Her Trails Programs
50km Trail Ultra
Distance-based program for women
A 20-week program built specifically for women preparing for a 50km trail ultra. Long runs, strength, descents, gut training and female-specific recovery designed to get you to the start line ready and across the finish line well.
The 20-Week Arc
Six phases, 4 deloads, one race
The program follows a 3-up / 1-down rhythm: three weeks of progressive load, then a deload week to convert that load into adaptation. Four deload weeks across 20 weeks. Each phase has a specific job.
Phase 1
Priming
Weeks 1 - 4
Build the aerobic base, establish rhythm, introduce strength and mobility.
Phase 2
Building
Weeks 5 - 10 · deload Wk 8
Threshold on hills, speed intervals, descent introduction, gut training begins.
Phase 3
Strengthening
Weeks 11 - 16 · deloads Wks 12 & 15
High load, B2B weekends, big long runs building to Peak Wk 16.
Phase 4
Sharpening
Weeks 17 -·
Absorb the Peak weekend, then sharpen speed and confidence for race day.
Phase 5
Tapering
Week 18 & 19
Reduce volume, maintain sharpness, arrive at the start line fresh.
Phase 6
Race Week
Week 20
Easy activations, rest, and race day.
The Distance
What 50km on trail actually feels like
50km is the distance where trail running changes character. It is long enough that early pacing decisions shape how the final hours feel. Technical enough that fitness alone is not the whole story. And demanding enough that the runners who arrive best prepared are not always the ones who trained the most, but the ones who trained for the right things.
Most 50km trail ultras across Australia and New Zealand are not mountainous. They move through rolling bushland, forested ridgelines, coastal ranges or volcanic terrain, with enough climbing to change the nature of the effort but plenty of runnable ground in between. The challenge is not extreme vertical. It is the way terrain keeps shifting, the way fatigue compounds quietly through the second half, and the way the final 10 kilometres feels very different from anything that came before it on flat ground.
This program is built around that reality, preparing you for the full experience of race day, not just the distance on the entry form.
How the Training Differs
What road training does not cover
Road fitness transfers, but it leaves gaps that trail will find. These are the gaps this program fills.
Running by effort, not pace
On hilly trail, pace per kilometre becomes meaningless. You learn to run by feel and heart rate, reading the terrain and adjusting effort constantly. It is a different skill from road running and it is learned through practice, not intuition.
Descending as a skill
Descents accumulate quad damage quietly. By the final kilometres, legs that carried you well to halfway may feel entirely different. Descent sessions are built into this program from Wk 7 because they are the training most runners skip, and the reason many struggle late in a trail race.
Hiking as strategy
Power-hiking steep sections is not a concession. It is how smart trail runners protect their legs and sustain overall speed. Knowing when to walk is trained deliberately, not figured out mid-race when it is already too late.
Gut training across hours
A 50km takes five to nine hours. Fuelling progresses from 60g to 90g carbohydrate per hour across the program. The stomach trains as deliberately as the legs, and late-race difficulty is as much about energy management as fitness.
Female physiology integrated
Cycle phase shapes how every session feels. The program treats follicular, luteal and menstrual phases as data, not noise. Includes guidance for perimenopause and menopause where intensity tolerance, recovery and heat strain all shift.
Fatigue awareness as a skill
Every session opens with a 30-second body scan. A traffic-light framework (Green / Yellow / Red) tells you whether to train as written, scale, or rest. The runners who reach race day strong are the ones who learned to read their own load.
Race Calendar
Events this program suits
This program is built for 50km trail ultras with varied terrain, moderate climbing, and time on feet as the primary challenge. The events below are a selection of well-regarded races across Australia and New Zealand that are a good fit.
Race-specific programs: Some events have their own dedicated Her Trails program with course-tailored preparation. These include Surf Coast Century 50, Sydney Trail Ultra 50, Tarawera T50, UTMB Kosci 50, UTA50, Grampians Peaks Trail Ultra 50, GSER 56K, Roller Coaster Run 46K, Two Bays 56K, and Buffalo Stampede SkyMarathon 42K. If your race is one of these, the race-specific build is usually the better fit.
Australia
New Zealand
Your race not listed? This program is built around distance and terrain type rather than a single event. If you are preparing for a 50km trail ultra with varied terrain and time on feet as the primary challenge, contact us and we can advise on fit.
What's Included
Everything you need, in one place
This program covers your training, strength, recovery, fuelling and coaching from one integrated platform. Nothing is bolted on.
Training Program
- ●Progressive 20-week 50km trail ultra program, six phases, four deloads
- ●Tuesday quality (tempo on hills, descent introduction), Thursday speed
- ●Long-run progression building to 4h 30m + 90m B2B at Peak Wk 16
- ●Integrated strength for runners with glute med activation
- ●Integrated mobility, foam rolling, yoga and recovery work
Fuelling + Female Physiology
- ●Gut training progression: 60g to 90g CHO/hr across the program
- ●Cycle-phase guidance: follicular, luteal, menstrual, peri and menopause
- ●Iron, energy availability and recovery-window protocols
- ●Daily fatigue check-in framework (Green / Yellow / Red traffic light)
- ●Race-day fuelling rehearsal from Wk 7 onward
Coaching + Community
- ●Weekly live coaching calls, join live or watch replays
- ●Direct coaching support across the program
- ●A connected community of women on the trail
- ●Access to the Her Trails community for support and accountability
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
