When is UltrAriège 2027?

From Friday 16 to Sunday 18 July 2027, for the 7th edition, in Ariège. In 2026, the 160 km started on the first day, Friday, at 9 am; the 2027 timetable has not been published yet.

Where does the 160 km start and finish?

It starts at the top of the Guzet-Neige resort, in the Haut-Couserans, and finishes in Ax-les-Thermes. Bib pick-up and the briefing take place in Ax-les-Thermes the day before; shuttles take runners to the start.

What experience do you need for the 160 km?

You must have finished a race of more than 60 km with 3,000 m of climbing, giving its name and date when you register. The time limit is 55 hours.

UltrAriège: how many weeks of preparation?

For an athlete at intermediate level, Endu builds a 25-week preparation. If your race is closer, the plan compresses phases while keeping the taper; if it's further away, it lengthens the preparation, and when the gap is large the preparation starts right away, gently and at your current volume, before building up.

How many sessions per week?

This example has 5 sessions per week. You choose 5 to 7 training days and the exact days (e.g. Tue, Thu, Sat, Sun): the plan sticks to them.

I'm a beginner, is this plan for me?

Not as a first long race: if you declare a beginner level, Endu flags it. Aim for a shorter race of the same kind first; Endu builds that preparation too.

Can I follow sessions on my watch?

Yes, on Garmin and COROS. On Garmin, the Endu app (Connect IQ Store) shows today’s session and starts it as a guided workout. On COROS, link your account from your profile: your running, trail and cycling sessions land in the watch calendar. Other brands are not supported yet.

How much does it cost?

14-day free trial, then €7.99/month with no commitment or €59.88/year (€4.99/month). Unlimited objectives and sports.

UltrAriège 2027: date, course and training plan

160 km · 10,500 m D+Ax-les-Thermes2027 edition: 16 July 2027

UltrAriège Pyrénées crosses the Pyrénées Ariégeoises Regional Nature Park. Its 160 km race starts at the Guzet ski resort, at the head of the Garbet valley, and finishes in Ax-les-Thermes: 10,500 m of climbing, 16 aid stations and two base camps, at Mercus and Les Monts d’Olmes. The 7th edition takes place from 16 to 18 July 2027.

A demanding distance: it is wiser to have finished a shorter race of the same kind first.

Your plan for UltrAriège

36 weeks to go: your plan starts this week, set to your level and free days, then adapts to your feedback after each session.

Your level?

14-day trial, cancel anytime.

UltrAriège at a glance

Date: 2027 edition: 16 July 2027
Formats: 160 km soloPlan below — 160 km and 10,500 m of climbing. In 2026, the start was at the top of the Guzet-Neige resort on Friday at 9 am, with the finish in Ax-les-Thermes. Time limit: 55 hours. You must have finished a race of more than 60 km with 3,000 m of climbing. 200 places. €160 in 2026.
160 km relais — The same course in teams of 3, 30 teams. Time limit: 55 hours. €186 per team in 2026.
100 km — Start at the town hall square in Mercus on Saturday at 6 am in 2026. Time limit: 31 hours. 350 places. €100.
55 km — Start at the Monts d’Olmes resort on Saturday at 8 am in 2026. Time limit: 14 hours. 450 places. €55.
23 km et 15 km — Starts from the Casino park in Ax-les-Thermes on Sunday morning in 2026. Time limits: 5h30 and 4h30. €21 and €13.
Registration: The opening date for 2027 entries has not been announced yet. In 2026, registration closed once places were filled or by 31 May at the latest, with no entries on the day. For the 160 km solo, you must have finished a race of more than 60 km with 3,000 m of climbing, giving its name and date. FFA, UFOLEP, FSGT or FSCF licences are accepted; otherwise, a PPS health pass and a medical certificate under a year old. Foreign licences are not accepted. Cancellation insurance is offered at registration; without it, the bib could be transferred from the runner area until 31 May 2026.
Official website: ultrariege.fr

The 2026 course

Start at the top of the Guzet-Neige resort (Prat Mataou area), down among the chalets to Guzet 1400, then round the Picou de la Mire to the Col d’Escot, facing the Cagateille cirque and Mont Valier. The course goes through Aulus-les-Bains, the Girantos cirque, the Port de Lers and the Pic des Trois Seigneurs, then Gourbit and Saurat, before dropping to the Mercus base camp (450 m) after 63 km. It climbs back towards Mont Fourcat (2,001 m), passes the Moulzoune lake and reaches the Monts d’Olmes resort, the second base camp, on the north side of the Saint-Barthélemy massif. Next come the Col de Cadène and the descent towards the Appy lake, the Pays d’Aillou through Prades and Montaillou, the Rocher de Scaramus and the Chioula plateau, before the finish in Ax-les-Thermes.

