16-Week Beginner Trail Running Training Plan - 28km Goal
Who This Plan Is For
This training plan is designed for runners who can currently complete 5km three times per week comfortably and want to build toward completing a 28km trail run. You should have a solid base of regular running and be injury-free before starting.
Training Run Types Explained
Easy Pace Runs: These should feel conversational - you should be able to chat while running. This is your aerobic base-building pace, typically 1-2 minutes per km slower than your 5km race pace.
Hill Repeats: Short, hard efforts uphill to build power and strength specific to trail running. The uphill effort should feel hard (7-8/10 effort), with easy jogging recovery between reps.
Trail Runs: Run on unpaved surfaces when possible - dirt paths, forest trails, or uneven terrain. Focus on getting comfortable with varied footing and terrain changes rather than pace.
Recovery Runs: These are short, very easy-paced runs designed to promote blood flow and aid recovery. Should feel almost effortless.
Long Runs: Your weekly longest run, building endurance gradually. Keep the effort comfortable and focus on time on feet rather than pace.
Tempo Runs: Sustained efforts at a "comfortably hard" pace - the effort you could maintain for about an hour in a race. Should feel challenging but controlled.
Fast Finish Runs: Start at easy pace and increase to moderate-hard effort for the final kilometers. Teaches your body to run strong when tired.
General Training Advice
Listen to your body - if you're feeling overly fatigued, take an extra rest day
Most of your running (80%) should feel easy and conversational
Hydration and nutrition become increasingly important as distances increase
Practice with any gear you plan to use on race day during longer training runs
Don't attempt to make up missed sessions - just continue with the plan
Consider trail-specific strength training and mobility work on rest days
Monday and Wednesday are rest days, but feel free to adjust this based on your own schedule
Week 1 (May 26 - June 1, 2025)
Tuesday: 4km easy pace
Thursday: Hill Rep Run (10-min warm-up, 3 × 30-sec hard effort uphill with 60-sec jog recovery, 10-min cool-down)
Friday: 30-mins easy pace
Saturday: 6km trail run
Sunday: 15-minute recovery run
Week 2 (June 2 - June 8, 2025)
Tuesday: 4km easy run
Thursday: Hill Rep Run (10-min warm-up, 5 × 30-sec hard effort uphill with 60-sec recovery, 10-min cool-down)
Friday: 30-mins easy pace
Saturday: 7km easy trail run
Sunday: 15-minute recovery run
Week 3 (June 9 - June 15, 2025)
Tuesday: 5km easy run
Thursday: Tempo run (10-min warm-up, 10 min tempo, 10-min cool-down)
Friday: 30-mins easy pace
Saturday: 10km long run
Sunday: 20-min recovery run
Week 4 (June 16 - June 22, 2025)
Tuesday: 6km easy run
Thursday: Hill Rep Run (10-min warm-up, 5 × 2-min hard uphill with 90-sec recovery, 10-min cool-down)
Friday: 30-mins easy pace
Saturday: 11km long run (on hilly trail)
Sunday: 25-min recovery run
Week 5 (June 23 - June 29, 2025)
Tuesday: 6km easy run
Thursday: Tempo run (10-min warm-up, 15-min tempo, 10-min cool down)
Friday: 30-mins easy pace
Saturday: 12km fast finish run with the last 1km at a faster pace
Sunday: 25-min recovery run
Week 6 (June 30 - July 6, 2025)
Tuesday: 7km easy run
Thursday: Hill Rep Run (6 × 2-min uphill hard efforts with 90-second recovery, 10-min warm-up & 10-min cool-down)
Friday: 30-mins easy pace
Saturday: 14km long run (hilly trail run)
Sunday: 30-min recovery run
Week 7 (July 7 - July 13, 2025)
Tuesday: 7km easy run
Thursday: Tempo Interval Run (10-min warm-up, 2 × 10-min tempo with 2-min recovery, 5-min cool-down)
Friday: 30-mins easy pace
Saturday: 15km fast finish run with the last 2km at a faster pace
Sunday: 30-min recovery run
Week 8 (July 14 - July 20, 2025)
Tuesday: 8km easy run
Thursday: Hill Rep Run (10-min warm-up, 4 × 3-min uphill hard efforts with 2-min recovery, 10-min cool-down)
Friday: 30-min easy pace
Saturday: 16km long slow run (hilly trail)
Sunday: 30-min recovery run
Week 9 (July 21 - July 27, 2025)
Tuesday: 8km easy run
Wednesday: Strength & mobility (30-45 min)
Thursday: Tempo run (10-min warm-up, 15-min tempo, 5-min cool-down)
Friday: 30 min easy pace
Saturday: 18km hilly trail run
Sunday: 30-min recovery run
Week 10 (July 28 - August 3, 2025)
Tuesday: 8km easy run
Thursday: Hill Rep Run (10-min warm-up, 5 × 3-min uphill hard efforts with 3-minute recovery, 10-min cool-down)
Friday: 30 min easy pace
Saturday: Fast Finish Run: 18km run with the last 2km at a faster pace
Sunday: 30-min recovery run
Week 11 (August 4 - August 10, 2025)
Tuesday: 9km easy run
Thursday: Hill Rep Run (10-min warm-up, 4 × 5-min uphill hard efforts with 2-min recovery, 10-min cool-down)
Friday: 30-min easy pace
Saturday: 22km hilly trail run
Sunday: 30-min recovery run
Week 12 (August 11 - August 17, 2025)
Tuesday: 10km easy run
Thursday: Tempo Interval Run (10-min warm-up, 2 × 15-min tempo efforts with 3-min recovery, 5-min cool-down)
Friday: 30-min easy pace
Saturday: Fast Finish Run: 24km run with the last 3km at a faster pace
Sunday: 30-min recovery run
Week 13 (August 18 - August 24, 2025)
Tuesday: 10km easy run
Thursday: Hill Rep Run (10-min warm-up, 4 × 3-minute uphill hard efforts with 2-minute recovery, 10-min cool-down)
Friday: 30-min easy pace
Saturday: 24km hilly trail run
Sunday: 30-min recovery run
Week 14 (August 25 - August 31, 2025)
Tuesday: 7km easy run
Thursday: Hill Rep Run (10-min warm-up, 4 × 3-min uphill hard efforts with 2-minute recovery, 10-min cool-down)
Friday: 30-min easy pace
Saturday: 16km run with the last 2km at faster pace
Sunday: 30-min recovery run
Week 15 (September 1 - September 7, 2025)
Race Preparation
Tuesday: 5km easy run
Thursday: 4 × 1-min pickups during 20-min easy run
Friday: 30 min easy pace
Saturday: 10km run
Sunday: 20-min recovery run
Significant volume reduction while maintaining leg turnover and race feel.
Week 16 - Race Week (September 8 - September 14, 2025)
Race Week
Tuesday: 3km easy run
Thursday: 20 mins easy run
Friday: Rest
Saturday: Rest
Sunday: 28km RACE DAY
Minimal volume to ensure you're fresh and ready for your goal race.
Final Notes
Adjust paces based on terrain difficulty - trail runs will naturally be slower than road runs
Consider adding strength training, yoga, or cross-training on rest days
Practice race-day fuelling strategy during longer training runs (Week 9 onwards)
If you miss a session, don't try to make it up - just continue with the plan
Listen to your body throughout - some muscle soreness is normal, but sharp pains are not
Good luck with your 28km trail running journey!