Higher Running 50K

For trail runners targeting a 50km race distance (with a range of 26-40 miles, 40 miles if running more than 8+ hours per week) on trails that could be flat or have a moderate amount of climbing. It is not a pure mountain running 50km plan, but designed for hilly trail races. 

To start this program, we suggest that you’ve been running at least 20-25 miles per week (or about 5-6 hours per week) for the last few weeks, but have previously run at least 40-50 miles (or 7-9 hours) per week in the past. If you haven’t run a single week over 40 miles (or done over 7 hours of training) per week in your running career yet, we highly recommend that you take several months (or even a year) to build up your mileage base so you are consistently averaging at least 35 to 45 miles (6-7 hours) per week on a regular basis without any serious injury before starting this training program.

PREREQUISITES

The program accepts a range of runners from beginner (first-time) 50km runners to experienced and advanced ultramarathon runners. However, it is expected that you have run at least a half marathon in distance several times before and most likely also completed a full marathon distance at least once.

ABOUT THE COACH - HIGHER RUNNING

Sandi’s bio:

Coach Sandi is one of the co-founders of Higher Running and has been able to fully pursue her passion for coaching all levels of runners since the start of 2014. Sand is a USATF and Lydiard 2 certified coach, a level 2 Certified Running Gait Analyst and elite runner. Always learning, Sandi has taken Jay Dicharry’s (sports physiologist and biomechanics expert) Running Rewired course for both sports clinicians and coaches. She’s also a graduate of eCornell’s Plant Based Nutrition Certificate program and has had a passion for health, fitness, and helping others reach their goals for her entire life. You’ll often find her reading the latest research about health and running, as well as the books from all of the legendary running coaches. Sandi also believes in having a holistic approach to running, having witnessed herself the performance-enhancing effects of a healthy diet, lifestyle, and a positive mindset. To better help people develop a high-performance mindset she completed the Finding Your Best course by world-renown performance psychologist Michael Gervais and NFL coach Pete Carrol. She has won or been on the podium of races ranging from a 5k road race to 100-mile trail races. If you wish to work with her, be ready to use running as a tool to improve your life outside of running while also learning how to use situations outside of running to improve your physical performance.

Sandi’s Notable Running Accomplishments:

• Course Record at The Rut 50k

• 2nd at the USATF Trail Marathon Championship

• Member of the 2018 World Mountain Championships Long Distance team

• 2019 Winner of Moab Red Hot 55k

• Grand Canyon Rim to Rim to Rim in 7:33:05

• First at Mohican 100 and Grindstone 100

Sage’s Bio:

Coach Sage Canaday has been running year-round ever since his 7th-grade soccer coach told him he was “better off without the ball.”  A self-proclaimed “running nerd,” Sage has read a lot of training and exercise science books over the past 25 years of being involved in the sport. His running and training have been influenced by his NCAA DI teammates and coaches in school, his experience as a sponsored road marathoner in the Hansons-Brooks Olympic Development Distance Project, as well as doing #AnySurfaceAnyDistance races around the world as a pro-MUT (Mountain-Ultra-Trail) Runner.

He has a BS in Design with a concentration in Human Factors and Ergonomics from Cornell University as well as 3 years of specialty running store experience fitting hundreds of runners and walkers at all levels with all brands of running shoes.

Since Sage started MUT Running in 2012 he has become a 3-time US National Champion (12km Mountain Running, 100km Trail Running and Trail Marathon events), as well as a 2014 World Long Distance Mountain Running Champion. He is a 3-time Speedgoat 50km Champion, a 2-time Lake Sonoma 50-mile champion, and a 2-time Tarawera 100km champion. He also placed 2nd to Kilian Jornet two years in a row in the International SkyRunning World Series.

On the roads Sage is a 2-time US Olympic Trials qualifier in the Marathon (2:16:52 personal best), and has placed in the top 20 overall at both the Boston (16th place in 2:19:12)  and Chicago Marathons (17th place in 2:19:18). He was also 8th place at the USA National Marathon Championships in LA (12th place in 2:20:02).

Sage has focused his efforts on reaching as many runners as possible (both individuals brand-new to the sport as well as experienced runners) across social media. He has worked with all levels of runners around the world with different goals at all distance events. His goal is to help you become as healthy as possible and to keep enjoying the sport of long-distance running as a lifelong passion…and of course, running fast and setting personal records along the way too if you wish!