So many trail and ultramarathon runners get obsessed with hitting specific mileage goals, especially if they come from road running. And I get it. Mileage feels concrete. It feels like progress. But the reality is that not all miles are created equal in trail running, and chasing a number on your watch might be doing you more harm than good.
I’m Dr. Alyssa Olenick, ultramarathon runner, and today I’m going to tell you why training for time on feet is one of the most important tools in your toolbox when preparing for trail races. This doesn’t mean mileage doesn’t matter at all. It means that time should be driving the bus, not arbitrary distance targets.
“I need to hit 20 miles on my long run or I won’t be ready for my race.”
NOT SO FAST: It’s the total cumulative mileage across your entire training cycle and your whole week that gets you ready for race day. Not a single long run distance. Too many people put all the pressure on one day and forget everything else they’re clocking across the week.
Trail running is slower. There’s massive variability in terrain, elevation, weather, and conditions. You could train for the same exact distance at two different trail races and have the same time on feet but completely different mileage totals. And that can be intentional and specific.
When you’re running trails with high vertical gain and loss, you’re going to be slower. You’re not going to get as many miles in a 2 hour run on technical trail as someone running on road. That doesn’t mean you got less training stimulus. It means you got a different kind of stimulus, and the time you spent on your feet still counts.
KEY POINT:
Being on your feet counts whether that’s stair stepping, power hiking, incline walking, hill running, trail running, or road miles. All of it contributes to the fitness and resilience you need for your goal race. Time on feet is the common denominator that makes it all comparable.
Instead of saying “I need to run 18 miles today,” think about going out for a set amount of time and getting what you get. Go out for a 5 hour run and accumulate the vertical gain, mileage, and time on feet that comes with it. Practice and prepare for your race as it is, rather than forcing yourself to hit a specific distance target that might require you to overextend your body.
Inside our programs, we give clients mileage targets paired with time cutoffs because we know that someone’s 20 mile run isn’t going to look the same as someone else’s. Depending on the race you’re training for, you might be adjusting how much vertical gain and loss you’re getting in a given run. That’s going to slow you down, and there might be no reason to add two more hours to a long run just to hit an arbitrary mileage number when the time you’ve already put in gave you the stimulus you needed.
Here’s a real example from my own training. Last year I trained for my first 100 mile ultramarathon. Right now I’m training for my first road marathon. Two very different goals, and the training looks completely different even though the time on feet is similar.
Same Time on Feet, Different Mileage:
100 mile ultra training → Slower, easier, higher volume running. Less miles in the same amount of time. Lots of trail, lots of vert, lots of power hiking. I only peaked at 60-70 miles per week, but I had weeks where I was running 12, 13, 15, even 18 hours including back-to-back weekend race simulation runs.
Road marathon training → Faster miles, more road, less vertical gain and loss. Getting more miles in the same time on feet because the pace is quicker and the terrain is flatter. Different goal, different distribution, same principle.
For the 100 miler, I knew that slow wasn’t an issue. I was training to run for over 24 hours. So slower, easy miles and time on feet that were recoverable allowed me to get more volume without overextending my body. I also often traded time for miles in summer heat and humidity, which let me get the stimulus I needed without cooking myself.
You don’t have to run 100 miles a week to finish a trail or ultramarathon. But you need to be smart and intentional about your training, your pace, and the fitness you’re at.
I know who you are because I’m one of you. And this message is especially for you: it’s okay to adjust for the fitness that you’re at. The mileage you get in a set amount of time might be different than someone else’s, but it’s yours. Time capping yourself is a great way to get the stimulus you need without overextending in your training.
That doesn’t mean you won’t be able to cross the finish line of that race just like everyone else. It might not be abnormal for your peak mileage to be 50 miles for one race and 40 for the next, or 60 and then 45. Or maybe you’re seeing a 10 to 15 mile per week discrepancy between the fastest version of your road self and your trail self. That’s normal. That’s expected. And it’s not a problem.
KEY POINT:
This is as much of a pep talk about giving yourself grace as it is a training principle. Don’t let the mileage drama get to you. Time on feet, time on feet, time on feet. Repeat that to yourself when training for your next trail race.
THE BOTTOM LINE
Trail miles aren’t road miles, and chasing arbitrary mileage targets can lead to overextending yourself in training. Time on feet is the common denominator that accounts for terrain, vert, pace, and conditions. Use time cutoffs for your long runs and weekly training, let the mileage be what it is, and trust that the cumulative work across your full training cycle is what prepares you for race day.
Your Action Plan:
✓ Set time targets for your long runs – go out for a set number of hours and get what you get, rather than grinding to hit a specific distance
✓ Account for terrain and vert – expect fewer miles on technical trail or high vert days. That’s normal, not a failure.
✓ Look at your whole week – your cumulative mileage and time across the full week matters more than any single long run distance
✓ Trade time for miles in tough conditions – summer heat, humidity, and technical terrain all slow you down. Cap your time instead of pushing mileage and overextending.
✓ Count all the ways you’re on your feet – power hiking, incline walking, stair stepping, hill running. It all counts toward your preparation.
✓ Give yourself grace – your mileage at your pace and your fitness level is yours. It doesn’t need to match anyone else’s to get you across that finish line.
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I’m Exercise Physiologist, sports nutritionist, weight lifter, and ultra runner. I am here to bring science to your training in a no-nonsense way. I have helped thousands of women crush big lifting goals, cross race finish lines, and even do both. I’m here to help you do the same!
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