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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.
| Wk | Dates | Km | Focus | Anchor session |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| W01 | 14–20 Sep | 38 | Re-entry at volume — four runs, all easy | 18 km long |
| W02 | 21–27 Sep | 44 | Hills in, five runs | 20 km long |
| W03 | 28 Sep – 4 Oct | 50 | Only pure tempo of the block | 24 km long |
| W04 | 5–11 Oct | 35 | Recovery week · legs absorb | 16 km long |
| W05 | 12–18 Oct | 55 | Dress rehearsal · 28 km long | 28 km long |
| W06 | 19–25 Oct | 40 | Down week — sharpen into the peak | 20 km long |
| W07 | 26 Oct – 1 Nov | 58 | Peak · 28 km with race pace blocks | 28 km long |
| W08 | 2–8 Nov | 32 | Recovery — Diwali | 18 km long |
| W09 | 9–15 Nov | 48 | Sharpen · final race effort | 22 km long |
| W10 | 16–22 Nov | 18 | Taper · race Sunday | KHADAKWASLA ULTRA 35K |
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.