Her Trails Coaching
Ranges 50km Ultra Trail
Program for Women
A 20-week training block for women taking on a mountainous 50km with real climbing, the escarpments, sustained ascents and technical descents of races like Six Foot Track, Gone Nuts, Yurrebilla and Wilsons Prom. Built around women's physiology, designed for a 7.5 to 9 hour day where power-hiking, descending and fuelling matter as much as running.
Why This Matters
A mountain 50km is a different event from a runnable one
When a 50km carries 1,500 to 2,500 metres of climbing, the day changes shape. The median finisher is out there for eight hours or more, the climbs force you to walk, and the descents cost more than the ascents. A flat-trail plan, or a plan built on research done on men, prepares you for neither.
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 4 hours 30 and race-day durability built through back-to-back weekends that climb progressively toward your race's vertical demand. Power-hiking is trained as a skill from Week 5, poles come into your long runs from Week 9, and every session is set by effort, not pace, so the work stays honest across heat, hormones, sleep and steep ground.
Fuelling, strength and recovery are built into the structure, not bolted on. You arrive at the start line trained for the climbs, confident on the descents, and ready for the long middle of a mountain day.
Who This Is For
This program is right for you if
Ranges is built for women preparing for a 50km with sustained climbing, whether it is your first mountain ultra or your next strong one.
How We Train For It
Built for the mountains, built for your body
Every element of the program maps to what a sustained-climb 50km actually demands, and to how women adapt to it.
Progressive Vertical
Weekend vertical builds steadily toward around 1,500m, so your race's climbing demand is something you have already done in training, not a race-day shock. Long runs are set in time and capped at 4 hours 30.
Power-Hiking As A Skill
From Week 5 you train the walk: strong, purposeful uphill hiking that is often faster and always cheaper than grinding a run up steep pitches. On a ranges course, hiking well is racing well.
Descending And Technical Ground
Controlled technical descending is trained on real terrain through the Specific and Peak blocks. Your quads, feet and confidence are prepared for the rocky, rooted ground that decides a mountain day.
Poles And Mountain Kit
Poles carry a higher recommendation on ranges courses, and from Week 9 they come into your long runs so the technique is automatic by race day. From Week 10 you train with your full mountain kit, including a Week 15 hike rehearsal.
Fuelling For The Long Day
You train your gut alongside your legs, building to 60 to 80g of carbohydrate per hour on the biggest weekends. Steady fuel protects your hormones and energy across an 8-hour-plus day.
The Mind For The Mountains
A 7.5 to 9 hour day always has a low patch, usually on the biggest climb. Coaching content addresses pacing patience, moving through the flat spots, and the steady decision-making that carries you through the back half.
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 mountain 50km program, set by effort
- ●Long runs, back-to-backs, hill work and power-hiking built around women's physiology and cycle rhythm
- ●Integrated strength for runners, twice a week
- ●Poles, mountain kit 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 long mountain days
- ●Access to the Her Trails Community Hub for support and connection
Common Questions
What runners ask before they start
Is this for my first mountain 50km or for experienced runners?
Both. The program is built around effort, so the same structure works for a first mountain ultra and a runner chasing a stronger time on a course she knows. You run it at your level.
Which races does it suit?
Trail 50km events with roughly 1,500 to 2,500m of climbing and a 7.5 to 9 hour median day, like Six Foot Track, Gone Nuts, Yurrebilla 56, Macedon, Wilsons Prom, Lofty's Revenge and Lithgow Ridgy-Didge. For a runnable coastal 50km, look at Coast and Forest. For an alpine or highly technical course, look at Alpine and High Country.
Do I need poles?
Poles carry a higher recommendation for ranges courses: on sustained climbs they spare your legs, and late in the day they protect your descending. The program brings them into your long runs from Week 9 so the technique is second nature by race day. If your race does not allow them, your coach will adjust.
How much time does it take each week?
Most weeks sit around 8 to 10 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 mountains do not ask you to be fast. They ask you to keep moving well, and that can be trained.
$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