Ultra Running Hub
Marathon des Sables Training Plan
A 24-week training plan specifically designed for Marathon des Sables (250km, 800m D+). Progressive build through desert terrain with race-specific preparation.
Weekly Volume Progression
Week 1
base 77 km Mon Rest Complete rest or gentle walking 0
Tue Easy Easy aerobic run at conversational pace 12 km
Wed Easy Heat adaptation run at easy effort 10 km
Thu Easy Recovery run at very easy pace 12 km
Fri Tempo Tempo intervals at lactate threshold 9 km
Sat Long Run Long run on desert terrain simulating race conditions 27 km
Sun Cross Train Cross-training: cycling, swimming, or yoga 8 km
Week 2
base 78 km Mon Rest Complete rest or gentle walking 0
Tue Easy Easy aerobic run at conversational pace 12 km
Wed Easy Heat adaptation run at easy effort 10 km
Thu Easy Recovery run at very easy pace 12 km
Fri Tempo Tempo intervals at lactate threshold 9 km
Sat Long Run Long run on desert terrain simulating race conditions 27 km
Sun Cross Train Cross-training: cycling, swimming, or yoga 8 km
Week 3
base 80 km Mon Rest Complete rest or gentle walking 0
Tue Easy Easy aerobic run at conversational pace 12 km
Wed Easy Heat adaptation run at easy effort 10 km
Thu Easy Recovery run at very easy pace 12 km
Fri Tempo Tempo intervals at lactate threshold 10 km
Sat Long Run Long run on desert terrain simulating race conditions 28 km
Sun Cross Train Cross-training: cycling, swimming, or yoga 8 km
Week 4
base 81 km Mon Rest Complete rest or gentle walking 0
Tue Easy Easy aerobic run at conversational pace 12 km
Wed Easy Heat adaptation run at easy effort 11 km
Thu Easy Recovery run at very easy pace 12 km
Fri Tempo Tempo intervals at lactate threshold 10 km
Sat Long Run Long run on desert terrain simulating race conditions 28 km
Sun Cross Train Cross-training: cycling, swimming, or yoga 8 km
Week 5
base 83 km Mon Rest Complete rest or gentle walking 0
Tue Easy Easy aerobic run at conversational pace 12 km
Wed Easy Heat adaptation run at easy effort 11 km
Thu Easy Recovery run at very easy pace 12 km
Fri Tempo Tempo intervals at lactate threshold 10 km
Sat Long Run Long run on desert terrain simulating race conditions 29 km
Sun Cross Train Cross-training: cycling, swimming, or yoga 8 km
Week 6
base 84 km Mon Rest Complete rest or gentle walking 0
Tue Easy Easy aerobic run at conversational pace 13 km
Wed Easy Heat adaptation run at easy effort 11 km
Thu Easy Recovery run at very easy pace 13 km
Fri Tempo Tempo intervals at lactate threshold 10 km
Sat Long Run Long run on desert terrain simulating race conditions 29 km
Sun Cross Train Cross-training: cycling, swimming, or yoga 8 km
Week 7
build 140 km Mon Rest Complete rest or gentle walking 0
Tue Easy Easy aerobic run at conversational pace 21 km
Wed Easy Heat adaptation run at easy effort 18 km
Thu Easy Recovery run at very easy pace 21 km
Fri Tempo Tempo intervals at lactate threshold 17 km
Sat Long Run Long run on desert terrain simulating race conditions 49 km
Sun Cross Train Cross-training: cycling, swimming, or yoga 14 km
Week 8
build 142 km Mon Rest Complete rest or gentle walking 0
Tue Easy Easy aerobic run at conversational pace 21 km
Wed Easy Heat adaptation run at easy effort 18 km
Thu Easy Recovery run at very easy pace 21 km
Fri Tempo Tempo intervals at lactate threshold 17 km
Sat Long Run Long run on desert terrain simulating race conditions 50 km
Sun Cross Train Cross-training: cycling, swimming, or yoga 14 km
Week 9
build 144 km Mon Rest Complete rest or gentle walking 0
Tue Easy Easy aerobic run at conversational pace 22 km
Wed Easy Heat adaptation run at easy effort 19 km
Thu Easy Recovery run at very easy pace 22 km
Fri Tempo Tempo intervals at lactate threshold 17 km
Sat Long Run Long run on desert terrain simulating race conditions 50 km
Sun Cross Train Cross-training: cycling, swimming, or yoga 14 km
Week 10
build 146 km Mon Rest Complete rest or gentle walking 0
Tue Easy Easy aerobic run at conversational pace 22 km
Wed Easy Heat adaptation run at easy effort 19 km
Thu Easy Recovery run at very easy pace 22 km
Fri Tempo Tempo intervals at lactate threshold 18 km
Sat Long Run Long run on desert terrain simulating race conditions 51 km
Sun Cross Train Cross-training: cycling, swimming, or yoga 15 km
Week 11
build 148 km Mon Rest Complete rest or gentle walking 0
Tue Easy Easy aerobic run at conversational pace 22 km
Wed Easy Heat adaptation run at easy effort 19 km
Thu Easy Recovery run at very easy pace 22 km
Fri Tempo Tempo intervals at lactate threshold 18 km
Sat Long Run Long run on desert terrain simulating race conditions 52 km
Sun Cross Train Cross-training: cycling, swimming, or yoga 15 km
Week 12
build 150 km Mon Rest Complete rest or gentle walking 0
Tue Easy Easy aerobic run at conversational pace 23 km
Wed Easy Heat adaptation run at easy effort 20 km
Thu Easy Recovery run at very easy pace 23 km
Fri Tempo Tempo intervals at lactate threshold 18 km
Sat Long Run Long run on desert terrain simulating race conditions 53 km
Sun Cross Train Cross-training: cycling, swimming, or yoga 15 km
Week 13
build 152 km Mon Rest Complete rest or gentle walking 0
Tue Easy Easy aerobic run at conversational pace 23 km
Wed Easy Heat adaptation run at easy effort 20 km
Thu Easy Recovery run at very easy pace 23 km
Fri Tempo Tempo intervals at lactate threshold 18 km
Sat Long Run Long run on desert terrain simulating race conditions 53 km
Sun Cross Train Cross-training: cycling, swimming, or yoga 15 km
Week 14
peak 200 km Mon Rest Complete rest or gentle walking 0
Tue Easy Easy aerobic run at conversational pace 30 km
Wed Easy Heat adaptation run at easy effort 26 km
Thu Easy Recovery run at very easy pace 30 km
Fri Tempo Tempo intervals at lactate threshold 24 km
Sat Long Run Long run on desert terrain simulating race conditions 70 km
Sun Cross Train Cross-training: cycling, swimming, or yoga 20 km
Week 15
peak 200 km Mon Rest Complete rest or gentle walking 0
Tue Easy Easy aerobic run at conversational pace 30 km
Wed Easy Heat adaptation run at easy effort 26 km
Thu Easy Recovery run at very easy pace 30 km
Fri Tempo Tempo intervals at lactate threshold 24 km
Sat Long Run Long run on desert terrain simulating race conditions 70 km
Sun Cross Train Cross-training: cycling, swimming, or yoga 20 km
Week 16
peak 200 km Mon Rest Complete rest or gentle walking 0
Tue Easy Easy aerobic run at conversational pace 30 km
Wed Easy Heat adaptation run at easy effort 26 km
Thu Easy Recovery run at very easy pace 30 km
Fri Tempo Tempo intervals at lactate threshold 24 km
Sat Long Run Long run on desert terrain simulating race conditions 70 km
Sun Cross Train Cross-training: cycling, swimming, or yoga 20 km
Week 17
peak 200 km Mon Rest Complete rest or gentle walking 0
Tue Easy Easy aerobic run at conversational pace 30 km
Wed Easy Heat adaptation run at easy effort 26 km
Thu Easy Recovery run at very easy pace 30 km
Fri Tempo Tempo intervals at lactate threshold 24 km
Sat Long Run Long run on desert terrain simulating race conditions 70 km
Sun Cross Train Cross-training: cycling, swimming, or yoga 20 km
Week 18
peak 200 km Mon Rest Complete rest or gentle walking 0
Tue Easy Easy aerobic run at conversational pace 30 km
Wed Easy Heat adaptation run at easy effort 26 km
Thu Easy Recovery run at very easy pace 30 km
Fri Tempo Tempo intervals at lactate threshold 24 km
Sat Long Run Long run on desert terrain simulating race conditions 70 km
Sun Cross Train Cross-training: cycling, swimming, or yoga 20 km
Week 19
taper 75 km Mon Rest Complete rest or gentle walking 0
Tue Easy Easy aerobic run at conversational pace 11 km
Wed Easy Heat adaptation run at easy effort 10 km
Thu Easy Recovery run at very easy pace 11 km
Fri Tempo Tempo intervals at lactate threshold 9 km
Sat Long Run Long run on desert terrain simulating race conditions 26 km
Sun Cross Train Cross-training: cycling, swimming, or yoga 8 km
Week 20
taper 50 km Mon Rest Complete rest or gentle walking 0
Tue Easy Easy aerobic run at conversational pace 8 km
Wed Easy Heat adaptation run at easy effort 7 km
Thu Easy Recovery run at very easy pace 8 km
Fri Tempo Tempo intervals at lactate threshold 6 km
Sat Long Run Long run on desert terrain simulating race conditions 18 km
Sun Cross Train Cross-training: cycling, swimming, or yoga 5 km
Week 21
taper 25 km Mon Rest Complete rest or gentle walking 0
Tue Easy Easy aerobic run at conversational pace 4 km
Wed Easy Heat adaptation run at easy effort 3 km
Thu Easy Recovery run at very easy pace 4 km
Fri Tempo Tempo intervals at lactate threshold 3 km
Sat Long Run Long run on desert terrain simulating race conditions 9 km
Sun Cross Train Cross-training: cycling, swimming, or yoga 3 km
Week 22
recovery 50 km Mon Rest Complete rest or gentle walking 0
Tue Easy Easy aerobic run at conversational pace 8 km
Wed Easy Heat adaptation run at easy effort 7 km
Thu Easy Recovery run at very easy pace 8 km
Fri Tempo Tempo intervals at lactate threshold 6 km
Sat Long Run Long run on desert terrain simulating race conditions 18 km
Sun Cross Train Cross-training: cycling, swimming, or yoga 5 km
Week 23
recovery 50 km Mon Rest Complete rest or gentle walking 0
Tue Easy Easy aerobic run at conversational pace 8 km
Wed Easy Heat adaptation run at easy effort 7 km
Thu Easy Recovery run at very easy pace 8 km
Fri Tempo Tempo intervals at lactate threshold 6 km
Sat Long Run Long run on desert terrain simulating race conditions 18 km
Sun Cross Train Cross-training: cycling, swimming, or yoga 5 km
Week 24
recovery 50 km Mon Rest Complete rest or gentle walking 0
Tue Easy Easy aerobic run at conversational pace 8 km
Wed Easy Heat adaptation run at easy effort 7 km
Thu Easy Recovery run at very easy pace 8 km
Fri Tempo Tempo intervals at lactate threshold 6 km
Sat Long Run Long run on desert terrain simulating race conditions 18 km
Sun Cross Train Cross-training: cycling, swimming, or yoga 5 km