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Personalised trail running training, built around your fitness
Adaptive plans for trail, mountain and ultra runners.
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Planning Your Training Week in Ascend
When planning your training week, Ascend helps you build a plan that is appropriate for your current fitness, your upcoming goals, and your ability to recover. Rather than simply assigning a fixed schedule, Ascend adapts your training based on your fitness and, where relevant, the demands of your next priority event. Your Fitness Profile shows where you are today. It includes your Running Impact Fitness, Speed Fitness, and Cardio Fitness, which help Ascend determine how much
Running Impact vs Cardio Load
Understanding Running Impact vs. Cardio Load in Ascend In trail running, not all training stress is created equal. That’s why in Ascend, we separate Running Impact from Cardio load – giving you a clearer, more detailed picture of how different sessions stress your body in different ways. Impact and Cardio Scores - Ascend Running Impact: Tracking Biomechanical Stress Running Impact measures the load your musculoskeletal system takes on during running, providing key insigh
Managing Your Training Load in ASCEND
Training Stress Graph Understanding how your body is responding to training over time is key to getting fitter without tipping into overtraining. That’s where the Training Stress graph in Ascend comes in, which you can use for managing your training load. This graph compares your recent training load to your long-term accumulated load – helping you see if you’re building fitness, maintaining it, or risking burnout. Ascend Training Stress The Zones Explained Green Zone – B
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Treadmill Running: How to Get Accurate Data in Ascend
Treadmill runs are one of the most common sources of bad training data. If your data is wrong, Ascend will misinterpret your training and your running plan will adapt incorrectly. The goal is simple: Get distance and incline as accurate as possible when uploading treadmill runs to Ascend. The Problem with Treadmills When you run indoors: Your watch has no GPS Distance is estimated based on previous treadmill runs Incline is missing entirely This leads to: incorrect pace incor
Ascend Team
Jun 252 min read
Understanding Ascend Training Zones
One of the most common questions we receive from new users is: “Why don’t my training zones in Ascend match the zones in Strava, Garmin, or other platforms?” The short answer is that training zones are not universal. Different platforms define training zones using different models. Ascend’s zones are based on the intensity framework developed by Olympiatoppen (the Norwegian Olympic Training Center), widely used by Norwegian endurance athletes and coaches. Why Ascend Anchors T
Ascend Team
Mar 313 min read
Recovery Strategies for Athletes: Deload, Post-Race, and Off-Season
Deload Week: A Regular Reset Within Training What It Is A deload week is a scheduled week every 4 to 6 weeks where training load is reduced, and intensity is scaled back. Goal The goal is to let your body fully absorb the training you’ve done by reducing fatigue and stress. This is when supercompensation typically happens. It’s the process where fitness improves as your body rebuilds from harder training. Done well, you’ll come out of a deload week feeling fresher and fitter
Ascend Team
Oct 22, 20253 min read
Understanding Cross-Training for Trail Runners
Cross-training can be a valuable part of a trail runner’s training, helping you build aerobic fitness while reducing the impact stress that comes with running. In Ascend, cross-training is used to support your overall Cardio Fitness, allowing you to develop your aerobic engine alongside your running plan. This article explains what counts as cross-training, how different activities are treated in Ascend, and how to get the most from your cross-training sessions. Why Cross-Tra
Ascend Team
Aug 18, 20254 min read
Training for a 50 km Ultra: Your Complete Guide
Preparing for a 50 km ultra is no small feat. Whether you’re stepping up to the distance for the first time or looking to train with more structure and improve on past performances, there are a few key things worth considering.
Ascend Team
Jul 29, 20252 min read
Priority vs. Training Races: What’s the Difference and How to Plan for Them
When it comes to scheduling races in Ascend, it’s important to distinguish between priority races and training races, and understand how each interacts with your training plan. Priority Races: The Peak of Your Training Priority races are the key events you build your training around. They should represent the races where you want to arrive especially well prepared and perform at your best. Priority races shape your training plan by triggering specific periodisation strategies
Ascend Team
Jul 11, 20253 min read
Why Aren’t My Long Runs Longer When I’m Training for an Ultra?
When you’re preparing for an ultra, it’s easy to think: “If my race is 50 miles, why isn’t my long run anywhere near that?” We get it, it feels counterintuitive. Surely running longer in training would better prepare you for race day? But here’s the thing: your long runs are designed around where you are right now , not where you’ll be on race day. They grow with you as your fitness improves, keeping you on a safe, progressive path to your goal. Why We Don’t Max Out Long Ru
Ascend Team
Jul 9, 20252 min read
Planning Your Training Week in Ascend
When planning your training week, Ascend helps you build a plan that is appropriate for your current fitness, your upcoming goals, and your ability to recover. Rather than simply assigning a fixed schedule, Ascend adapts your training based on your fitness and, where relevant, the demands of your next priority event. Your Fitness Profile shows where you are today. It includes your Running Impact Fitness, Speed Fitness, and Cardio Fitness, which help Ascend determine how much
Henriette Albon
Jun 7, 20259 min read
Trust The ASCEND Plan
Trust the Plan: How Ascend Builds Smarter Training So You Don’t Have To It’s tempting to tweak your training – maybe you want to throw in an extra run or supplement with more cross-training. After all, Ascend lets you add your own sessions. But just because you can doesn’t mean you should. Here’s why trusting the plan is one of the smartest things you can do for your training. Ascend Plans Are Built Around You Every run you do is analysed and scored in three key ways: Ru
Henriette Albon
Jun 4, 20254 min read
Running Impact vs Cardio Load
Understanding Running Impact vs. Cardio Load in Ascend In trail running, not all training stress is created equal. That’s why in Ascend, we separate Running Impact from Cardio load – giving you a clearer, more detailed picture of how different sessions stress your body in different ways. Impact and Cardio Scores - Ascend Running Impact: Tracking Biomechanical Stress Running Impact measures the load your musculoskeletal system takes on during running, providing key insigh
Henriette Albon
Apr 23, 20252 min read
Managing Your Training Load in ASCEND
Training Stress Graph Understanding how your body is responding to training over time is key to getting fitter without tipping into overtraining. That’s where the Training Stress graph in Ascend comes in, which you can use for managing your training load. This graph compares your recent training load to your long-term accumulated load – helping you see if you’re building fitness, maintaining it, or risking burnout. Ascend Training Stress The Zones Explained Green Zone – B
Henriette Albon
Apr 7, 20253 min read
Analysing Your Running in ASCEND
Analysing Your Running Workouts in Ascend
Henriette Albon
Apr 4, 20254 min read
Threshold Heart Rate and Pace
Understanding Threshold Heart Rate and Pace: Key to Accurate Training Scores in Ascend
Henriette Albon
Apr 1, 20254 min read
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