The Guzzler Ultra - Year 719th—20th July 2025

Free 100km Trail Ultra Training Program

Beginner 16 Weeks / 5-6 Days a week
100km Trail Ultra-marathon Training Plan

Before starting this program you should be running around 5 to 6 hours per week, which includes a long run of around ninety minutes to two hours on the trails.

Over the next 16 weeks, this program will build on your current running experience to prepare you to tackle The Guzzler Ultra, 100km.

PS. Already completed a 100km ultra? Check out our Experienced 100km Ultra training plan.

Download 100km Training Plan

Coach’s Notes

WARM UP AND COOL DOWNS:

Workouts always have a 10 minute warm up, drills & strides, as well as a 10 minute cool down. Warm ups and cool downs should be run very easy. You should be able to hold a full conversation. If at the end of completing a warm up you feel any pain or have a niggle, then the workout should not be completed. Workouts to be completed on a flat road or grass, unless specified otherwise.

DRILLS

Drills are movements like A/B/C skips, side shuttles, grapevines, leg swings, high knees, fast feet. Completing these regularly will help improve running technique, as well as ensure muscles are activated before starting a workout.

STRIDES

Stridesare around 60m to 100m in length. They are sometimes called run throughs or accelerations. A stride is not a sprint, rather you increase speed as you go and focus on having good form and being in control. Walk or have a rest for as long as you need in between each stride. They can also be completed uphill.

TEMPO RUNS

Tempo runs should be run at a pace you can hold for 40mins to 1hr. It is not flat out. You should be huffing and puffing, but not red lining. You should be able to speak in single words only, not sentences.

LONG RUN

The weekend long run is the most important run of the week and should be completed on trails that are similar to race day. The Guzzler is 105km with 4000m of elevation/climbing/hills, which works out to be around 400m of elevation per 10km. This can be a good goal for your long runs to ensure you are getting enough elevation.

Wear your vest full of the race mandatory gear. Your long run is a time to test out gear for race day and practice race day nutrition. Take notes of nutrition that works, gear that works and what doesn’t. This will help you prepare for race day.

Your long run should be run at an easy pace and you should be able to hold a conversation. Think of it as time on feet but try not to stop your watch and spend too long standing around. Long runs are completed to time and not distance. Chasing distance does not take into account hills, conditions, and tests your ability to recover rather than giving you a specific training benefit. Over training is prevalent in trail and ultra so be conscious to not fall down this rabbit hole.

REST DAYS

Rest should have sleep and food prioritised as these are the best recovery tools. Resting is training and rest days are when your body can absorb and adapt to the training taking place. Don’t skip rest.


Base building phase 01/04 – 07/04

Focus on getting into a good routine this four week block. Take runs a bit easier and don’t force anything. You need to store up motivation for later in the training block so don’t use it all now. Week 4 is a deload week so the volume comes down to let your body recover.

WEEKMONTUESWEDTHURSFRISATSUN
1
01/04–07/04
RestEasy 45minsEasy 30mins + 4x stridesEasy 1hrRestWarm up 10mins + drills & strides / parkrun / Cool down 10mins2hrs – trails/hilly
2
08/04–14/04
RestWarm up 10mins + drills & strides / 10x1min hard 1min jog recovery / Cool down 10minsEasy 30mins + 4x stridesEasy 1hrRestEasy 45mins2.5hrs – trails/hilly
3
15/04–21/04
RestWarm up 10mins + drills & strides / 6x400m hard 1min standing recovery / Cool down 10minsEasy 30mins + 4x stridesEasy 1hrRestEasy 45mins3hrs – trails/hilly
4
22/04–28/04
RestWarm up 10mins + drills & strides / 4x800m hard 90secs jog or walk recovery / Cool down 10minsEasy 30mins + 4x stridesEasy 1hrRestEasy 45mins2hrs – trails/hilly

Building Mileage

The volume increases in this block and the Thursday mid-week long run should now be completed on hilly trails if you can. If you need to hike a climb, hike. You will be hiking on race day so get used to doing it in training. Week 8 is a deload week so the volume comes down to let your body recover.

WEEKMONTUESWEDTHURSFRISATSUN
5
29/04–05/05
RestWarm up 10mins + drills & strides / 4x1km hard 90secs jog or walk recovery / Cool down 10minsEasy 40mins + 4x stridesEasy 1hr 15mins – trails/hillyRestWarm up 10mins + drills & strides / parkrun / Cool down 10mins3hrs – trails/hilly
6
06/05–12/05
RestWarm up 10mins + drills & strides / 3km time trial – go for it / Cool down 10minsEasy 40mins + 4x stridesEasy 1hr 15mins – trails/hillyRestEasy 45mins3.5hrs – trails/hilly
7
13/05–19/05
RestWarm up 10mins + drills & strides / 5mins tempo 2mins jog x3 / Cool down 10minsEasy 40mins + 4x stridesEasy 1hr 15mins – trails/hillyRestEasy 45mins4hrs – trails/hilly
8
20/05–26/05
RestWarm up 10mins + drills & strides / 8mins tempo 2mins jog x 2 / Cool down 10minsEasy 40mins + 4x stridesEasy 1hr – trails/hillyRestEasy 45mins2hrs – trails/hilly

Specificity Phase

This four week block is the biggest volume and most race specific. Try to get onto the trails as much as possible for your runs and get onto the hills. There are hiking repeats because hiking fast is a skill that needs practice. Everyone will hike at some point come race day. If you can do your long runs on the course, and try doing some night runs to get used to running in the dark with a headlamp. Week 12 is a deload week so the volume comes down to let your body recover.