What the race asks of your training

A crossing of mid-altitude mountains

The organisers describe a mid-altitude mountain race on committing trails: Port de Lers, Pic des Trois Seigneurs, Mont Fourcat, Pic du Saint-Barthélemy, Col de Cadène. The course drops into the valleys several times, down to 450 m at Mercus, before climbing back up to between 1,400 and 2,000 m. These big repeated climbs and descents are trained with hilly long runs and high-vert weekends.

Cut-offs to watch

In 2026, the 160 km cut-offs fell along the course: Mercus base camp on Saturday at 4 am (19 hours of racing), Monts d’Olmes on Saturday at 9 pm (36 hours), finish in Ax-les-Thermes on Sunday at 4 pm (55 hours). Being able to keep a steady power-hiking pace uphill matters more than running fast early on.

Two nights and semi-self-sufficiency

Starting on Friday morning, 160 km runners often spend two nights out. The rules require a 2-litre water reserve, a headtorch with spare batteries, a waterproof jacket, a warm long-sleeved layer, gloves and a food reserve. Train with this loaded pack, and test your food and drink on long runs.

The plan below prepares the 160 km solo format, for an athlete at intermediate level with 5 days available per week, with race day on 16 July 2027. Aiming for another format? Enter its distance when you create your plan, which will be calibrated on your level, your available days and your feedback after every session.

weeks: 25
sessions: 112
sessions / week: 5
peak week: 14 h

Plan structure

Periodised in phases: build the base, move to race-specific work, then taper before the race.

General preparation
Weeks 1–2 · 2 wk
Base
Weeks 3–10 · 8 wk
Build
Weeks 11–16 · 6 wk
Specific
Weeks 17–22 · 6 wk
Taper
Weeks 23–24 · 2 wk
Race week
Weeks 25–25 · 1 wk

Volume progression

Week by week: lighter recovery weeks are built in to absorb the load.

Wk	Phase	Hours	km	Elev.
1	General preparation	7 h	47	1,359 m
2	General preparation	7.3 h	49	1,550 m
3	Baserecovery	6.2 h	44	1,063 m
4	Base	7.6 h	50	1,747 m
5	Base	8 h	52	1,853 m
6	Base	8.3 h	54	1,944 m
7	Baserecovery	6.8 h	46	1,301 m
8	Base	8.3 h	54	2,036 m
9	Base	9.1 h	59	2,237 m
10	Base	9.5 h	61	2,354 m
11	Buildrecovery	7.4 h	50	1,499 m
12	Build	9.5 h	60	2,400 m
13	Build	10.3 h	63	2,563 m
14	Build	10.8 h	67	2,786 m
15	Buildrecovery	8.4 h	55	1,960 m
16	Build	10.8 h	66	2,768 m
17	Specific	11.8 h	72	3,112 m
18	Specific	12.3 h	76	3,057 m
19	Specificrecovery	9.6 h	62	2,142 m
20	Specific	12.3 h	74	3,303 m
21	Specific	13.4 h	84	3,240 m
22	Specific	14 h	86	3,726 m
23	Taper	9.2 h	60	2,213 m
24	Taper	7.1 h	49	902 m
25	Race week	3.7 h	31	115 m

Sample week — week 14 (Build)

Real sessions from the plan with their targets. Each session is detailed step by step, and can be sent to a Garmin or COROS watch.

TuesdayModerate
3 × (8 min climb + 4 min descent)
51 min · 6 km
WednesdayEasy
49 min easy
49 min · 5.7 km
FridayEasy
49 min easy
49 min · 5.7 km
SaturdayEasy
Back-to-back long run
2 h 39 · 16 km
SundayEasy
Long run 5 h 41
5 h 41 · 34 km

Example generated for a intermediate-level profile (MAS 15 km/h, 5 days available per week). Your plan will depend on your level, availability and feedback.

