Your plan in four answers
Set for October 9, 2027, about 50 weeks out.
- Distances
- Marathon, 50K, 30K, Half marathon, 5K
- Terrain
- Hilly
- Taper starts
- September 21, 2027
Course
The Mt. Umunhum Trail Conquest course
Every distance starts together at 8:00 a.m. from the Hacienda Entrance of Almaden Quicksilver County Park in south San Jose, and every course is an out-and-back on the park's trails and roads. The 5K (968 feet of gain), 7-miler (1,529 feet) and half marathon (3,159 feet) stay in Almaden Quicksilver, while the 30K climbs into the Sierra Azul Open Space Preserve to summit Bald Mountain.
Read the full course notes
The trail marathon (5,072 feet) and the 50K (7,635 feet) climb Barlow Road and Mt. Umunhum Road to the summit of Mt. Umunhum, turning there at about mile 11.5 with big views over the Santa Clara Valley. Aid stations sit at the Woods parking lot, the Barlow water stop and the summit, with toilets at every one. Cutoffs on the long courses are strictly enforced: the summit by noon, Barlow by 1:00 p.m. and the finish by 5:00 p.m.
- Terrain
- Hilly
- Distances
- Marathon, 50K, 30K, Half marathon, 5K
- Weather on race day
- Around early October, NOAA 1991–2020 normals for San Jose usually run from lows of about 54–55 °F to highs of about 77–78 °F, so the 8:00 a.m. start is mild and the afternoon can be warm on the long courses. Carry a light layer for the summit, plenty of water between aid stations and electrolytes for the return.
What to train for
This race is hours of climbing and descending, so build weekly vertical before mileage: aim for 2,000 to 4,000 feet a week for the half and 5,000 to 7,000 feet for the marathon and 50K.
Do sustained 30 to 60 minute climbs at an easy, conversational effort with power hiking on the steepest pitches, and practice relaxed, quick-footed downhills because every course comes back the way it went up.
Marathon and 50K runners should rehearse the summit cutoff: reaching mile 11.5 by noon means averaging under 21 minutes per mile on the way up, which is comfortable if you hike steadily and keep aid-station stops short. Train with the vest, bottles and food you will race with.
Sample week
A sample Mt. Umunhum Trail Conquest training week
A week from the middle of the build, about six weeks out. Your plan sets the real distances and paces from your own fitness and adjusts them every week as you train.
- Monday
- Rest, or 20 minutes of mobility
- Tuesday Key session
- Hill repeats: 10 × 90 s up a steady grade, jog back down
- Wednesday
- Easy run, 6–7 mi
- Thursday Key session
- Goal-pace run, 10 mi with 6 mi at race pace
- Friday
- Recovery run, 4 mi, or cross-train
- Saturday Key session
- Long run, 16–18 mi on hilly ground, steady effort on the climbs
- Sunday
- Easy run, 4 mi, then 6 relaxed strides
Your build to race day
Taper
Tapering for the Mt. Umunhum Trail Conquest
Start the taper two to three weeks before race day. Cut your weekly volume by about a third, then by half in race week, and keep a few short efforts at race pace so your legs stay sharp. The course is hilly, so keep one short hill session in the first taper week to keep the climbs familiar. With the race on October 9, 2027, your taper starts around September 21, 2027.
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Build me a training plan for the Mt. Umunhum Trail Conquest (Fall) (Marathon) on October 9, 2027. I run [distance] a week, [days] days a week, easy pace [pace].
Mt. Umunhum Trail Conquest training questions
How long should I train for the Mt. Umunhum Trail Conquest?
Most runners give a marathon sixteen to twenty weeks of focused training on top of an existing base. The plan above counts back from your actual race date, so if you have less time than that it builds the best plan the remaining weeks allow rather than pretending you have longer.
Is the Mt. Umunhum Trail Conquest course hilly?
Hilly. Every distance starts together at 8:00 a.m. from the Hacienda Entrance of Almaden Quicksilver County Park in south San Jose, and every course is an out-and-back on the park's trails and roads.
What is the weather usually like at the Mt. Umunhum Trail Conquest?
Around early October, NOAA 1991–2020 normals for San Jose usually run from lows of about 54–55 °F to highs of about 77–78 °F, so the 8:00 a.m. start is mild and the afternoon can be warm on the long courses. Carry a light layer for the summit, plenty of water between aid stations and electrolytes for the return.
When should I start tapering for the Mt. Umunhum Trail Conquest?
Start the taper two to three weeks before race day. Cut your weekly volume by about a third, then by half in race week, and keep a few short efforts at race pace so your legs stay sharp. The course is hilly, so keep one short hill session in the first taper week to keep the climbs familiar. With the race on October 9, 2027, your taper starts around September 21, 2027.
Do I need an account to get a Mt. Umunhum Trail Conquest training plan?
No. The plan above builds in your browser with no account, no email, and no card. Make a free account only if you want to keep it, log your runs against it, and have the coach keep adapting it as your training goes.