Vert.run is the #1 leading app for Trail & Ultra runners of all kinds.
Your training plan adapts to your level of experience, current fitness, changing schedule, training conditions and goals.
Your coach keeps you on track, answers your questions, and leaves you feedback and encouragement on a weekly basis.
Our training plans are designed by professional trail runners--winners of the most competitive and prestigious Ultramarathons in the world.
“I always thought I was just an average runner…but Vert.run has given me inspiration and courage to try something new! I am hooked! Thank you team!”
Your training plan adapts to your level of experience, current fitness, changing schedule, training conditions and goals. Whether you need a 50k ultra training plan or an Ultramarathon training plan we have you covered!
Your coach keeps you on track, answers your questions, and leaves you feedback and encouragement on a weekly basis.
Our training plans are designed by professional trail runners--winners of the most competitive and prestigious Ultramarathons in the world.
Get inspired with our journal
We know that as trail runners, the questions never end. No matter how many years we’ve been trail running–and no matter if we’re prepping to run our first trail 5k or our first 100 miler ultramarathon–there are always tons of things we ask ourselves.
We know that lots of you have heard of the famous Dipsea Race that happens in Marin County, California in the USA…and we thought we’d get to the bottom of what makes this race so special (and so addicting.)
To do that for you, we called up Alex Varner who’s not only an awesome trail runner, but also a good friend. Alex has been kind enough to walk us through some Dipsea training tips today and what it’s been like for him to run the race in the past.
My name is Francesco Puppi, I’m a professional trail runner for Nike and a head coach for Vert. In my athletic career I have specialized in any distance that is defined as “short trail”, or what in Europe we refer to as “mountain running”: short trail races, up to the 50k distance. But my favorite distance might be the mountain marathon. Why? Because they are a lot of fun to race and train for–and they are intense, various and generally not too hard to recover from, so you can definitely do more than one per year. In this post I will talk all about it!
No matter where you are, build strength for the mountains with our jumps routine.
A jumps routine is a vital part of trail running training—especially if you don’t have daily access to the mountains. Jumps exercises aren’t a replacement for training in the mountains, but they sure are a good way to prepare ourselves for them.
When done correctly and methodically, this routine will help you feel stronger and more prepared when heading to the mountains to train or race.
Our routine aims to train two things: your strength and your competence in different types of terrain. These skills safely enable you to run farther and more consistently in the mountains.
The point of doing strength exercises isn’t to look good: it’s to prepare ourselves to run efficiently and reduce risk of injury.
A strength routine plays a key role in your development as a trail runner. We need to prepare our bodies to withstand the impact of running long downhills; to avoid fatigue (and thus avoid falling) in technical sections; and to be a strong, compact ally to our minds during climbs.
Quality > quantity. Don’t be shy about cutting the number of repetitions. It’s way better to do fewer repeats, but to do them with control. Then, you can keep building from there.
Even though at-home exercises aren’t as as fun as running down a mountain, you can’t do the later without first dedicating yourself to the former.
A good core routine builds strength in our upper body (our “core.”) This strength keeps our bodies aligned, which helps us maintain good posture while running. Good running posture = more control = safely cruising those downhills we talked about.
Do these exercises at least once a week ( (but don’t exceed three times per week.)
Don’t be shy about cutting the number of repetitions. It’s way better to do fewer repeats, but to do them with control. Then, you can keep building from there.
