In this extensive Runner’s Tribe series the world’s best ultra and trail runners share their training. Every few days we will be posting a new athletes’ weekly program during a peak training period. Next up we have Spain’s Maria Santamaria.

 Profile

  • Home Town: El Pont de Suert (grown up in the Pyrenees)
  • Favourite Trails: Annapurna’s Circuit (best experience ever), home trails in Vall de Boi such as Carros de Foc route (a legendary route that traverses the Aigües Tortes i Estany de Sant Maurici National Park in Catalonia).
  • Favourite Race: Buff Epic Trail 26km, Buff Epic Trail 42km and Salomon Ultra Pirineu 56km.
  • Best Result to Date: 3rd in Catalan Cup Mountain Running 2019
    1st in Catalan Circuit Mountain Running 2018
    PB in Montescatano race 2019 21’5km / +1200M/ 2h15’48”
  • Sponsors: Eassun, Rukka Sport, Bend36
  • Occupation (if not only a pro runner): primary Teacher
  • Instagram handle: @maria_santamaria__
  • Facebook handle: Maria Santamaria Farré

RT: 10 weeks out from a major race. Can you please provide an outline of a typical week of training?

The thing is that a typical week of training when 10 weeks from a major race, can change a lot depending on the calendar of a runner. This year for example, my major races (A races) start on May, but before them I have a few B and C races ( B are important races too but not 100% competitive and C races are quality trainings). I explain this cause when asking for a typical week of training when 10 weeks from a major race, the amount of volume and quality differs a lot if you’ll only prepare an A competition and you don’t have any competitions in the middle.

For this reason I give you three examples of training weeks: the first one to see how I train in the pre-season level; the second one in the construction level, where I have also have some B important races and the specific preparatory level, where I also have some C races. I usually run skyrunning distance races and train for distances that move from 20 to 40km. When I feel more comfortable are in 20 to 30 km distances that go from a +1000m to 2000m gain.

Ivan Arrufat Cid who runs Wetracks community puts all his effort adapting weekly my trainings to my timing and needs.

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*MESOCYCLE 1 (JANUARY) – BASE
TOTAL TRAINING HOURS: 10 HOURS

  • MONDAY: 1H GENERAL LIGHT AEROBIC CAPACITY (SWIMMING) – 1H GENERAL MOVEMENT AMPLITUDE (AD YOGA)
  • TUESDAY: 1H GENERAL AVERAGE AEROBIC CAPACITY (LONG INTERVAL ROLLER) – 1 H PREVENTIVE FORCE (GLUTEOS AND HIP)
  • WEDNESDAY: 1H STRENGTH RESISTANCE GENERICA TOTAL BODY (ANATOMIC ADAPTATION) – 30′ RANGE OF MOTION (STRETCHES)
  • THURSDAY: 1H 30′ OF GENERIC INTENSE AEROBIC CAPACITY (RUNNING MEDIUM INTERVALS) – 1H OF PREVENTIVE FORCE (AD PILATES)
  • FRIDAY: 1H STRENGTH RESISTANCE GENERICA TOTAL BODY (ANATOMIC ADAPTATION) – 30′ RANGE OF MOTION (STRETCHES)
  • SATURDAY: 1H 30′ GENERAL LIGHT AEROBIC CAPACITY (MOUNTAIN BIKE)
  • SUNDAY: 1H FREE (TRAILRUNNING)

MESOCYCLE 2 (FEBRUARY) – CONSTRUCTION
TOTAL TRAINING HOURS: 7 HOURS

  • MONDAY: 1H GENERAL LIGHT AEROBIC CAPACITY (SWIMMING) – 1H GENERAL MOVEMENT AMPLITUDE (AD YOGA)
  • TUESDAY: 1H 30′ OF MEDIUM GENERIC AEROBIC CAPACITY (MOUNTAIN BIKE CONTINUOUS VARIABLE)
  • WEDNESDAY: 1H OF SPECIFIED SHORT AEROBIC POWER (RUNNING SHORT INTERVALS)
  • THURSDAY: 30′ GENERAL LIGHT AEROBIC CAPACITY (CONTINUOUS ROLLER) – 30′ METABOLIC STRENGTH (AD HIIT)
  • FRIDAY: 1 H OF PREVENTIVE FORCE (AD PILATES)
  • SATURDAY: 30′ ACTIVATION MEDIUM AEROBIC CAPACITY (CONTINUOUS RUNNING)
  • SUNDAY: B COMPETITION (15KM/800M+)

MESOCYCLE 3 (MARCH) – SPECIFIC
TOTAL TRAINING HOURS: 13 HOURS

  • MONDAY: 1H MEDIUM GENERIC AEROBIC CAPACITY (CONTINUOUS VARIABLE RUNNING) – 1H GENERAL MOVEMENT AMPLITUDE (AD YOGA)
  • TUESDAY: 1 H OF SPECIFIC MUSCULAR HYPERTROPHY FORCE (LOWER BODY) – 30′ RANGE OF MOTION (STRETCHES)
  • WEDNESDAYS: 1H OF INTENSE AEROBIC CAPACITY GENERICA (MEDIUM INTERVAL ROLLER) – 30′ OF METABOLIC STRENGTH (AD HIIT)
  • THURSDAY: 1H SPECIFIED LACTIC ANAEROBIC CAPACITY (TRAILRUNNING MEDIUM INTERVALS) – 30′ RANGE OF MOTION (STRETCHES)
  • FRIDAY: 1 H OF SPECIFIC MUSCLE HYPERTROPHY STRENGTH (LOWER BODY) – 1H GENERAL RANGE OF MOTION (AD PILATES)
  • SATURDAY: 1H 30′ OF MEDIUM GENERIC AEROBIC CAPACITY (VARIABLE CONTINUOUS MOUNTAIN BIKE)
  • SUNDAY: 3H SIMULATORY RUN (25KM/1200M+)

*Mesocycle is a training phase in the annual training plan that contains usually of 3-6 microcycles. Usually mesocycle refers to the main training target for particular period (i.e. anaerobic power, muscular endurance, etc.) that should be developed.

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