How to Train for High-Altitude Trail Running: An 8-Week Plan from Nepal's Guides
Our guides get the same question at the end of almost every camp: what should I have done differently before I came? The answer is rarely "run more." It is usually "run differently."
This is the plan we now send to every runner who books an autumn camp with us. It assumes you can already run comfortably for two hours on trails and that you have eight weeks. Eight weeks is not generous, but it is enough, and if you are reading this in July with a September or October departure booked, it is exactly what you have.
One honest note before we start. Most of our runners live at sea level in places with no mountains within driving distance. This plan is written for them. If you live in Chamonix or Boulder, you already know most of this, and your acclimatization will be easier than you think.
What altitude actually does to your running
Above roughly 2,500 meters, the air holds the same percentage of oxygen, but at lower pressure, so every breath delivers less of it to your blood. Your pace at a given effort drops. Your recovery between climbs slows. Sleep gets lighter. None of this can be fully trained away at sea level, which is why our itineraries climb gradually and why the plan below spends as much time on durability as on speed.
What you can train is everything else: legs that absorb 1,000 meters of descent without seizing up, the ability to run the day after a hard day again, and the discipline to move slowly when your ego wants to push.
Weeks 1 and 2: build the frame
Run four to five times per week, with all runs easy except one session. That one session is hills: find the longest climb available to you and repeat it for 40 to 50 minutes, running up at an effort where you can speak in short sentences, walking or jogging down. If you live somewhere flat, a stair machine or a parking garage works. It is boring. It also works.
Add two short strength sessions per week. Nothing complicated: step-ups onto a box, single-leg squats, calf raises, and core work. The goal is not gym numbers. It is knees and ankles that still track straight on hour six of a descent.
Weeks 3 and 4: teach the body to repeat
This is the block most road runners skip, and it is the one that matters most for a multi-day camp. On the weekend, run long on both days. Not two heroic runs: something like three hours on Saturday and two on Sunday, on trails, with climbing. The Sunday run teaches your legs to perform tired, which is the defining skill of stage running.
Keep the weekday hill session. If you have access to any real elevation, even 1,500 meters, spend one weekend day hiking fast with a pack instead of running. Fast uphill hiking is not a compromise on a Himalayan camp. It is the technique. Our guides hike most climbs above 4,000 meters, and they are professional mountain runners.
Weeks 5 and 6: the peak block
Your biggest fortnight. Aim for two back-to-back weekends, with the longest day stretching toward four or five hours. Practice everything you will actually do in Nepal: eat every 45 minutes, use poles if you plan to bring them, wear the pack and the shoes you will fly with. A camp is a terrible place to discover your pack chafes.
If you can reach altitude at all during these weeks, take it. A weekend at 2,500 to 3,000 meters teaches you what the first ache of thin air feels like, and that recognition is worth more than any lab protocol. The "live high, train low" method beloved of elite programs is ideal but irrelevant if you live in London or Singapore. Do not stress about what you cannot access.
Weeks 7 and 8: absorb, then arrive fresh
Cut volume roughly in half in week 7, and by two-thirds in week 8. Keep two short hill sessions so the legs stay awake. You cannot gain fitness in the last ten days, but you can absolutely lose your camp to a training injury born of last-minute panic. Arrive slightly undertrained and fully rested. That runner beats the exhausted hero every time.
Altitude tactics our guides actually use
Once you are in Nepal, training stops and behavior takes over. Drink more than feels necessary, because mountain air pulls moisture out of you with every breath. Run the first days slower than your ego wants; a conversational pace at 3,500 meters is a genuine workout. Skip alcohol until you are past the high point of your route. And say something the moment a headache appears, not three hours later. Altitude problems caught early are inconveniences. Caught late, they end trips. Our guides watch for the signs, but they cannot read your mind.
For a deeper look at acclimatization, see our altitude tips page.
FAQ
How long does it take to acclimatize to high altitude? Most people need two to three days at moderate altitude (2,500 to 3,500 m) before the body begins adjusting, and roughly a week to function comfortably. This is why multi-day itineraries climb gradually rather than heading straight up.
How do I prepare for altitude sickness? You cannot fully prevent it, but you can lower the risk: ascend gradually, stay hydrated, avoid alcohol, and never ignore an early headache. Some travelers discuss acetazolamide with their doctor before the trip. Report symptoms to your guide immediately.
Can I train for altitude at sea level? You can train everything except the altitude itself: climbing strength, descending durability, and back-to-back endurance. That preparation determines how much you enjoy the trip. The thin air still gets a vote, which is what acclimatization days are for.
Is hiking acceptable training for a trail running camp? Yes. Fast uphill hiking with a pack is one of the most specific workouts you can do. Above 4,000 meters, everyone hikes the steep climbs, including the professionals.
Thinking about putting this plan to use? Our autumn camps run from September through November across the Manaslu and Annapurna regions. Tell us your dates, and we will tell you honestly which camp fits your current shape.
