You often hear about short trail races, trail marathons, or ultra trails… but what are the real differences? If you want to better understand the categories of trail running, choose your goals, or build a suitable training plan, you're in the right place. Here's a clear and simple overview of the different trail formats, from the most accessible to the most extreme.
Short Trail: Accessible and Intense
Distance: Generally under 30 km
Sometimes called a discovery trail or short trail, it’s the ideal entry point to discover the sport.
Characteristics:
- Fast profile: often more runnable, with moderate elevation gain.
- Less planning required: you don’t need to carry much gear.
- Ideal for beginners: you can start with little experience, especially if you already run on the road.
Check out all our tips for getting started with trail running in our dedicated article: How to start trail running? You can also find our 12-week training plan for a short trail (14km to 30km) by clicking here.
2. Trail Marathon: Long-Distance Effort in Nature
Distance: Around 42 km, with significant elevation
It’s the equivalent of a road marathon, but in a mountain or natural terrain, often more technical and demanding.
Characteristics:
- Long effort: requires a solid race and nutrition strategy.
- Variable technicality: a mix of runnable paths, single tracks, and steep sections.
- Serious preparation required: this is no longer just a casual run — a solid endurance base is necessary.
3. Ultra Trail: The Long-Haul Adventure
Distance: Over 50 km, sometimes up to 100, 160 km… or more!
Ultra trail is a discipline of its own, going beyond pure athletic performance. It is a mental, physical, and logistical challenge.
Characteristics:
- Effort management over tens of hours
- Night stages or even multi-day events.
- Massive elevation gain and varied conditions (altitude, weather…).
- Partial or complete autonomy: you need to manage your nutrition, sleep, and gear.
It’s the hallmark format of legendary races like the UTMB, the GRP, or the
