Ryan's Vert Builder

Workout - Ryan's Vert Builder

• 12min @ 6'30''/km
• 3 lots of:
  • 1min 15s @ 5'30''/km
  • 2min 30s rest
• 12min @ 6'30''/km

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Ryan Clayton’s recent video breaks down a “PARK CLOSED - Forced changes to training plan! // Cruel Jewel 100 - 4 weeks to go” that’s worth watching in full—here’s what we’ve extracted so you can get out and train today.

Key points

• A park closure triggered by illegal mushroom hunting wiped out Ryan’s planned long-distance runs. His solution: switch to hill repeats and maintain the vertical-gain stimulus without losing that training edge.
• To reach 7,000 ft of vertical gain in one session, he runs multiple repeats up and down a ~100-ft steep hill across a 4-hour stretch.
• On gear: match shoes to your foot shape (Hoka Torrent 2 for narrow feet, Olympus 4 for ultra distances), rinse mud-covered shoes in water between runs, and adjust your trail poles so they sit comfortably in your grip.
• The plan enters an aggressive taper phase: more recovery days, reduced weekly mileage, while still keeping the hill-specific demands in place.

Workout example

Warm‑up: 1 mi easy on flat terrain
Hill repeats (100‑ft hill, ~3 % grade):
  • 10 min total work – 1 min up, 1 min down
  • 10–12 repeats per set, 3 sets (≈30 min)
  • Keep effort at ~HR 150–165 (hard but sustainable)
Cool‑down: 1 mi easy
Total: ~4 h 27 min, ~7 000 ft vertical gain

Scale the repeat count or sets based on your fitness level and the climb you’re targeting.

Practical tips you can use right now

• When shoes pick up mud, run through a puddle or splash zone on purpose to clean the soles before your next repeat.
• If you’re using trail poles, consider the smaller version if standard-size grips throw off your wrist mechanics.
• Work two complete rest days into each week during your taper—your body needs the break, but you’ll still hit your vertical-gain targets.

Closing note Run the hill repeats, dial in your repeat count for your fitness, and log your effort and climb data in the Pacing app. You’ll stay sharp on vertical gain while the park closure lasts, and you’ll cross that Cruel Jewel 100 finish line strong! 🚀

References

• PARK CLOSED - Forced changes to training plan! // Cruel Jewel 100 - 4 weeks to go - YouTube (YouTube Video)