Her Trails Coaching
UTMB Kosciuszko 100km
Program for Women
The Kosci 100km is a unique blend of runnable trail, alpine exposure and altitude that requires smart, grounded preparation. Over 20 weeks, you will move through a progressive plan that builds endurance, resilience and trust in your body, without sacrificing your wellbeing or joy in the process.
The Course
Running the Kosciuszko 100km
Starting from Thredbo, the course moves across wide alpine fire trails and subalpine meadows through Kosciuszko National Park, looping through remote high-country terrain that most runners will never see outside of race day. With 3,200 metres of elevation gain, this is a serious alpine ultra that sits at altitude for extended periods.
The course is predominantly runnable, but altitude changes how your body processes effort. Technical rocky descents arrive on fatigued legs, the distance between checkpoints demands self-sufficiency, and late November alpine weather is famously unpredictable. This is an all-day (and possibly all-night) effort that rewards patience, resilience and a plan you trust.
The Course Sections
What you will actually run
The 100km course moves through four distinct phases, each with its own terrain character, altitude profile and demands. Understanding what each section asks of you shapes how we train for it.
How We Train For It
Course-specific preparation, not generic endurance
Every element of this 20-week program is built around what the Kosci 100km actually asks of you. We train the whole runner: climbing legs and aerobic endurance alongside nervous system support, cycle-aware adaptation, and the mental frameworks that carry you through an all-day alpine effort.
Alpine Endurance at Altitude
100km at altitude changes everything about how your body processes effort. Sessions build the deep aerobic capacity this course demands.
- ●Run by feel rather than pace at elevation
- ●Build aerobic capacity for sustained all-day effort
- ●Manage the compounding effect of altitude on fatigue over 100km
Back-to-Back Long Runs
Sections 3 and 4 arrive when you already have 50 to 80km in your legs. Back-to-back sessions simulate running on deeply fatigued legs.
- ●Train your body to keep moving when effort stops feeling manageable
- ●Build durability through progressive long run volume
- ●Practise fuelling strategy across extended time on feet
Technical Descent Control
The rocky descent in the final 20km is sudden and demanding after 80 kilometres of sustained effort.
- ●Foot placement on rocky terrain under deep fatigue
- ●Quad preservation through sustained late-race descending
- ●Confident movement rather than braking
Fuelling for 100km
A 100km effort at altitude is an all-day undertaking. Fuelling is not an afterthought: it is a trained skill.
- ●Train your gut to absorb fuel across 12 to 24 hours of effort
- ●Checkpoint strategy, drop bag planning and hydration management
- ●Practise race-day nutrition on every long training run
Night Running + Weather Preparedness
Most 100km runners will spend time on course in darkness and in rapidly changing alpine conditions.
- ●Head torch familiarity and depth perception on uneven ground
- ●Mandatory gear management and layering strategy
- ●Mental shift for running in reduced visibility and variable conditions
100km Mindset
The Kosci 100km becomes a mental challenge long before the finish line comes into view.
- ●Frameworks for when effort stops feeling optional
- ●Composure through isolation, darkness and long exposed sections
- ●Trust in your preparation when the course asks everything
Why Her Trails
You are not just following a plan
You are joining a living, breathing training experience, full of context, coaching and connection, designed to evolve with you as you move towards this goal.
We Train the Whole Runner
Climbing legs and aerobic endurance, alongside nervous system support, cycle alignment, and staying connected to what matters to you.
We Coach in Real Time
Live weekly coaching calls to get your questions answered, troubleshoot roadblocks, and stay anchored in a shared journey.
Built By and For Women
Created by a team that understands female physiology, psychology and the realities of training around life. Cycle-aware adaptation is built in.
Train Wherever You Are
Sessions and community fully accessible from your phone or device, wherever you are.
Before You Begin
A 100km at altitude with significant elevation, exposure, and the likelihood of running into the night is a serious commitment. The 20-week build assumes a strong existing endurance base and the lifestyle space to absorb a high training load.
- Running 50 to 60 km per week across 4 to 5 sessions before week one
- Recent finish of a marathon or 50km event within the past 18 months
- Willingness to commit to 8 to 15 hours of training per week through the build, peaking with back to back long days
- Access to terrain with sustained climbs, technical descents, and exposed alpine sections where possible
- Experience or appetite to develop self sufficiency for night running, mandatory gear, and remote sections
- Medical clearance if returning from injury, illness, or extended time off training
- Support of household and work life for the demands of an ultra build
What's Included
Everything you need, in one place
Coached by a team built by and for women, on trails we run ourselves. You are coached in real time as a whole runner, not just following a plan. Your week is released each Saturday so you meet each week where you are.
Training Program
- ●4 to 6 structured run sessions per week: gradually building endurance and mental resilience for the Kosci 100km
- ●1 to 2 strength training sessions weekly: power, stability and resilience for rugged alpine terrain
- ●1 to 2 mobility or yoga sessions: to restore, realign and keep your body moving freely across the full training load
- ●Nutrition guidance and physical therapy input from ultra-experienced clinicians, including injury prevention strategies tailored to female runners
Coaching + Community
- ●Weekly live coaching and community calls: tailored support, connection and accountability
- ●Cycle-aware adaptation with flex days for energy and load management
- ●Daily access to the Her Trails community: encouragement, shared stories and honest support from women training for the same event
- ●Access to the Her Trails Community Hub for ongoing connection beyond race day
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
