How to Use the Planner

×

1. Set Your Race Goals

Enter the Race Name, the fixed Duration of the event (e.g., 24 Hours), your Goal Distance, and the official Loop Length.

2. Choose Your Pacing Strategy

This is the core of your plan. Select one of two common methods:

• By Lap: A simple and effective strategy. For example, run 3 laps, then walk 1 lap to recover.
• By Time: A classic run/walk interval. For example, run for 8 minutes, then walk for 2 minutes. The calculator will determine how this pattern plays out over each lap.

3. Set Aid Station Defaults

Enter how often you plan to stop (e.g., every 3 laps) and the *default* duration for those stops (e.g., 5 minutes). You can change specific stop times later.

4. Calculate and Interact

Click "Generate Plan." The results table will appear. You can now edit the time for any "Aid Stop" row directly in the table to create a more detailed, personalized plan.

The Science Behind Your Plan

×

Your plan is not based on simple averages. It's the result of a sophisticated simulation that finds the exact pace required to meet your goals.

Factor	Description
Goal-Seeking Algorithm	The calculator runs dozens of full-race simulations. It intelligently adjusts the starting pace until it finds the one precise effort level that allows you to hit your goal distance at the exact moment the race duration ends.
Pace Fading	A key to realistic ultra planning. The model applies a progressive slowdown to your pace based on the hours you've been running, simulating natural fatigue. A 24-hour race will have a more significant fade than a 6-hour race.
Run/Walk Ratio	Your chosen strategy (e.g., run 3 / walk 1) is precisely factored into the time calculation for every single lap, ensuring the simulation is true to your plan.

Interactive Aid Station Stops

×

Not all aid station stops are equal. A quick water top-up is different from a longer stop at night to change gear and eat a proper meal. This planner is designed to handle that reality.

How it Works:

After you generate your plan, simply click on the time in any "Aid Stop" row in the results table. You can type in a new duration (e.g., `00:10:00` for a 10-minute stop).

The Magic: The moment you change a stop time, the planner instantly re-runs the entire race simulation. It automatically recalculates the run/walk paces for all subsequent laps, making them slightly faster to compensate for the longer break, ensuring you still hit your goal distance exactly on time.