Individual training plan
Built around your goal, training history, available time, terrain, recovery, work and family.
TrainingPeaks · Strava · Garmin Connect · or another suitable platformStart · 0 km Trail & ultrarunning coaching · English & Spanish
Train with purpose.
Race with confidence.
Evidence-based, individual coaching for committed trail and ultrarunners who want sustainable progress, race-specific preparation and a plan that fits real life.
UESCA Certified Running Coach · KAT100 2026: 173 km / 9,900 m+ · Wrington, near Bristol
01
The Start
Know what you are training for
More mileage is not always the answer.
Your training should fit your life — and the demands of your race.
If you are stepping up to 50K, 100K or 100 miles, plateauing, fading late in races or struggling to balance volume, strength and recovery, the answer is rarely just “do more”. Good coaching gives each week a purpose and adapts when real life changes.
- 01 Train consistently without letting work, family and recovery become an afterthought.
- 02 Build climbing, descending and durability even when your local terrain is limited.
- 03 Practise pacing, fuelling, hydration and race-day decisions before they matter.
- 04 Adjust around fatigue, niggles and changing life constraints instead of forcing the plan.
Framework 01
The method · Sustainable ultrarunning training
Assess. Build. Specificity.
Execute. Recover.
The process follows five phases: Assess → Build → Specificity → Execute → Recover. Throughout, training is reviewed in context through regular WhatsApp communication and 45–60 minute video calls, typically weekly or every two weeks, so the plan can change when your life or training changes.
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01History → context → goal
Assess the athlete
We start with a real conversation about your goals, race calendar, training history, current load, injury context, terrain access, available time, sleep, stress, work and family life.
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02Consistency → load → durability
Build the foundation
Your first block is built around the athlete you are now and the week you can realistically repeat. Easy running, strength, durability and progressive load create a sustainable base.
-
03Course → demands → rehearsal
Make it race-specific
As the event gets closer, training becomes increasingly specific to the demands of the race: elevation, technical descents, duration, pacing, long-run specificity, fuelling and environmental conditions. Where appropriate, targeted interventions such as heat acclimation and altitude acclimatisation are incorporated to help the athlete arrive as well prepared as possible. Feedback, recovery markers and training data guide the adjustments throughout.
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04Taper → strategy → execute
Execute the plan
Taper, pacing and effort strategy, fuelling, kit, logistics and contingency planning come together in a clear race-day plan that you have already practised in training.
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05Debrief → recover → next step
Recover and review
After the race, we debrief the result, pacing, fuelling and how your body responded, then give recovery the time it needs before deciding what comes next.
High point
The Ridge · What coaching includes
Clear structure. Regular feedback. Practical race preparation.
Review, feedback & adaptation
Completed training, load, RPE, fatigue and athlete feedback are reviewed in context, with adjustments whenever they are useful.
WhatsApp + 45–60 minute video calls, typically weekly or every two weeksRace-specific preparation
We prepare the details that can make the difference on race day: course and elevation analysis, pacing strategy, fuelling, hydration, sodium and caffeine planning, kit selection, poles, drop bags, crew support and contingency planning. Where relevant, preparation also considers environmental demands such as heat and altitude.
From long-run specificity to taper and race executionStrength, durability & mental skills
Strength and mobility are included where relevant, with mental-performance support and post-race debriefing shaped around the athlete.
Calves · feet · glutes · downhill resilience · recoveryWant to know if this approach fits your goal?
Book a discovery conversation
The person behind the plan
“Evidence-based. Individual. Sustainable.”
I’m Isaac Alcaide, a running coach and mental performance coach based in Wrington, near Bristol, UK.
For more than 10 years, I’ve been racing ultras and coaching runners to prepare for demanding trail and mountain events. I know first-hand that successful ultrarunning is about much more than simply running more miles — it requires intelligent training, consistency, durability, strong decision-making and a plan built around the individual athlete.
My own racing experience includes finishes at CCC, TDS, UTS100 by UTMB, ARC100 by UTMB twice, KAT100 by UTMB, and many other trail and ultra events. That experience continues to shape how I coach: not just how to build fitness, but how to manage pacing, climbing and descending, fuelling, kit, weather, fatigue and the inevitable problems that arise during long races.