WEEKMONTUESWEDTHURSFRISATSUN
9
27/05–02/06
Easy 30mins + 4x stridesWarm up 10mins + drills & strides / 6x1min runnable hill 6x30secs runnable hill / Cool down 10minsEasy 50mins + 4x stridesEasy 1hr 30minis – trails/hillyRestWarm up 10mins + drills & strides / parkrun / Cool down 10mins4hrs – trails/hilly
10
03/06–09/06
Easy 30mins + 4x stridesWarm up 10mins + drills & strides / (90secs – 1min – 30secs runnable hill) x 3 / Cool down 10minsEasy 50mins + 4x stridesEasy 1hr 30minis – trails/hillyRestEasy 1hr4.5hrs – trails/hilly
11
10/06–16/06
Easy 30mins + 4x stridesWarm up 10mins + drills & strides / Hard hiking uphill 3x3mins / Cool down 10minsEasy 50mins + 4x stridesEasy 1hr 30minis – trails/hillyRestEasy 1hr5hrs– trails/hilly
12
17/06–23/06
RestWarm up 10mins + drills & strides / Hard hiking uphill 3x5mins / Cool down 10minsEasy 50mins + 4x stridesEasy 1hr 15mins – trails/hillyRestEasy 1hr2hrs– trails/hilly

Taper / Race Phase

Week 13 is the highest volume so keep the effort easy. After this week it is time to start tapering for race day. Tapering means the volume decreases, but there is still some intensity, allowing your body and mind to recover for race day. A lot of people will do too much during taper and show up to race day still fatigued. Don’t sabotage your race day. Let your body recover. Use your extra time from the decrease in training to prepare mental strategies, drop bags, organise crew plans and visualise your race day.

WEEKMONTUESWEDTHURSFRISATSUN
13
24/06–30/06
Easy 30mins + 4x stridesWarm up 10mins + drills & strides / Hard hiking uphill 5x3mins / Cool down 10minsEasy 1hrEasy 1hr 30minis – trails/hillyRest5hrs – trails/hilly2hrs hike – get out on tired legs for a hilly hike.
14
01/07–07/07
Easy 30mins + 4x stridesWarm up 10mins + drills & strides / 3x3mins hard 3mins jog recovery / Cool down 10minsEasy 50mins + 4x stridesEasy 1hr 15mins – trails/hillyRestEasy 1hr3hrs – trails/hilly
15
08/07–14/07
RestWarm up 10mins + drills & strides / 5x2mins hard 90secs jog recovery / Cool down 10minsEasy 40mins + 4x stridesEasy 1hrRestWarm up 10mins + drills & strides / parkrun / Cool down 10mins1hrs
16
15/07–21/07
RestWarm up 10mins + drills & strides / 10x30secs hard 30secs standing recovery / Cool down 10minsEasy 30mins + 4x stridesRestOptional 15min shakeoutRace DayRest

Post-race Phase

Post-race do not rush back into training. At a minimum, the next two weeks should be spent sleeping, eating, going for gentle walks and doing gentle movement, but most importantly celebrating your achievement.

These training programs are intended as a general guide only and may not be suited to everyone. They should not replace advice from your healthcare providers and the use of these programs as a training tool will be at solely your own risk and discretion. Always take your individual health, safety and circumstances into consideration before following any portion of the programs.

 
Meagan Brown – Shakeout Run Coach

About the coach

Meagan Brown

Meagan Brown has been trail and ultra running for over a decade and heads up Brisbane-based coaching business Shakeout Running.

Shakeout Running specifically supports female trail and ultra runners, as Meagan hopes to see participation increase in these events.

Through Shakeout Running, Meagan has coached athletes to podium finishes and age group placings as well as runners who have tackled The Guzzler as their first ultra event finish.

Meagan has also been on The Guzzler podium in both the 21km event and the 50km events and run some of the most iconic races in the world; such as Western States, Lavaredo and CCC. She has also represented Australia twice: at the 2019 World Mountain Running Championships and at the 2022 World Sky Running Championships.

For more information:
www.shakeoutrunning.au
IG: @megatron_brown

Join the Guzzler Mailing list for event updates

Having trouble? Sign up here

Presented By
The Trail Co. Trail Running Store is Australia's premium trail running store.
Our Official Partners

Useful Links

 


The Guzzler Ultra held in Brisbane, Queensland is a Western States Qualifier
The Guzzler Ultra, Brisbane, Queensland is a Western States Qualifying Race
Six Foot Track Marathon Qualifier
(50km & 100KM)
Six Foot Track Marathon
UTMB Index Race
The Guzzler Brisbane is a UTMB Index Qualifier Race 100K
The Guzzler Brisbane is a UTMB Index Qualifier Race 50K
The Guzzler Brisbane is a UTMB Index Qualifier Race 20K
The Guzzler Ultra Trail Race is proud to be a 1% For The Planet Member

As trail runners, we love our natural environment and believe that it is a space worth protecting, to ensure it is there for many future generations to enjoy.

One way we aim to take responsibility is by being a 1% For The Planet Business Member.

Those Guys Events acknowledge the Traditional Owners of the lands where we run, and pay our respects to Elders past, present and emerging.

The Guzzler is hosted by Those Guys Events. ABN: 88601 37205212