Her Trails Coaching

Surf Coast Century 100km Solo
Program for Women

A structured 20-week training program designed to prepare you for the full Surf Coast Century 100km course. Build endurance, strength and terrain awareness while being supported by experienced coaches and a community of runners preparing for the same challenge.

Duration

20 Weeks

Distance

100km Solo

Elevation

Approx. 2,000m gain

Location

Anglesea, Victoria

Terrain

Beach, coastal trail, Otway singletrack, inland bush

Access

Platform + App

The Course

Training for the Surf Coast Century 100km

The Surf Coast Century 100km is a dynamic coastal ultra that combines runnable terrain with constantly changing trail conditions. The course begins on the sands of Anglesea Beach before moving along the Surf Coast Walk, through the Anglesea Heath, into inland Otway forest trails and back to the coastline for the final kilometres to the finish.

Rather than simply building endurance, this program develops the durability, pacing control and terrain awareness required to move efficiently across the full 100km course.

The Four Legs

What you will actually run

The 100km course is divided into four legs, each with its own terrain character and demands. Understanding what each leg asks of you shapes how we train for it.

 

Leg 1

Anglesea to Torquay

24.5km  |  625m gain

Launches from Anglesea Beach and moves immediately into clifftop trails, sweeping ocean views and the coastline around Point Addis. Flows through ironbark forests before reaching Bells Beach, then a technical stretch of reef platforms and rock pools into Torquay.

Demands: sand running from the start, technical reef terrain, pacing discipline on fast early trails

 

Leg 2

Torquay back to Anglesea

24.5km  |  455m gain

Returns along dramatic clifftop trails past Jan Juc and Bells Beach before dropping into the flowing singletrack of the Eumeralla trails. Twisting bushland paths and fast runnable terrain. Not heavily climbing but relentlessly undulating, which accumulates fatigue without the obvious signal of a climb.

Demands: sustained effort management, singletrack rhythm, arriving at halfway without burning matches

 

Leg 3

Anglesea into the Otways

Approx. 26km  |  inland climbing

Moves inland through the Anglesea Heath and into Otway forest trails. Clay 4WD tracks, remote bushland and inland climbing sections. The terrain shifts completely from the coastal legs and the mental weight of distance begins to compound here. This is where race days are made or lost.

Demands: mental resilience, conservative pacing under fatigue, heat management away from the coast

 

Leg 4

Return to Anglesea finish

Approx. 25km  |  beach finish

Returns to the coastline for the final kilometres back to Anglesea. Includes beach running on fatigued legs and a finish that demands everything you have trained for. Sand running efficiency, which felt manageable at kilometre 2, becomes a significant physical challenge at kilometre 90.

Demands: sand running form under fatigue, fuelling execution, finishing mindset

How We Train For It

Course-specific preparation, not generic endurance

Every element of this program is built around what the Surf Coast Century 100km actually asks of you. The training is specific because the course is specific.

Sand Running

We include beach and soft surface running sessions throughout the program so that sand running at the end of 100km is a trained skill, not a surprise. Foot strike, cadence and effort management on soft ground are practised early and often.

Pacing for Undulating Terrain

Leg 2 is where many runners overcook the return. Sessions specifically address effort management on rolling terrain, training you to run by feel and heart rate rather than pace, so the cumulative elevation does not catch you out at the midpoint.

Back-to-Back Long Runs

The inland legs arrive when you already have 50km in your legs. Back-to-back long run sessions in the Strengthening and Sharpening phases simulate the fatigue of running into Legs 3 and 4, teaching your body to keep moving when the effort stops feeling manageable.

Technical Trail Skills

Reef platforms, loose clay and flowing singletrack all require different movement patterns. Trail technique sessions address foot placement, descent control and cadence on variable surfaces so the technical sections of Legs 1 and 3 do not cost you unnecessary energy or time.

Fuelling at Race Duration

The Surf Coast Century is an all-day effort. Fuelling sessions are structured around long run duration, training your gut to absorb and process nutrition for 10 to 16 hours. Checkpoint strategy, drop bag planning and fluid management are all addressed specifically for this course.

Late-Race Mindset

Legs 3 and 4 are where the race becomes a mental challenge as much as a physical one. The program includes specific mindset and resilience work for the long hours between checkpoints, so you have frameworks and tools ready when the effort stops feeling optional.

What's Included

Everything you need, in one place

This program covers your training, strength, recovery and coaching from one integrated platform. Nothing is bolted on.

Training Program

  • Progressive 20-week Surf Coast Century 100km program
  • Running sessions designed for coastal ultra terrain
  • Integrated strength for runners program
  • Integrated mobility work for durability

Coaching + Community

  • Weekly live coaching calls, join live or watch replays
  • Nutrition and fuelling guidance for long trail efforts
  • A connected community of women preparing for the same race
  • Access to the Her Trails community for support and connection

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
Explore the All-In Membership

Surf Coast Century Stories

Hear directly from runners who have trained with Her Trails and experienced the Surf Coast Century journey. These stories capture the terrain, the community and the personal growth that comes from preparing for a race like this.