As a coach, I’ve helped athletes prepare for events including Transgrancanaria, WSER, Kodiak100 by UTMB, Bariloche100 by UTMB, Transvulcania, Swiss Alps 100, Mallorca by UTMB, and many others. Every athlete and every race is different, so training is adapted around the specific course, environment, experience level, strengths and weaknesses of the runner.
My coaching brings together evidence-based training, strength and durability, mental performance, race strategy, fuelling and environmental preparation, supported by close communication and regular feedback throughout the process.
Experience carried into coaching
“Train for the race you are actually going to run — not a generic idea of an ultra.”
Experience & qualifications
- UESCA Certified Running Coach with 10+ years of ultrarunning and coaching experience
- Mental Skills Training for Sport and Health, Manchester Metropolitan University
- Nutrition and Wellbeing, University of Aberdeen
- Ultrarunning experience: CCC, TDS, UTS100 by UTMB, ARC100 twice, KAT100 by UTMB and many other trail and ultra events
- Coaching experience across major international races, including Transgrancanaria, Western States, Kodiak 100 by UTMB, Bariloche 100 by UTMB, Transvulcania, Swiss Alps 100 and Mallorca by UTMB
- Host of The Trail Running Briefing podcast
- Field tester and creator of ultrarunning training and coaching content on Instagram @isaac_ultras
Verified athlete feedback · Google Reviews
Aid station 02
Race specificity · Prepare for the full event
Race day is more than fitness.
For 50K to 100-mile+ mountain events, preparation includes the course, elevation, descents, fuelling, kit, conditions, logistics and the decisions you may need to make deep into the race.
Profile, elevation & downhill demands
Course elevation, climb length, technical terrain, descending demands and the terrain you can realistically access in training.
Pacing, fuelling & hydration
Effort control, carbohydrate intake, gut training, hydration, sodium and caffeine are practised before race day.
Heat, altitude, darkness & kit
Where relevant, preparation includes heat or altitude, night running, shoes, poles, mandatory equipment and practical kit testing.
Taper, logistics & contingencies
Taper, activation run, drop bags, crew and aid-station planning, race execution and contingency decisions are prepared in advance.
Ways to work together
Bespoke online coaching. Different athletes.
Different levels of support.
Every athlete receives an individual coaching programme built around their goals, experience, lifestyle and target events.
The coaching philosophy remains the same at every level. What changes is the complexity of the athlete’s preparation, the depth of analysis required and the level of coach involvement.
No generic plans. No one-size-fits-all coaching.
01
Individual Coaching
from
£80
/ month
Structure, progression and ongoing support.
For runners who want an individual training programme, clear direction and regular coaching support.
Training is built around your current ability, available time and goals, with ongoing adjustments as you progress. Alongside the training itself, I will help you understand why we are doing what we are doing, so that you become a more knowledgeable and confident athlete.
- Individual training plan
- Ongoing monitoring and adaptation
- Direct coach communication
- Strength and durability work where appropriate
- Race-specific preparation
02
Performance Coaching
from
£120
/ month
Tailored pricing — enquire for a consultation
Closer coaching for experienced and highly committed athletes.
Designed for experienced ultrarunners and competitive athletes pursuing demanding performance goals.
The underlying coaching principles remain the same, but preparation becomes more detailed and more closely monitored. Training may require more frequent adaptation, deeper analysis, advanced race strategy and specific interventions according to the demands of the target event.
- Detailed training analysis
- Race execution strategy
- Fuelling and hydration planning
- Mental-performance work
- Strength and durability development
- Heat or altitude acclimatisation where relevant
03
Elite / High-Performance
from
£200
/ month
Tailored pricing — enquire for a consultation
High-touch coaching for athletes pursuing performance at the highest level.
For elite and high-performance athletes whose training and racing require a greater level of individualisation, analysis and coach involvement.
Preparation is closely managed throughout the training cycle, with frequent review of training data, detailed session analysis, regular communication and highly specific race preparation.
