A trail runner on a grassy ridge above a sea of clouds

Squamish 50

It offers a 50 mile, a 50 km, a 23 km and the 50/50 double that combines both long distances.

Prepare for Squamish 50 in

A plan built from your answers and your race date.

trail training plan

Squamish 50 is run in Squamish, on the Sea to Sky corridor between Vancouver and Whistler, across the coastal rainforest trail network the valley is known for. The ground is technical, with roots, rock slabs and sustained grades: the 50 mile route is advertised at over 90% singletrack and around 11,000 feet of climbing.

The signature format is the 50/50, which means racing the 50 mile on Saturday and coming back for the 50 km on Sunday. A 23 km option gives newer trail runners a way into the same terrain.

The formats

3 formats on the program.

Format	Distance
50 miles	50 mi
50 km	31 mi
23 km	14 mi

Organizer information, checked on September 21, 2026 · squamish50.com

When to start

A build for this distance usually runs 12 to 24 weeks. Counted back from race day, that puts the start somewhere between February 22, 2027 and May 17, 2027.

These ranges are working conventions, not a research finding — no trial has compared plan lengths against each other. What matters more is that the plan was built for the weeks you actually have, rather than shrunk down from a longer one.

How to choose your start date

When to start

February 22, 2027

→ May 17, 2027

Worth reading before you enter

Races and distances Trail distances: what changes off the road Distance stops being the useful number. What decides a trail race is how long you are out, how much you climb, and how much the descents have wrecked your legs by the end. Read Training Eating and drinking: what’s proven, what isn’t This is where confident advice most often runs ahead of the evidence. Some of it is well tested. Some is opinion wearing a number. And one common habit can kill you. Read Races and distances When to start preparing your race Most plans fail before the first session, because the block started too late and everything had to be squeezed. Counting back from the date is the dullest and most useful thing you will do. Read

Questions

What is the date of Squamish 50 in 2027?

Squamish 50 is run on Saturday, August 14, 2027 in Squamish. Date published by the organizer, checked on September 21, 2026.

How technical is the Squamish 50 course?

Very. The 50 mile is advertised at over 90% singletrack with roughly 11,000 feet of climbing on Squamish forest trails, including roots and rock. The shorter races use the same style of terrain.

Other races

This list keeps growing; it draws no line. A race that is missing is prepared for in exactly the same way.

Whistler · CanadaUltra Ultra Trail Whistler by UTMB Jun 25 It is the first UTMB World Series event staged in Canada, replacing the former Whistler Alpine Meadows. Crowsnest Pass · CanadaUltra Sinister 7 Ultra Jul 10 Its headline 100 mile course can be run solo or split across a relay team of up to seven runners. Grande Cache · CanadaUltra Canadian Death Race Jul 31 Its flagship course covers 118 km with 5,181 m of climbing, run solo or as a relay. Your race is not here? Tell us about your race You can prepare for it all the same. Any race, anywhere, and even a goal without a race.

Your race is on the calendar. Your plan should be too.

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