The Higher Running 100km Plan – Level 2
Plan Details
Distance: 100km or distances within ~10 miles/16km of 100km.
Goals: PR and/or run stronger and faster for your next 100km. This plan is perfect for many Western States 100km qualifying races.
Weekly Volume Max: 9.5 to 13 hours
Experience Level: For those looking to improve at the 100km distance or runners with marathon to ultra experience looking to run their first 100km race.
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Is This Plan for You?
This plan is for those looking to run a faster and stronger 100km race in 16 weeks. This plan is best suited for races at or around 100km with ~6,000ft to 12,000ft (1,830m to 3,660m) of elevation gain/loss. It’s perfect for many of the Western States 100km qualifying races or Golden Ticket races in the USA.
For this plan, we suggest that you have already been running ~5 to 7.5 hours per week for a couple of weeks and have previously peaked at least 8.5 to 12 hours per week or more while training for past races. This plan starts at 5.5 to 8.25 hours per week and builds up to a peak of 9.5 to 13 hours per week. Within the hour-per-week range, you can choose if you’d rather be on the lower or higher end of time depending on experience and the time you have to train. This plan will have you running 5-6 days per week.
What’s Included:
A 16-week calendar grid chart with every day specifically detailed with a training run. After the 16 weeks, there’s a bonus week with post-race suggestions. The plan progresses with periodized phases to build your fitness, speed, and strength so that you peak for your goal race in 16 weeks. The plan also includes a fillable form so that you can write your comments and thoughts for each run. The plan also has mindset training tips and inspirational quotes to keep you motivated!
The Higher Running Training Plan Guide covers everything you need to know to train intelligently and race your best. We’re very thorough! Topics covered include:
- Pre-run warm-up (video and written workout)
- Core strength workout (video and written workout)
- Terms and types of workouts (heart rate, pace, and effort guidance)
- Race day and long run fueling
- Pacing
- What to do if you get sick or injured
- What to do if you want to add in a “training race” from 5ks to ultras
- Elevation gain and loss formula as well as how to include hills and mountains in your training
- Cross-training
- Race day planning with worksheet
- How to make the training plan work for your personal schedule
- How to get the most out of your training plan
- Post-race advice
Also included is the Key Training Zones Intensity Chart that visually defines key workout efforts.
The Training Plan Notes fillable pdf file.
The Higher Running 100km Plan – Level 2
Why our plans are different
This plan is derived from the theories and practices of the most legendary distance running coaches and exercise scientists from around the world: Arthur Lydiard, Jack Daniels, Renato Canova, and Peter Pfitzinger to name a few. Unlike other “cookie-cutter” training plans that just list mileage and a general pace, this Higher Running plan gives you essential specifics on how to do workouts at the right intensity for the most beneficial training stimuli. Furthermore, it does not follow a strict 7-day cycle (like most competitor’s plans), because at Higher Running we believe some workouts take longer to recover from and adapt to. Therefore sometimes recovery running days are extended and shortened appropriately to give you an ideal boost in fitness. Most other plans do not take this kind of periodization into consideration. Our Higher Running guideline gives you the information you need to make the plan more specific to your needs and the race you’re training for.
We realize that great coaching is both a science and an art – and we’ve used this philosophy (as well as knowledge gained from our own careers as runners) along with experience from coaching many others, to create a plan that emphasizes consistent, smart progression: A true Higher Running™ experience!
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