Her Trails Coaching
Alpine | High Country 50km Ultra Trail
Program for Women
A 20-week training block for women taking on the biggest end of the 50km distance: the exposed ridgelines, boulder fields and technical descents of races like GSER, kunanyi, Mt Solitary and The Archie. Built around women's physiology, designed for a 9 to 12 hour day where self-sufficiency, descending skill and steady fuelling decide the finish.
Why This Matters
An alpine 50km is measured in hours, not kilometres
On an alpine or high-technicality 50km the terrain sets your pace for you. The median finisher is out for 10 hours or more, foot speed matters less than footwork, and the day asks for things no flat plan trains: sustained climbing, controlled descending on rock and scree, weather planning and genuine self-sufficiency between aid points.
This program builds the day you will actually have. Across 20 weeks the endurance comes through time on feet, with the longest single run capped at 5 hours and race-day durability built through back-to-back weekends that climb toward around 2,000m of weekend vertical. Poles come into your long runs from Week 7, navigation practice from Week 9, and from Week 10 you train with your full alpine kit, including a 4-hour alpine hike rehearsal in Week 15. Every session is set by effort, not pace, so the work stays honest across heat, hormones, sleep and mountain ground.
Fuelling, strength and recovery are built into the structure, not bolted on. You arrive at the start line ready for the vertical, capable on the technical ground, and confident carrying everything a big mountain day requires.
Who This Is For
This program is right for you if
Alpine | High Country is built for women preparing for the most demanding 50km courses, where the mountains are the point.
How We Train For It
Built for the high country, built for your body
Every element of the program maps to what an alpine 50km actually demands, and to how women adapt to it.
Heavy Vertical, Built Progressively
Weekend vertical builds steadily toward around 2,000m, with training ceilings up to 3,000m for the biggest courses. Long runs are set in time and capped at 5 hours, so the load is absorbed, not just survived.
Technical Descending
Rock, scree, stairs and steep loose ground are trained deliberately through the Specific and Peak blocks. On an alpine course the descents decide the day, and descending well is a skill, not a gift.
Poles From Week 7
Poles carry a higher recommendation on alpine courses, and this program treats them as core kit. They come into your long runs from Week 7, so by race day they are an extension of your stride on the climbs and a safeguard on tired descents.
Alpine Kit And Self-Sufficiency
From Week 9 you practise navigation, and from Week 10 you train with your full alpine kit, including a 4-hour hike rehearsal in Week 15. Weather planning, mandatory gear and cut-off awareness are rehearsed, not left for race week.
Fuelling For 9 To 12 Hours
You train your gut alongside your legs, building the carbohydrate intake and carrying strategy a 9 to 12 hour day demands. Steady fuel protects your hormones, your energy and your decision-making late in the day.
The Mind For The High Country
Exposure, solitude and a long time between aid stations test more than fitness. Coaching content addresses pacing to cut-offs, staying calm when the weather turns, and the patient self-talk that carries you through hour nine and beyond.
What's Included
Everything you need, in one place
Your training, strength, recovery and coaching live in one integrated platform. Nothing is bolted on, nothing is upsold.
Training Program
- ●Progressive 20-week alpine 50km program, set by effort
- ●Long runs, back-to-backs, big-vertical weekends and technical-descent work built around women's physiology and cycle rhythm
- ●Integrated strength for runners, twice a week
- ●Poles, alpine kit, navigation and fuelling rehearsal built into the program
Coaching + Community
- ●Weekly live coaching calls on Monday, join live or watch replays
- ●Ongoing questions answered in Coaching Corner
- ●Fuelling and recovery guidance for big mountain days
- ●Access to the Her Trails Community Hub for support and connection
Common Questions
What runners ask before they start
Do I need alpine experience to start?
You need trail experience, ideally a previous ultra or trail marathon, but the alpine skills are what the program teaches: descending, poles, navigation, kit and weather planning are all built in progressively. If you are unsure whether you are ready, ask us.
Which races does it suit?
Alpine and high-technicality 45 to 57km events with roughly 2,500m or more of climbing and a 9 to 12 hour median day, like GSER 56, kunanyi Alpine Marathon, Mt Solitary, The Archie, Elephant Trail Race and Mt Lyell Skyrun. For a sustained-climb course under about 2,500m, look at Ranges. For a runnable coastal course, look at Coast and Forest.
Do I need poles?
Poles carry a higher recommendation for alpine courses and this program treats them as core kit: they spare your legs on the big climbs and protect your descending late in the day. They come into your long runs from Week 7. If your race does not allow them, your coach will adjust.
How much time does it take each week?
Most weeks sit around 9 to 11 hours including strength, building to the peak weekend. The plan is structured but adaptable, and you will be guided on when to push and when to hold back.
When should I start?
Count back 20 weeks from your race. If you have less time or are returning from a break, the early weeks can be adjusted, just reach out and we will help you slot in.
The high country does not care how fast you are. It rewards the runner who arrives prepared.
$480 one-time, or 3 monthly payments of $160
Also Worth Considering
Training for more than one goal this season?
Instead of purchasing individual programs, many runners choose the Her Trails All-In Membership for broader training support across the year. If you plan to complete more than one program this season, the All-In Membership is usually the most cost-effective option and gives our coaching team the ability to support you as you transition between races, training blocks and recovery periods.
Best Value
Her Trails All-In Membership
$220 / quarter
- ✓Access to every Her Trails program including trail, road and strength
- ✓Community and coaching platform with weekly coaching calls
- ✓Strength and mobility training for runners
- ✓Coaching support between races and training blocks
- ✓Ongoing community support and accountability
- ✓Discounts on merchandise and selected partner opportunities