Mountain Half Marathon Training Plan
A 10-week plan for a hilly or mountain half marathon, combining trail running with climbing-focused cycling to handle elevation gain a flat-course plan can't prepare you for.
A mountain half marathon punishes runners trained only on flat roads — the climbs demand a different kind of strength, and the descents demand a different kind of control. This 10-week plan builds your running endurance while indoor cycling climbing intervals add the muscular strength and durability that elevation gain specifically requires.
This plan is dynamic
Every cycling session in this plan automatically scales its power targets to your FTP, so it adapts as you get fitter — no need to guess your numbers or redo the math yourself. Life happens too: drag any session to a different day on your calendar whenever your routine changes.
Week-by-week breakdown
Base
Weeks 1–3Building aerobic endurance across trail running and Zone 2 cycling.
Climbing Build
Weeks 4–6Climbing-focused cycling intervals paired with tempo running to build hill-specific strength.
Race Pace
Weeks 7–9Race-pace running efforts combined with strength-endurance cycling to hold form on tired legs.
Frequently asked questions
How is this different from a regular half marathon plan?
The climbing-strength cycling phase is the key difference — a flat-course half marathon plan doesn't prepare your legs for sustained elevation gain the way this plan does.
How much elevation gain should I expect to train for?
Most mountain half marathons carry 800–1,500m of gain — this plan's climbing-focused phases scale to that range.