“Race starts months before the gun is fired” – that’s what I always tell my mentees whenever we start preparing for a competition.

I almost quit running after MDUT100. So many excuses, that still hurts. Since then, I’ve been running like 10-20km weekly, and after HLCA in March, that reduced to 5k, or some weeks were ZERO. No run further reached two digits. Long story short.

But I have the homework.

UTCB100 is coming closer. Honestly, the race was a compensation for MDUT100. I was so desperated and needed a pill for my ego. An end of year same distance was chosen, and I was totally convinced, months of preparation would make me a finisher in Cao Bang.

That was early March.

And now, July is coming to an end. Looking at my current fitness level—barely 10 km a week—I know this journey will require not just mileage, but rebuilding my mindset. Here’s how I plan to get there.

Running

Theoretically, to finish the 100k distance, my weekly mileage should reach somewhere close to 100km at peak, with some good elevation gain/loss, then taper at 40-60km in the last two weeks. Basically, I plan to train in 5 phases:

Base phase (Weeks 1–4: Jul 21 – Aug 17)

• Starting from 0 as of now. First week only 30k is cover, with some verts (300m).
• 4 weeks, with peak on the 3rd (44km), cut back on the 4th.
• 4 days of running weekly, 3 strengths and recover. Mostly easy and conversational. Some strides at the end of easy ones.
• Setup: Hyrox style running at the start of the week -> Easy aerobic run -> 1X long run (12-18km) on Sat -> Recovery run

Build phase (Weeks 5–10: Aug 18 – Sep 28)

• 5 weeks. Mileage reaches 42-65km weekly. with 1000m verts. As living in HCMC, I will need to take advantages of some stair indoors, or using step-up exercises to compensate the lack of slope terrain.
• Still 4 days a week. 3X strength on non-running days.
• Setup: Hyrox-style -> Incline running/stairs/step-up mixed -> B2B long run on the weekends.

Peak Specificity (Weeks 11–14: Sep 29 – Oct 26)

• 4 weeks. Mileage stays at 75-85km weekly, but 2000-3200m verts. Will need some trails/ real mountains to cover the gains. Or probably will subscribe to a gym for the running machines.
• 3X strength on non-running days.
• Long run 32km+, with 12-18km long run following on the next day (B2B)
• Hyrox style runs -> mid week incline run -> B2B long runs
• Spend a good amount of time on feet.
• Start practicing fuel and gut training.

Race Prep & Heat Block (Weeks 15–16: Oct 27 – Nov 9)

• 2 weeks of training in real mountains, long run/hike (~5hrs), different fuel and gear checks
• 4 days of runs, 3 days strength training but mostly focus on recovery/ mobility.
• Mileage ~85km, verts ~4000m+, with long runs of 40km/2500m+.
• Setup: Hyrox style runs -> mid week incline long run -> B2B long runs on trails/mountains.

Taper and race (Weeks 17–19: Nov 10 – Race Day)

• Keep taper mileages at 60km -> 40km -> less than 20km (on race week) Verts ~1500-2000m
• Focus on injury prevention
• Go back to the gym for incline runs, no need to rush to the mountains
• Setup: Hyrox runs -> Mid week incline runs (15-20km) -> Long run (18-25km) -> Recovery run (8-10km)

Strength trainings

I prefer body weight exercises, basically pushups, pullups, squats, lunges, plank and so on. I will also integrate rope jumps as Plyometrics and I have an abs wheel that can help my core training. Thinking to buy resistance bands to for my joints.

Nutritions

The race starts on Nov 28, so I will need to start my nutrition simulation – practice eating some certain portable food and run – by the mid of October. Some calorie-densed packable food, and digestion friendly. Though planned (will have been), all has to train.

Lifestyle

Surely, that intense schedule will require proper sleep and moderate stress – which are both uncontrollable at the moment given my current work-life integration. I know that current chaos will test me as much as the race itself. Sleep is a luxury, stress is constant—but training will still get done.

Heat training

Pickleball

I have been a no X training guy, at lease for all the previous races. However, as the game has become so popular and been a chance or norm for business networking, I started to use these sweaty times for recovery post runs. Fun and kinda works.

Generally, race started.