The countdown is on!

It’s 100 days until the 2024 Cape Wrath Ultra® event. Now is the perfect time to focus on your journey and training for the race.

To help you on that journey, we are delighted that Ian Stewart has written the perfect 100 day training plan. Ian is an expert in training for the Cape Wrath Ultra®, as he won the 2021 event, and is the owner of Trail Running Scotland, who organise the hugely popular official Cape Wrath Ultra recce weekends.

His training plan is incredibly informative and full of knowledge, tips and advice to help prepare you for the race. We’re on countdown, 100 days - let’s go!

The Cape Wrath Ultra® is undoubtedly a huge challenge, with 8 days, averaging 50km a day across the rough terrain of the Scottish Highlands. However, that doesn’t mean that it is the reserve of elite athletes or super humans. Every year people with a huge range of running experience are successful. Although their running history, their fitness and their preparation may be varied, the one thing they all have in common is plenty of determination.

If you already have this, then now is the perfect time to prepare physically for an adventure of a lifetime, in just 100 days’ time!

Don’t get me wrong, if you are starting out with a couch to 5k programme to kick start your new years goals then preparation for the Cape Wrath Ultra® should probably be a longer-term plan, but if you have already completed a single day ultra or are a regular fell runner – now is a great time to start training.

Training priorities:

In my last article I discussed in more detail the key factors to consider when preparing for the event. In addition to this, with 100 days to go, you have a few key training priorities to consider:

Long run & back to back days

If you have already completed a 50km plus event in the past year, it isn’t essential to do this again over the next few months. If that distance is new for you, building towards a one-off practice run of around 50km by mid-April would be a good goal. Doing lots of really long runs is less important than building good consistent weekly mileage.

Likewise, back to back big days aren’t necessary every week, but something you might plan once or twice as your training peaks.  

Hills

Fitness for climbing as well as conditioning and techniques for descending are very important. This comes from higher intensity hill reps as well as training volume. Hiking bigger hill days is a good option here too.

Terrain

The rough terrain of the course increases injury risk, so practise on pathless, wet, slippy terrain if possible. Strong ankles are essential to complete the week.

Strength

A robust body will survive the attritional nature of the week better. An all-round strength programme will reduce your injury risk and keep your quads working after all the steep downhill sections.

Recovery

Don’t neglect recovery. With a short training window it is tempting to train too much. Give yourself an easy week once a month to allow your body to adapt to the training, otherwise you won’t get the benefit and you’ll probably arrive to the event already tired and injured!

Training block 1

•   This is the time to build your foundations. Focus on building good, consistent weekly mileage. This will be different for everyone, but remember your training should build you up – not break you down! 50-80km a week of quality running is a good target.

•   Maximise your running economy with some focused faster running. Add in some simple strides or short intervals at a comfortable pace once a week.

•   Start your regular ankle strength training – building strong tendons takes time.

•   Learn about the route, check the website for daily statistics and maps, watch the videos and read the blogs.

•   Think about other skills you will need – how are you going to navigate the route? Will you use running poles.

Training block 2

•   Add in some hill work to your regular running. If you have the luxury of hills nearby, try to build consistent vertical volume into your weeks. The Cape Wrath Ultra® has 27 meters of up and down for every kilometre – try to replicate this.

•   If you go for longer days out, this hill volume can be accumulated by hiking as well.

•   Build good hill fitness and strength with more intense hill intervals. If these are new to you, start with 30 seconds and build from there.

•   Really read the event website and ingest every little detail. Plan what kit you will need for your overnight system, your hill kit and your spares.

Training block 3

•   Build in some planned back-to-back training days. Start with a short easy run on the day after your long run to get used to running on tired legs. Plan in one bigger weekend doing 2 moderate length, easy pace days in a row.

•   Increase the length of your hill efforts to 15-20 minutes to build endurance.

•   Start to fine tune your race kit and get used to carrying it on your longer runs.

Training block 4

•   This last block should include your final event rehearsals. Make these as specific as you can. Get longer days (maybe around 30km) on hilly routes with rough terrain. If you can get onto the event route, even better. Check out our recce weekends.

•   Practice your race nutrition, work out what works for you and what doesn’t. Fuelling your days well will make a huge difference to the later part of the event.

•   Come along on our preparation weekend to finalise all your key skills and learn about all the bits that you might not have thought about yet!

Cape Wrath Ultra Recce weekends

20th & 21st April 2024 - Torridon, full day 4&5 recce - Waiting list

27th & 28th April 2024 - Ullapool - highlights of days 6&7 - Limited spaces

 Cape Wrath Ultra preparation weekend– Aviemore, 13th & 14th April 2024

With essential skills of navigation, running with poles and downhill technique as well as a whole host of other crucial information including mindset, nutrition and camp admin!

Are you ready to take on the challenge yourself?

There aren’t many spaces left for the 2024 Cape Wrath Ultra® event – secure your place before they sell out!

If the whole route isn’t yet within your reach, but you want to challenge yourself, and experience the buzz from the event, there is a shorter route option available, The Cape Wrath Explorer - there are limited spaces left. Now is the perfect time to enter!