| Planning element | Figure or condition | Planning use |
|---|---|---|
| Vertical gain per mile | Total vertical gain divided by race distance; a 50k with 8,000 ft averages about 250 ft/mile | Puts a race and your own training routes on one scale. |
| Long-run climbing | Long runs approach the race’s vertical density as race day nears; for a 250 ft/mile race, a 15-mile long run might include roughly 3,500 to 4,000 ft of climbing | Sets the target for the biggest sessions of the late build. |
| Hiking threshold | Hiking is often the better choice on a 15–20% incline (roughly 800–1,000 ft gain per mile) | Marks where walking becomes a planned tactic. |
| Warm-weather sessions | Warm days build some heat adaptation and let you practise hydration and electrolytes | Rehearses fluids and fuelling for a hot race. |
The figures come from the coaching newsletter Higher Running and from We Run’s heat-preparation guidance.
How to train for a hilly trail race comes down to matching your long runs to the course’s climbing per mile, walking steep ramps deliberately, and rehearsing descents and heat before race day.
This build-up sits inside the wider approach to trail running training. It moves through base, build, specific and taper phases rather than detailing any single workout, so each phase below says what to add and why.
Turning elevation gain into training targets
Elevation gain is most useful once it is divided by distance. The Higher Running coach defines vertical gain per mile as total vertical gain divided by race distance, and gives a 50k with 8,000 ft as an example that averages about 250 ft/mile.
Work out the same figure for the race you have entered, using the organiser’s published course profile. Then work it out for your regular routes. Comparing the two shows whether your usual loops are anywhere near the demands of race day.
The target is not a weekly total to hit immediately. According to the same coach, long runs should begin to approach the vertical density of the race as race day gets closer. For a race averaging about 250 ft/mile, a 15-mile long run might include roughly 3,500 to 4,000 ft of climbing. Treat that as the late-build destination and start well below it.
Base phase: easy volume and the long run
The base phase builds the aerobic and muscular foundation that later climbing depends on. The weekly long run becomes the anchor session, and the hills arrive gradually on top of it.
- Keep easy days easy. Steep climbing stresses the calves, quads and glutes, and the Higher Running coach recommends including flatter runs so the climbing muscles rest and biomechanics stay sound.
- Fix a weekly long run. Choose a rolling route and let it grow in time before it grows in climbing.
- Add hilly routes steadily. Coaches at We Run note that including some hillier routes will, over time, make flatter routes feel easier, so hill work is not wasted if your goal race is mixed terrain.
- Record vertical gain per mile. Note the figure for each long run so you can see it rising towards the race’s number.
Runners new to hilly racing should stay in this phase until the long run feels routine. Adding climbing to a long run that is still a struggle only adds fatigue.
Build phase: hill repeats and climbing strength
Hill repeats are the main climbing-specific session of the build phase. They train the legs to work uphill repeatedly, which is the pattern a hilly course demands, and a moderate grassy slope is a sensible place to start.
Hold the session to a controlled, purposeful effort rather than an all-out one. A full progression of repeat lengths, grades and recoveries is covered in the hill training plan for trail running, so this guide only places the session within the season.
- Protect the rest of the week. A hill session adds load to the calves, quads and glutes, so the surrounding easy runs should stay genuinely easy and include flatter ground.
- Let the long run absorb more climbing. Each step up in vertical gain per mile moves the long run closer to the density of the race.
- Keep climbing and recovery in balance. If legs feel heavy for several days after hill work, reduce the climbing before adding more.
Specific phase: steep, rocky courses and walking
On a steep, rocky course, three sessions matter most: a long run with race-like vertical density, a hard climb followed by a controlled descent, and deliberate hiking practice. Everything else supports these.
Descents and the legs they load
Downhill running places high eccentric loads on the quadriceps, according to the Higher Running coach. That is why a course with long descents can leave legs sore even when the climbs felt manageable. Practise descending in training, at a controlled pace, and keep these sessions occasional because of the load they place on the quads.
How much of the race to walk
No fixed share of a race should be walked; it depends on how much of the course is steep. Steeper grades are where walking earns its place. The same coach says that for most runners a 15–20% incline (roughly 800–1,000 ft of gain per mile) is where hiking is often the better choice, because at steeper grades the energy cost of running increases dramatically while giving very little speed advantage.
A strong, purposeful power hike can often match running speed at significantly lower energy cost. The coach reports running a 15% grade at about 14:00/mile and power hiking the same grade at roughly 15:00/mile. A difference that small is easily repaid in saved energy late in a long race.
- Read the course profile. Mark the climbs that reach the steep range above, using the organiser’s published profile.
- Plan to hike those sections. Decide in advance rather than in the middle of a climb.
- Rehearse in training. Hike the steep parts of long runs with a strong, steady stride and run again when the grade eases.
Runners preparing for a hilly ultra benefit most from this rehearsal, because the energy saved on every steep ramp accumulates over a long day.
Preparing for hot summer conditions
A summer race on exposed hills calls for heat rehearsal as well as climbing. The coaches at We Run suggest that warm days before a race are a good opportunity to prepare physically and mentally, since training in warm conditions gives a little heat adaptation and lets you practise hydration and electrolytes.
In practice, schedule some long runs and hill sessions on the warmer days of the build, and test the drinks and salts you intend to use on race day. A hydration vest suits this rehearsal because it lets you carry the same fluids you will have during the race. Rehearsal matters more than novelty, so avoid trying a new fuelling plan for the first time in the race itself.
Taper and recovery
The taper is the closing stretch where load comes down so the legs arrive fresh. By now the long runs with race-like vertical density are behind you, and the job is to hold fitness while recovering from the hard climbing and descending.
Calves, quads and glutes absorb the most stress on steep terrain, so mobility work and sensible rest days protect them. Routines for this are set out in the guide to trail running injury prevention. Reduce volume and sharp sessions rather than stopping altogether, and keep easy days easy.
Keeping a training log
A simple written log is the tool that ties the phases together. Record distance, vertical gain and the resulting vertical gain per mile for each long run, along with how the legs felt the next day.
Reviewing the log shows whether climbing is rising at a sustainable pace and whether hard weeks are being followed by easier ones. It also gives you a record of which warm-weather sessions were completed before race day.
Frequently asked questions
What can I do if I have no hills nearby?
A treadmill can recreate climbing. The Higher Running coach describes doing 6 miles at a 6–7% incline to mimic a 2,000 ft climb. Most treadmills max out at a 12–15% incline, so they cannot reproduce the steepest race sections.
Will hilly training help on flatter courses?
Yes. We Run’s coaches say that including some hillier routes in training will, over time, make flatter routes feel a little easier.
How often should I do a hard climb with a controlled descent?
Only occasionally. The Higher Running coach says this type of session needs to be done only a couple of times in a training block to deliver its benefits.
