muscle, with soreness that peaks about 48 hours later. The good news: it can be trained. A few sessions of controlled descents plus strength work are enough to trigger a lasting protective effect.
Is the trail plan really free?
Yes: creating an account is free, with no credit card, and the first 3 weeks of your plan are included. To unlock every week and AI coaching for each session, Premium is €9.99 a month (or €99 a year), cancel anytime. RunMorph is currently available in French; the English version is coming soon.
Your mountain is waiting.
Personalized plans in English are coming soon. First trail race or ultra, yours will start at your level.
Coming soonComing soon in English · Free to start · No credit card needed
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