Muscle First, Miles Later: The Training Phase Trail Runners Skip (But Shouldn’t)

Why Hypertrophy Training Matters: Building a Stronger, Tougher Trail Runner

Let’s clear something up: strength training isn’t just for Hyrox competitors and Instagram influencers—it’s your key to success as a long-distance trail runner.

If you’ve ever found your quads screaming halfway through a descent, or your back so tight after hours of wearing a vest that you can’t hold yourself upright, it’s time to stop treating strength training like a “nice to have” and start seeing it as an essential piece of your race training. And I’m not talking about endless lunges and clamshells. We’re diving into real strength—heavy stuff—and why a dedicated hypertrophy phase can change your game.

Why Hypertrophy Matters for Trail Runners

“Hypertrophy” means muscle growth. We're not aiming to bulk up like Chris Hemsworth (though, respect)—we’re building denser, more fatigue-resistant muscle fibers. Trail running doesn’t just require endurance—it demands resilience. Think: power to climb, stability on descents, and the ability to not fall apart at mile 42. Stronger muscles protect joints, reduce injury risk, and improve running economy. That means more miles with less breakdown.

During a hypertrophy phase, the focus is on 6–10 reps per set, moderate to heavy weights, and movement quality. Your goal: build the armor.

When Should You Do a Hypertrophy Block?

The best time to prioritize hypertrophy is during your off-season or early base-building phase—roughly 12–24 weeks out from race day. Yes, that’s a big range, and your ideal hypertrophy window depends on:

• Race distance and elevation (e.g. a 100-miler with 26,000’ of vert vs. a 50K with 2,000’)

• Your running and strength training history

• Current base mileage and ability to recover

Why this window works:

• Weekly mileage is lower

• No stacked long runs yet

• You’ve got bandwidth to recover and adapt

A 6–8 week hypertrophy block is ideal for most trail runners. After that, transition to lower-volume, maintenance lifting and more functional strength work.

When to Back Off and Shift to Functional Strength

For most people it’s once your long runs are consistently over 3 hours, or your weekly mileage hits 50+ miles, it’s time to scale back heavy lifting.

Why? Because your nervous system and joints are already taxed. This is the phase where functional strength becomes the MVP:

• Single-leg and stability-focused movements

• Core work with anti-rotation and bracing

• Balance, proprioception, and plyometrics

The goal here isn’t to grow muscle—it’s to keep you running strong and injury-free.

Best Strength Template for Trail Runners: A Movement Pattern Approach

Instead of a rigid workout, build your heavy strength sessions around these movement patterns. This gives you flexibility while hitting everything that matters for trail performance.

Aim for 2–3 sets of 6–10 reps per movement, using heavy weights with excellent form.

Your Heavy Strength Session Should Hit:

1. Hinge – Develops glutes and hamstrings for climbs and descents
   Examples: Deadlifts (barbell, hex bar, dumbbell), good mornings

2. Squat – Builds quad power and ankle mobility for technical terrain
   Examples: Back squat, front squat, goblet squat

3. Push – Strengthens shoulders and chest for pole use and pack load
   Examples: Dumbbell or barbell press, incline press, landmine press

4. Pull – Reinforces posture, scapular control, and pole work
   Examples: Pull-ups, rows (barbell, cable, TRX)

5. Core (Anti-Rotation + Bracing) – Prevents fatigue-induced collapse and injury
   Examples: Pallof press, dead bug variations, loaded carries

Want bonus points? Add:

• Unilateral Work: Split squats, single-leg RDLs

• Loaded Carries: Farmer’s carry, suitcase carry

• Tempo and Pauses: For extra control and strength under fatigue

Takeaway

Your trail legs aren’t just built on singletrack—they’re built under the bar. A smart hypertrophy phase gives you durability, power, and resilience to handle steep climbs, long descents, and the grind of ultra training.

Train heavy while your mileage is low. Shift to functional strength as the miles stack up. You’ll move better, recover faster, and show up to the start line strong.

Your future self at mile 80 will be silently (or loudly) thanking you.

Want help building a strength block that fits your race calendar? Drop me a message—I’ve got templates, tips, and plenty of trail-tested tricks.