50-mile ultramarathon training plan (24 weeks, intermediate)

A complete 24-week 50-mile training plan for intermediate runners: four run days and two core routines a week, the long run on Sunday, finish-focused with no goal time.

24weeks to race day

40 kmpeak Sunday long run

10long runs of 30 km or more

3taper weeks

Want this plan counted back from your own race date, and adjusted when you miss runs? Paceline builds it for you, free.

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How the plan is built

Four run days a week (Mon, Wed, Fri, Sun), with two short core routines added onto run days (not shown in the table). The long run is always on Sunday, race day included.
The Sunday long run starts at 17.5 km and builds to 40 km, then tapers over the last 3 weeks. The race is 80.5 km.
11 back-to-back runs: the Monday after a long Sunday run is a second sizeable run, to train tired legs without a single huge run.
Finish-focused: there is no goal time, so effort is easy and conversational except on the quality days.

Week by week

Long runs are highlighted. Every run in the table is a title only; in the app each one opens into warm-up, main set, cool-down and paces set from your own fitness.

Swipe the table sideways to see every day.

Week	Mon	Tue	Wed	Thu	Fri	Sat	Sun
Week 1	Easy Run · 6.5K	Rest	Speed Intervals · 4 × 400m	Rest	Tempo Run · 10K	Rest	Long Run · 17.5K
Week 2	Easy Run · 7K	Rest	Hill Repeats · 4 reps	Rest	Tempo Run · 11K	Rest	Long Run · 19K
Week 3	Easy Run · 8K	Rest	Fartlek · 13 min	Rest	Tempo Run · 11.5K	Rest	Long Run · 20.5K
Week 4	Easy Run · 6.5K	Rest	Progression Run · 25 min	Rest	Tempo Run · 9.5K	Rest	Long Run · 17K
Week 5	Easy Run · 8K	Rest	Speed Intervals · 5 × 400m	Rest	Tempo Run · 13.5K	Rest	Long Run · 23.5K
Week 6	Easy Run · 8K	Rest	Hill Repeats · 4 reps	Rest	Tempo Run · 14K	Rest	Long Run · 25K
Week 7	Back-to-back · 15K	Rest	Fartlek · 13 min	Rest	Tempo Run · 14K	Rest	Long Run · 26.5K
Week 8	Back-to-back · 16K	Rest	Progression Run · 25 min	Rest	Tempo Run · 14K	Rest	Long Run · 22K
Week 9	Easy Run · 8K	Rest	Speed Intervals · 6 × 400m	Rest	Tempo Run · 14K	Rest	Long Run · 29.5K
Week 10	Back-to-back · 17.5K	Rest	Hill Repeats · 5 reps	Rest	Tempo Run · 14K	Rest	Long Run · 31K
Week 11	Back-to-back · 18.5K	Rest	Fartlek · 14 min	Rest	Tempo Run · 14K	Rest	Long Run · 32.5K
Week 12	Back-to-back · 19.5K	Rest	Progression Run · 25 min	Rest	Tempo Run · 14K	Rest	Long Run · 26.5K
Week 13	Easy Run · 8K	Rest	Speed Intervals · 7 × 400m	Rest	Tempo Run · 14K	Rest	Long Run · 35.5K
Week 14	Back-to-back · 21.5K	Rest	Hill Repeats · 5 reps	Rest	Tempo Run · 14K	Rest	Long Run · 37K
Week 15	Back-to-back · 22K	Rest	Fartlek · 15 min	Rest	Tempo Run · 14K	Rest	Long Run · 38.5K
Week 16	Back-to-back · 23K	Rest	Progression Run · 27 min	Rest	Tempo Run · 14K	Rest	Long Run · 40K
Week 17	Back-to-back · 24K	Rest	Speed Intervals · 5 × 400m	Rest	Tempo Run · 14K	Rest	Long Run · 31K
Week 18	Easy Run · 8K	Rest	Hill Repeats · 6 reps	Rest	Tempo Run · 14K	Rest	Long Run · 40K
Week 19	Back-to-back · 24K	Rest	Fartlek · 14 min	Rest	Tempo Run · 14K	Rest	Long Run · 31K
Week 20	Easy Run · 8K	Rest	Progression Run · 28 min	Rest	Tempo Run · 14K	Rest	Long Run · 40K
Week 21	Back-to-back · 24K	Rest	Speed Intervals · 6 × 400m	Rest	Tempo Run · 14K	Rest	Long Run · 24K
Week 22	Easy Run · 6K	Rest	Hill Repeats · 5 reps	Rest	Tempo Run · 9K	Rest	Long Run · 16K
Week 23	Easy Run · 3.5K	Rest	Fartlek · 14 min	Rest	Tempo Run · 5K	Rest	Long Run · 9K
Week 24	Shakeout Run · 3K	Rest	Rest	Rest	Rest	Rest	🏁 Race Day · 50 Mile

This is the standard plan. The app changes it to fit your race date and the days you can actually run, and offers to ease the next long run when you miss sessions or your recovery data looks off.

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Before you start

This is a general training template, not medical advice. Ultramarathons are demanding: build a solid running base first, and check with a doctor if you have a health condition or are unsure.

See the other plans