Final Preparation
Peak fitness week
This is your final build week. You're in peak fitness now. One more round of challenging workouts to sharpen your fitness and build confidence. You are ready. This week proves it.
Week at a Glance
Run (Short)
Stairmaster
Rest/Recovery
Hill Repeats
Ruck
Run (Long)
Rest/Recovery
This Week's Reading
These guides go deeper on the topics that matter this week.
Daily Workout Details
Each session below includes a full breakdown and coaching notes.
Monday
Run (Short)
You will begin with an easy 5 minutes walk to get your muscles warm and your heart rate elevated. Then, you will complete 1 round of intervals, alternating between 12 minutes of running (easy to moderate pace) and 3 minutes of walking to allow for active recovery.
Finish strong with a 5 minutes cooldown walk to gradually bring your heart rate down, followed by focused stretching for your lower body to prevent tightness and support recovery.
Workout Structure
Easy walk
Easy walk
"You are in peak fitness now. You will run two 12 minute blocks with a walking break."
Tuesday
Stairmaster
Focus on maintaining good posture throughout, keeping your shoulders back and avoiding leaning heavily on the handrails. Alternate between easier and harder efforts as prescribed to build both endurance and strength.
Do not skip the post-workout stretching, as your calves, quads, and hip flexors will need attention after this session.
Workout Structure
"This is your peak stairmaster duration, with 15 intervals total. "Harder" means breathing harder but still able to talk in short sentences."
Wednesday
Rest/Recovery
This is when the real magic happens. While you rest, your body repairs the micro-tears in your muscle fibers, strengthens connective tissues, replenishes energy stores, and adapts to the training stimulus you have been giving it. Without adequate rest, you risk overtraining, injury, and burnout.
Rest days are not a sign of weakness or laziness. They are a critical component of any successful training program. Consider taking an Epsom salt bath to soothe sore muscles, spending time in a sauna to promote circulation and relaxation, getting a massage to work out any knots or tension, or simply putting your feet up and reading a good book.
Embrace this day, trust the process, and come back tomorrow ready to work hard again.
Workout Structure
Allow your body to recover. Summit day is getting close.
Optional Activities:
- • Light stretching
- • Gentle yoga
- • Foam rolling
"This day is for recovery after two hard sessions. Your body needs this."
Thursday
Hill Repeats
Hill repeats build the leg strength and cardiovascular endurance you need for summit day. Find a consistent hill with a moderate grade and walk or jog up for 1/4 mile, then walk back down for recovery. The downhill walk is just as important as the climb because it lets your heart rate recover before the next effort.
Workout Structure
Do a mix of walking and jogging uphill. Then walk down for recovery. Repeat 6 to 8 times.
Pace
Walking and jogging mix
No Hills? Alternative:
Treadmill at 5 to 8 percent incline if no hills available
"This week you will mix walking and jogging across 6 to 8 repeats. Listen to your body and choose the number that feels right. You are in peak fitness now, so challenge yourself but do not overdo it before summit week."
Friday
Ruck
Use this time to enjoy being outside, clear your mind, and let your legs recover from the more intense training sessions this week.
Workout Structure
Easy walk at conversational pace
Practice everything. Hydration, pacing, posture. This is summit rehearsal.
"You reach peak weight at 20 pounds! This matches the top of the 15 to 20 pound range you will carry on summit day. This is your final ruck rehearsal."
Saturday
Run (Long)
You will begin with an easy 5 minutes walk to get your muscles warm and your heart rate elevated. Then, you will complete 1 round of intervals, alternating between 20 minutes of running (easy to moderate pace) and 2 minutes of walking to allow for active recovery.
Finish strong with a 5 minutes cooldown walk to gradually bring your heart rate down, followed by focused stretching for your lower body to prevent tightness and support recovery.
Workout Structure
Easy walk
Easy walk
"This is your first time running 30 minutes total in one session. You did it! You are ready for the mountain."
Sunday
Rest/Recovery
This is when the real magic happens. While you rest, your body repairs the micro-tears in your muscle fibers, strengthens connective tissues, replenishes energy stores, and adapts to the training stimulus you have been giving it. Without adequate rest, you risk overtraining, injury, and burnout.
Rest days are not a sign of weakness or laziness. They are a critical component of any successful training program. Consider taking an Epsom salt bath to soothe sore muscles, spending time in a sauna to promote circulation and relaxation, getting a massage to work out any knots or tension, or simply putting your feet up and reading a good book.
Embrace this day, trust the process, and come back tomorrow ready to work hard again.
Workout Structure
Reflect on Week 12. You just completed final preparation. You are ready.
Optional Activities:
- • Full rest
- • Gentle stretching if desired
- • Foam rolling
"Take full rest. You just ran 30 minutes total, and your final preparation week is complete."
Training Tips for Success
Use these tips to get the most out of your training this week.
Nutrition
Finalize your summit day nutrition plan. Stock up on tested foods.
Hydration
Practice your hydration strategy during the ruck and long run.
Recovery
Prioritize sleep and recovery. Summit week is next.
Progression
You just ran 30 minutes in a single session. The mountain awaits.
Looking Ahead to Week 13
Week 13 is summit week. Travel, acclimate, and summit!