Ultramarathons in May
May is the sweet spot of the trail calendar. Canyons in California's gold country and Quicksilver in the South Bay draw deep fields to warm, dry trail. If you're choosing a first 50K, May is hard to beat.
Count back from race day
- Mid-November: start the 10-week primer
- Late January: start the 16-week 50K plan
- Late April: peak week
- Mid-May: race day
Your training season. The primer carries you through the holidays without pressure. The real build starts once the resolution crowd has thinned, and your peak weeks land in April's long light.
Masters Athlete Insights
Spring heat arrives before your body has adapted to it. Start taking a few runs in the warmest part of the day in your last four weeks.
Start the 16-week 50K plan · Not 26 weeks out yet? Begin with the 10-week primer.
