What is a good first trail running goal?

Running one trail route a week for a month. It gets your ankles and your eyes used to uneven ground. After that, aim for 10 km on trail, then a first short race.

Should I count distance or metres climbed?

Both. Distance alone hides the hills, and climbing alone hides the long flat runs. If you only want one number, use time on your feet.

Is walking allowed in a trail running goal?

Yes. Walking steep climbs is normal in trail running, even in races. Set your goal as a distance or a climb to complete, not as a pace to hold, and walking never breaks it.

25 trail running goals for distance, vertical metres and first races

Updated October 1, 2026

Wall of bricks rising as metres climbed on trail runs are added up

On trails, pace tells you very little, because one hill can double your time. Good trail running goals count something else: kilometres, metres climbed, time on your feet or runs done. Here are 25 examples, from a first 5 km on dirt to a 50 km ultra. Pick one, and count both distance and climbing.

Trail running goals for beginners

A first trail goal is about getting used to rough ground, not about speed.

Run one trail route a week for a month.
Run 5 km on trails.
Walk every steep climb on purpose, and run the rest.
Run 10 km on trails.
Finish one run with 300 m of climbing.

Trail running distance goals

Distance on trail is slower and harder than on the road, so the numbers look smaller for the same work. For pace-based targets on tarmac, see marathon goals.

Run a trail half marathon of 21 km.
Run 30 km on trail in one outing.
Run 100 km on trails in a month.
Finish a first 50 km ultra.
Run 1,000 km on trails in a year.

Trail running climbing goals

Climbing goals count metres gained, which is the real currency of mountain running. You can also earn them at walking speed, which is what hiking goals do.

Climb 1,000 m in one run.
Repeat one hill until you have climbed 500 m.
Climb 5,000 m in a month.
Climb 8,848 m, the height of Everest, in a month.
Climb 50,000 m in a year. That is about 1,000 m a week.

Trail running skill goals

Skill goals are about how you move over the ground, and you can practise them on every run.

Run one long downhill without braking hard.
Use poles on every climb for a month.
Drink 500 ml an hour on every long run.
Run once at night with a head torch.
Hold an effort you could talk at for a 2 hour run.

Trail race goals and season challenges

A race puts a date on the training, and a day-count challenge keeps you going out between races.

Finish a first trail race of 10 to 15 km.
Run trails on 12 weekends in one season.
Run 3 days a week for 12 weeks.
Finish a race with 2,000 m of climbing.
Do two long runs on back to back days.

What is a good trail running goal?

A good trail running goal counts something the terrain cannot spoil. Pace does not work: the same effort can be 5 minutes a kilometre on a flat path and 12 on a steep climb. Distance, metres climbed and time on your feet all hold up.

Make it specific. A review of 35 years of goal research found that specific, hard goals lead to higher performance than being told to do your best. And make part of it about skill: a review of 27 studies in sport found that process goals, the ones about how you perform, had the largest effect on performance.

Then cut it up. 50,000 m of climbing in a year sounds like a mountain range. It is about 1,000 m a week, and breaking a big goal into small ones is how it gets done.

How to track trail running goals

Track two totals, kilometres and metres climbed, because a trail run is both. A review of 138 studies found that people who monitored their progress reached their goals more often, and that writing it down beat keeping it in your head.

Both totals are amounts you add to after each run. Runs per week are a day count. Walking the steep parts still counts, the same as in most walking challenge ideas.

A season of climbing is easier to believe when you can see it. A picture that fills up with every run turns 1,000 m a week into something you watch grow.

Frequently asked questions

What is a good first trail running goal?: Running one trail route a week for a month. It gets your ankles and your eyes used to uneven ground. After that, aim for 10 km on trail, then a first short race.
Should I count distance or metres climbed?: Both. Distance alone hides the hills, and climbing alone hides the long flat runs. If you only want one number, use time on your feet.
Is walking allowed in a trail running goal?: Yes. Walking steep climbs is normal in trail running, even in races. Set your goal as a distance or a climb to complete, not as a pace to hold, and walking never breaks it.