How to Prepare for a Multi-Day Run

With mileage targets to meet consistently over multiple days, a long-distance running holiday has a challenging element to it, which is best approached with knowledge and forethought.

Training beforehand

The amount of training required will be dependent on which Contours Trail Running Holiday you have chosen and how many days you are taking to run it.

Train regularly

As a rule of thumb, you should be used to running regularly on multiple days per week. In training, you should be able to run at least 80% of the daily mileage in one go.

Unless you want it to be, your Contours trail running holiday is not a race. Pushing yourself too fast on the first couple of days should be avoided - especially if you are planning on doing a trip of five days or longer. Take your time to ease yourself into the event.

On a similar note, make sure you set off steadily at the start of each day. Over the first couple of miles, slowly increase your pace up to cruising. Do not try to set off at your optimal pace from the word go. This is more important than doing stretching or other exercises.

Likewise, ease your pace as you near the end of each day. Use the last mile to slow down gradually and finish at near walking pace.

This changes if you are trying to get a Strava time, of course! If you plan on running hard right to the end, build in a little more easy recovery running after you finish.

There are likely to be parts of the route, mainly the uphill ones, where you may want to walk. Don't worry about doing so. Even the best fell runners tend to walk up steep hills, and often find they are quicker doing so.

The most important thing is that you set a pace and effort level that is comfortable for you - a pace you know you can keep achieving for the length of the holiday.