This plan’s check-up

Pass

A 25-week build (recommended minimum: 20); a longest run never more than 10% above the previous month’s; volume rising at most 9% from one week to the next; 94% of the time at easy effort; the longest session 3 weeks before the race; a taper cutting volume by 73% in race week.

2 worth knowing · 16 checks passed

Remarks

Strength training — No strength session.
Fueling — Long sessions (up to 420 min in this plan) are where race fueling is rehearsed.

The 16 checks passed, in detail

Length of the build — 25 weeks: enough for this race (recommended minimum: 20).
Sessions per week — 5 sessions a week: the minimum for this race is met.
Volume progression — Running volume rises at most 9% from one week to the next (a signal appears beyond 20%).
Long run increase — Each week, the longest run is at most 10% longer than the longest of the previous month (benchmark: 10%).
Lighter weeks — A lighter week comes back regularly (weeks 3, 7, 11, 15, 19, 23).
Intensity distribution — About 94% of the time at easy effort: the most common distribution among trained endurance athletes.
Demanding sessions — No more than 2 demanding session(s) a week: suited to the level.
Hard days back to back — Demanding sessions are separated by easy days.
Rest days — At least one rest day a week.
Climbing in training — The plan prepares the climbs and descents (37 sessions with elevation).
Timing of the longest session — The longest session falls 3 weeks before the race: the right time.
Taper — Volume drops 73% in race week.
Intensity during the taper — Short race-pace efforts remain in the last two weeks.
Frequency during the taper — The number of sessions stays close to usual (95%).
Climbing in the busiest week — The busiest week climbs 3726 m, for 10500 m on race day.
Back-to-back long runs — The plan has back-to-back long runs (9 weekends).

Endu runs its own plans through the plan check open to everyone: same public rules, same thresholds, same sources. The rules and their sources, and a check of your own plan.

Why this plan works

Science-based periodisation

Base → build → specific → taper, with a recovery week every 3 to 4 weeks. Load goes up, but never two hard weeks in a row without a breather.

Paces, not vague feelings

Every session has target zones (pace, HR) computed from your MAS or a reference performance. A MAS test is built into the plan if you don't know yours.

Elevation as the central variable

Weekly climbing volume, long hilly runs, downhill technique and power-hiking for ultras: a trail plan is not a road plan with bumps.

A plan that listens

After each session you rate how it felt (RPE). Too hard? The plan eases what follows. Skipped a session? It reschedules or absorbs it.

On your watch

On Garmin with the Endu app, on COROS by direct sync: the guided workout shows up on your wrist, step by step.

Reviews

What our users say.

4.8/5

“I took Endu to prepare a trail race with friends. I really like having my week already organised: it motivates me and I enjoy my runs more.”
Émilie · Trail
“What I like is no longer asking myself a thousand questions before going for a run. I follow the plan and I enjoy training.”
Nicolas · Trail
“With work and the kids, I thought I’d struggle to follow a plan. In the end, having a structure helps me a lot. Running has found a real place in my week again, and it feels good!”
Julie · Trail
“I used to spend more time looking for a plan than following one. Now I have my sessions, I know what to do and I stick to it. Really glad I tried it.”
Thomas · Running
“Training for my first half marathon and honestly, I’m getting into it! I even look at my next sessions ahead of time, when before I was mostly looking for an excuse not to go out 😂”
Camille · Running
“Simple to follow and really handy with the watch. I start my session and off I go.”
Julien · Running
“A good find to prepare my swimrun! It’s nice to find a plan for this sport. I’ve recommended it to my teammate.”
Antoine · Swimrun
“I run more regularly and, above all, with more desire. For that alone, I’m delighted.”
Laura · Swimrun
“For triathlon, having all three sports in the same schedule really makes my life easier. I spend less time organising my training and I still enjoy following it just as much.”
Maxime · Triathlon
“At first I just wanted to try it. Now checking the next day’s session has become my little evening ritual 😊”
Sarah · Triathlon

Your plan, not a template athlete's

This plan is generated for an athlete at intermediate level with 5 days available per week. Yours will be calibrated on your MAS, your available days and your feedback after every session. 3 minutes. 14-day trial, cancel anytime.

Create my plan for UltrAriège