Weekly volume
Runners aiming to finish a 24-hour run typically build on a marathon foundation — without an established long-distance profile a 24h event is risky. From that foundation, the weekly volume during preparation rises to 80–120 km and, in the peak phase six to eight weeks before the race, often 130–150 km per week.
More important than raw volume is the frequency of long runs: back-to-back long days on consecutive weekends (e.g. 30 km Saturday + 25 km Sunday) train the legs on the fatigue pattern of a 24-hour event more realistically than a single 50 km run per week.
Pacing strategy
A 24-hour run is not raced; it is managed. Experienced runners choose an opening pace that feels "uncomfortably slow" — typically 30 to 60 seconds per kilometre slower than personal marathon pace. Anyone going too fast in the first hours pays it back manyfold in the second half of the night.
In practice it works to hold a steady loop pace for the first 12 hours, then shift into a run-walk pattern — for instance 8 minutes running, 2 minutes walking. This strategy keeps the glycogen tank topped up longer and unloads the lumbar spine.
Strength and core work
After 18 hours on the loop, the legs are not usually the problem — the core is. When the core fades, runners start to brace, breathing turns shallow and pace collapses. Two or three short stability sessions per week (plank variants, single-leg work, hip bridges) are more effective than additional running mileage.
Night running and sleep-deprivation prep
Since a 24h run typically starts at 12:00 or 19:00, participants run through at least one full night. Recommended in the late preparation phase:
- One night session per week after sunset — ideally on an illuminated loop, to practise foot-strike confidence and headlamp handling.
- One long day-to-night run of 8–10 hours, around six weeks before the event, covering the transition from light to dark.
- Sleep-deprivation simulation: a training run after a short night (4–5 hours of sleep), to prepare the brain for the state of the small hours.
Mental toolkit
The critical window of a 24-hour run lies between hour 14 and 20 — roughly three to five in the morning. Proven strategies:
- Micro-goals: do not think about the next ten hours; think about the next loop, the next aid-station pass, the next ray of sun.
- A repeating task list: every loop a small routine — a sip of fluid, a quick self-check (pain, stomach, mood), a mental note.
- Social anchors: family and crew at your own camp, friendly words from the course marshal — they carry more than the best playlist.
Tapering
Three weeks before race day the volume is wound down (typical progression: 80 % → 60 % → 40 % of the peak week). The final week contains only easy sessions and a short pace check — no new shoe model, no new fueling strategy. Extra sleep in the last three nights is more valuable than any additional training session.
Nutrition and aid-station strategy over the 24 hours is on the nutrition page.