The level of coaching is agreed after an initial consultation so that the support reflects the athlete, the goal and the demands of the preparation.
- Physiological testing and interpretation
- Advanced race modelling
- Regular coaching calls
- Environmental preparation
- Heat and altitude interventions
- Fuelling strategy
- Mental-performance support
- Detailed race execution planning
Additional services
Focused support when you do not need
ongoing monthly coaching.
Selected one-off services are available separately where appropriate, with local testing and assessment around Bristol and the South West.
Strength
Running Strength Programming
Dedicated strength programming for calves, feet, glutes, general running resilience, eccentric strength, downhill durability and mobility.
EnquireTechnique
Running Technique Assessment
Individual running-technique assessment with practical feedback where technique or video review can add useful context.
EnquirePerformance testingBristol / South West
Lactate & Performance Testing
Local lactate and performance testing with interpretation to support training intensity and performance development.
EnquireMental performance
Mental Performance Consultation
Individual support around mindset, confidence, preparation and mental-performance skills for training and racing.
EnquireArticles & field notes
Ideas for training longer,
smarter and more sustainably.
Practical writing on ultrarunning, training, race preparation, strength, fuelling and mental performance.
View all articlesFeatured article
Why I Do What I Do
I race because I want to discover my limits. I coach because I want to help others discover theirs. This is what drives me to keep learning, racing and sharing.
Read article ↗From the trail
Why do I run ultras?
An ultra is more than a finish line. It is a chance to understand how we respond when things become uncomfortable, uncertain and difficult.
Read article ↗Coaching notes
The Trail Running Briefing
Clear, practical information for trail and ultrarunners. The story behind the podcast, and why understanding your training matters.
Read article ↗
Prefer listening?
The Trail Running Briefing
Evidence-based ultrarunning training, performance and race-preparation insights in short, practical episodes from coaching, research and real-world experience. Listen to The Trail Running Briefing on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music & Audible and other major podcast platforms.
Online coaching should still feel personal: the plan adapts around work, family, fatigue, injury history and the time you can use consistently. No hype, no screening test — just a useful first conversation. Still unsure? Email alcaide.isaac@gmail.com and ask directly.
You do not need to be elite. You do need to be willing to engage with the process.
Still unsure? Email alcaide.isaac@gmail.com and ask directly.
Is coaching suitable for a first ultra — and do I need to be fast?
Yes. Elite status is not required. The strongest fit is committed trail and ultrarunners, including first-time ultrarunners, when the goal and preparation time are appropriate.
How does online coaching work?
Your training is built around your goals, available time, terrain, recovery, work and family. Plans can be delivered through TrainingPeaks, Strava, Garmin Connect or another suitable platform; the priority is a clear plan and effective feedback.
How often do we communicate and adjust training?
I normally use WhatsApp for regular communication alongside 45–60 minute video coaching calls, typically weekly or every two weeks. Training, fatigue, RPE and feedback are reviewed continuously and the plan is adjusted when needed.
Do you coach runners outside the UK?
Yes. Coaching is primarily online across the UK and internationally and can be delivered in English or Spanish. Local in-person services are available around Bristol and the South West where appropriate.
What happens if I miss training or have a niggle?
We reassess rather than trying to catch up missed sessions. If illness or injury is involved, coaching stays within its scope and appropriate medical or physiotherapy guidance takes priority.
Is there a minimum commitment?
No. Coaching is billed monthly in advance, one month at a time, with no minimum term.
From enquiry to first training block
Simple next steps.
A short enquiry is enough to begin. I reply personally, we talk through your goals, and if the fit is right we move into onboarding and your first training block.
Simple next steps.
Personal from the start.
Send a short enquiry and I will respond personally. If it makes sense, we can arrange a discovery conversation by phone or video and talk through your goals and the support you need.
- 01
Send a short enquiry
Share your name, email, optional phone or WhatsApp number and a short message about what you are looking for.
- 02
Talk it through
I reply personally and, if useful, arrange a discovery conversation by phone or video to discuss your goals, questions and fit.
- 03
If it fits, begin
We complete onboarding, agree the communication rhythm and build your first individual training block.