To succeed in your UTMB® training, you need to set up a sort of calendar or schedule. This should be built backwards from the race date and will allow you to progressively manage your training load. It should be structured in the same way whether you live in a mountain area or need to prepare for the UTMB from the plains.
Base training for the first 3 months (November to January)
This base training phase should be fairly classic, focusing on your MAS and anaerobic threshold. It should also include plenty of core strengthening exercises and general physical conditioning to work the whole body. Factor in some strength training, swimming and stationary cycling for a complete workout of the entire muscular chain. You can also start to include interval sessions to begin more specific work. You can set small intermediate goals with races of 3 to 10 km to take part in during winter.
More specific preparation in the second phase (February to April)
After this first three-month cycle, you will begin to prepare a first objective (a rolling trail is ideal) for the month of April. This trail should ideally be 20 to 30 km. After this first objective, you will start to schedule long runs, progressively increasing the difficulty and pace. These long runs should start to accustom your body to the type of effort it will face on the UTMB. It's also an opportunity to test yourself mentally and physically (injuries, aches…) and to make fit adjustments if difficulties arise. Sessions during this phase will always focus on MAS and threshold work, alternating climbs and flat sections. Keep up your interval sessions, ideally once a week. By the end of this phase, you can start hill training with elevation gain, which you should continue with greater intensity at the start of the next phase.
The final phase (May to July)
The aim of this final phase should be a trail in the style of the UTMB (but shorter), including a night section, to be completed in July. It's also an opportunity to test your gear, nutrition and clothing, and to check that everything is working properly and causing no issues. From early May, you can also plan one shock weekend per month and schedule a high-altitude training camp, ideally in June. Stay vigilant during this final phase and don't overdo it. Don't try to peak too early, and if the July objective is completed with some difficulty, don't draw alarmist conclusions. Keep doing long runs, but space them out more, and maintain your hill training sessions with elevation gain (once every two weeks over the final two months). Finally, progressively reduce your specific interval sessions, which should now appear only occasionally in your programme and at lower intensity. To find out more:
