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Khadakwasla Ultra training plan
The full ten-week block for the 25K, 35K and 55K at Khadakwasla on 22 November 2026 — every session, the pace zones, the fuelling, and what to do on race morning.
Distance
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The Bridge to Ultras · out-and-back toward Panshet
22 November 2026 · Krushnai Resort, Donje, Pune · ten-week block, 14 Sep – 22 Nov 2026
How the block builds
The calendar
Five runs from week 2: Tuesday quality, Thursday easy, Saturday recovery, Sunday long, plus a Friday shakeout. Monday always off. Both strength days stay. The 35K is the gateway to ultras — long enough to need a fuelling plan, short enough to recover from quickly.
W0114–20 SepRe-entry at volume — four runs, all easy38km
6:45–7:30 plus 6 × 20 s strides.
Foundation. Squat 3 × 10–12 @ RPE 6.
6:45–7:30. Flat, nose-breathing.
Foundation.
7:45–8:15. Genuinely slow.
6:30–7:10 throughout. No fast finish.
2 gels at 0:45 / 1:30 · 3 salt tabs
NoteBuild the volume habit from day one. If the bridge weeks went well this should feel unremarkable.
W0221–27 SepHills in, five runs44km
3 km WU · 5 × 90 s uphill hard, jog down · 3 km CD.
6:45–7:30, rolling route.
6:30–7:10. Fuelling on a fixed 50-min alert.
2 gels · 4 salt tabs
NoteHill reps by effort, not pace. If Sunday's legs are still there on Tuesday, cut to three reps.
W0328 Sep – 4 OctOnly pure tempo of the block50km
3 km WU · 2 × 10 min @ 5:20–5:40, 3 min jog · 3 km CD.
6:30–7:00, last 5 km at race effort 6:35–6:55.
4 gels every 40 min · 5 salt tabs
Note50 km week. Sleep is the limiter from here — protect it before you protect any session.
W045–11 OctRecovery week · legs absorb35km
No quality. Just run.
Light — 2 × 10 @ RPE 5.
Light. Stability only.
Include 4 × 400 m downhill on 3–5 % grade, controlled. First eccentric exposure.
1 gel · 3 salt tabs
NoteAbsorb weeks 1–3. Downhill reps go in a recovery week on purpose — the soreness has somewhere to go.
W0512–18 OctDress rehearsal · 28 km long55km
3 km WU · 6 × 90 s uphill · 4 × 400 m downhill · 3 km CD.
Full strength + power.
Rolling terrain, 6:45–7:15.
Race route if possible. 6:35–7:00 with 3 × 4 km @ race pace. Full race kit.
6 gels, every 30 min · 6 salt tabs · race density
NoteBiggest week before the peak. Log the route, note aid station locations, and test race-day kit head to toe.
W0619–25 OctDown week — sharpen into the peak40km
3 km WU · 5 km @ 6:40–6:55 · 2 km CD.
Light. Stability focus.
6:30–7:00. Comfortable. Full fuelling rate.
3 gels · 4 salt tabs · race density on a short run
NoteArrive at the peak week rested, not cooked. Don't add volume.
W0726 Oct – 1 NovPeak · 28 km with race pace blocks58km
3 km WU · 6 × 90 s uphill · 3 km CD.
Last heavy session of the block.
Light. Core and stability only, no loaded pulling.
Very easy. Lay out full race kit tonight.
Race route. 6:40–7:00 with 3 × 4 km @ race pace. Race shoes, full fuelling.
6 gels, every 30 min · 7 salt tabs · race density
Note80 % of race distance off the highest weekly volume. Go at race effort, not faster. Bail at 22 km if it's going badly.
W082–8 NovRecovery — Diwali32km
Only if legs are willing.
Maintenance — 2 × 8 @ RPE 6.
Maintenance.
6:45–7:15. Comfortable, no fast finish.
2 gels · 3 salt tabs · deliberately light
NoteDiwali mid-week. Eat the food, move the runs. If anything still aches Tuesday, walk the whole week.
W099–15 NovSharpen · final race effort48km
3 km WU · 7 km @ 6:35–6:50 · 2 km CD. Should feel almost too easy.
Maintenance.
Maintenance.
Final race section. Race kit head to toe.
4 gels, every 30 min · 5 salt tabs · race density stress test
NoteLast meaningful week. From here everything is subtraction. It will feel wrong — that's the taper.
W1016–22 NovTaper · race Sunday18km
With 4 × 90 s at race effort. Keep the legs sharp.
Bodyweight and bands only, 25 min.
7:15–7:45. Legs should feel springy.
Bib collection · Shakuntal Hall, Bavdhan · 10 am–6 pm.
Very easy. Kit laid out, watch charged, bib pinned.
Krushnai Resort, Donje. Report 45 min before flag-off. 7:00/km for the first 8 km — no faster.
7 gels, every 30 min · 7 salt tabs · carry all
NoteDown 69 % from peak. You'll feel sluggish and doubt the whole thing around Thursday. Every taper feels like that.
Pace zones
Anchored to a comfortable finish pace of 6:45/km. The terrain is rolling — heart rate wins over pace on every hill.
| Zone | Pace | Heart rate | Where it shows up |
|---|---|---|---|
| Recovery | 7:45–8:30 | < 128 | Saturday, post-long run |
| Easy | 6:45–7:30 | 130–142 | Most of your weekly volume |
| Long | 6:30–7:10 | 138–148 | Sunday, first two-thirds |
| Race effort | 6:35–6:55 | 145–155 | Closing km of long runs |
| Steady | 6:00–6:25 | 150–158 | Blocks inside the long run |
| Tempo | 5:15–5:40 | 162–172 | Weeks 3 and 7 only |
Fuelling
At ~3:55, the 35K is long enough that fuelling matters. Build from one gel to race density across the block.
| Wk | Long run | Est. time | Gels | Salt tabs | Carbs/hr | Rehearsing |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 18 km | 2:10 | 2 | 3 | 20 g/hr | Gel at 0:45 and 1:30. |
| 2 | 20 km | 2:25 | 2 | 4 | 18 g/hr | Fixed 50-min interval. |
| 3 | 24 km | 2:55 | 4 | 5 | 30 g/hr | Tighten to 40 min. First real gut test. |
| 4 | 16 km | 1:55 | 1 | 3 | 11 g/hr | Recovery week. One gel is enough. |
| 5 | 28 km | 3:25 | 6 | 6 | 39 g/hr | Dress rehearsal. Every 30 min. |
| 6 | 20 km | 2:25 | 3 | 4 | 27 g/hr | Race rate on a shorter run. |
| 7 | 28 km | 3:25 | 6 | 7 | 39 g/hr | Peak long run. Full fuelling. |
| 8 | 18 km | 2:10 | 2 | 3 | 20 g/hr | Recovery / Diwali. |
| 9 | 22 km | 2:40 | 4 | 5 | 33 g/hr | Race density stress test. |
| Race | 35 km | 3:56 | 7 | 7 | 39 g/hr | Gel every 30 min. Carry all 7. |
Race day
Pacing — sub-3:56
- 0–10 km · 7:00/km. Deliberately easy. HR under 148. Reach 10 km at 1:10.
- 10–17.5 km · 6:45/km. Settle in before the turnaround.
- 17.5–30 km · 6:40/km. The return. You know the road now — find a rhythm.
- 30–35 km · 6:50/km. Protect the legs. Push only if you have it. Finish at ~3:50.
- Hills: shorten stride on uphills, recover on flats. Don't brake on descents.
Kit
- Hydration recommended. Headlamp if starting before dawn.
- Race shoes: cushioned road shoe with 100+ km break-in. The 17.5 km village section doesn't need trail shoes.
- Carry a 500 ml soft flask + back pocket for gels.
- 7 gels, every 30 min from km 5. Salt tabs at the top and bottom of each hour.
- Test socks and anti-chafe on every run over 20 km.
This is one runner's training block for one race, published as it was written — the paces are anchored to the fitness it was built around, not to yours. Read them as the shape of the block rather than as targets, and adjust to your own threshold. It is not coaching, and it knows nothing about your injury history: talk to a professional before starting a new block.