Trail Marathon Training #5 | Back To The Grind | FOD Runner - The FOD Runner

Aug 13, 2025

Quick Summary

This is a quick summary of Trail Marathon Training #5 – Back To The Grind from The FOD Runner. It’s a great watch — we’re breaking it down so you can try the workout today. Be sure to check out the full video for all the details.

Key Points

Hill‑repeat focus: 0.75‑mile (≈1.2 km) uphill repeats on trail, followed by a jog back down and a short recovery.
Combine hills with flat tempo: After the repeats, a 20‑minute tempo run on flat ground at marathon‑pace/threshold effort.
Heat adaptation: The week includes a heat‑wave forecast (≈21 °C); run in the heat early to acclimatise.
Weekly mileage: Roughly 30 mi total, building toward a 20‑mi long run on Saturday.
Injury awareness & strength: Light gym work and ankle/hip checks are mentioned to stay injury‑free.

Workout Example

Hill‑Repeat + Tempo Session

Warm‑up: 1 mi easy on trails.
Hill repeats:
- Run ~0.75 mi uphill at ~6:45 / mi (hard but sustainable).
- Jog or walk back down.
- 2‑minute easy recovery at the bottom.
- Repeat 3 times (adjust to 2‑4 reps based on fitness).
Flat tempo:
- 20 minutes on flat surface at marathon‑pace or threshold (≈6:00‑6:30 / mi for many runners).
Cool‑down: ½‑1 mi easy.

Tip: Use the Pacing app to input your recent marathon‑pace and let it calculate the exact interval times for you.

Practical Tips

Heat training: Start the week with a short run in the predicted heat to let your body adapt.
Recovery: Keep the 2‑minute recovery between repeats short but active; it trains the ability to run hard with limited rest.
Strength: Fit in a brief gym session (core, glutes, ankles) to support hill work.
Injury check: If you feel any niggling hip or ankle issues, back off intensity and focus on easy runs.
Customize paces: Adjust all paces in the workout to match your current fitness level using the Pacing app.

Closing Note

Give this hill‑repeat + tempo combo a try this week and feel the strength boost for your upcoming long runs. Tweak the distances and paces to fit your own numbers in the Pacing app, and enjoy the extra heat‑training edge. Happy trails!