TRAINING PLANS
The 15 questions every trail runner should be asking themselves before their next race
There are many reasons why I love trail running over any other type of running. The main one is because of its varying levels of complexity. The puzzle that must come together. The sheer amount of things that you need to get right to have a successful race and accomplish what you want. So with…
Pre-race checklist #4 – Mental preparation
Preparation goes beyond just looking at a map! Here are all the things you should prepare in the lead-up to your next ultra or trail race!
Pre-race checklist #3 – Recovery from training
What signs has your body given you in the past few weeks that you haven’t paid enough attention to? What areas of the body are most likely to take a hit on race day? Is there still time to work on making sure those areas are ready to go on race day? (e.g. strength work,…
Pre-race checklist #2 – Race-Day Specifics
This is one of the most important facets to training, especially in the three to six weeks before an event. Making it more race-specific is usually best, especially in a couple of key training sessions per week. This goes with practicing your nutrition at race pace/effort, getting on terrain that is similar enough (or maybe…
Pre-race checklist #1 – Fuelling & Nutrition
A – Have you figured out what fuelling options work best for you in training? Have you tested your carb and sodium levels to see what works best for your body? And at similar enough lengths to your event? I ask every question you need to consider about fuelling and nutrition prior to your next…
Squamish 50K – Training Plan
The Squamish 50K is one of the biggest and best events in any calendar year inside Canada’s trail and ultra running scene. It’s a demanding course with varying terrain, significant elevation change, and a steep history rooted in competition. So with that, I’m releasing a trail 50K training plan for intermediate / advanced runners to…
Ultra-Trail Harricana 42K – Training Plan
The UTHC 42K is one of the biggest and best events in any calendar year inside Canada’s trail and ultra running scene. It’s a beautiful course with varying terrain, mixing and matching runnable sections with technical mud and steep climbs, and typically quite competitive. This training plan can also go hand-and-hand with a different, 42K…
Quebec Mega Trail 50K – Training Plan
The Quebec Mega Trail 50K is one of the biggest and best events in any calendar year inside Canada’s trail and ultra running scene. It’s an incredibly demanding course with both steep mountains and steep competition, making it a premium feature on the World Trail Majors and often National Championship circuit. This training plan includes:…
Sulphur Springs 50K – Training Plan
Sulphur Springs is one of the biggest and best events in any calendar year inside Canada’s trail and ultra running scene. It’s an incredibly runnable race with several distances to choose from, making it accessible to road and trail runners alike. This training plan includes: A log for you to track your runs and cross-training,…
STRENGTH ROUTINES
“Le Fun” – Rhys’s Strength & Mobility Routines
This strength and mobility routine is designed for runners looking for the most bang for their buck when it comes to strength and mobility.
“Le Duh” – Rhys’s Strength & Mobility Routines
This strength and mobility routine is designed to target the areas most in need of priming when it comes to trail running.
“Look Good Feel Good” – Rhys’s Strength & Mobility Routines
This strength and mobility routine is designed to give you the confidence to strut your stuff on the trails – looking good and feeling good in the process.
“Mountain Mama” – Rhys’s Strength & Mobility Routines
This strength and mobility routine is designed to target the areas most in need of priming when it comes to mountain running, better preparing you for technical terrain, and all the ascending/descending that goes into big mountain races.
Trail Running – Coaching
80$ CAD per month! – The best price in 🍁
I work with runners of all abilities, helping you take your potential to the next level, while enjoying your time on the trails in the process.
I come from a decade of coaching experience, and two decades of running experience at the high-end of the sport. I’m a part-time professional trail runner for XACT Nutrition, competing in the top 1% globally.
I care about your development not only as an athlete, but as a person. I understand that running is one of only many things going on in your life and work to help you put the puzzle together.
This includes…
✅ An adaptive training plan based on what actually happens in your life and the specific needs of YOUR body.
✅ Feedback and open dialogue on every single training run and race.
✅ All-in-one strength, mobility and run coaching.
✅ Expert insights and advice into nutrition, recovery, and racing, for all levels.
WEEKLY TRAINING PLAN, DAILY FEEDBACK
Get a weekly training plan that can change based on the demands of your busy life, while receiving actionable coaching feedback after every training run. Grow into your ultimate potential as a trail runner while enjoying the process along the way!
I WORK WITH…
✅ Professional and elite trail runners competing for podium finishes and national team places.
✅ Busy moms and dads with demanding schedules that still want to show up strong and reinforce their love of running.
✅ Post-collegiate athletes making the transition into road running or trail running careers.
✅ Athletes working toward their first 50K, marathon, or trail race.
Reach out to Rhys!
Think I can help? Reach out for a free 45-minute consultation call.
You can also follow me and my work on social media:
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Why Rhys?
I come from a decade of coaching experience, and two decades of running experience at the high-end of the sport. I’m a part-time professional trail runner for XACT Nutrition, competing in the biggest races in Canada.
I have also worked with professional athletes, coaches and clubs through my sports performance consultation on TheMastermindSite.com, and love helping people improve their craft.
MENTAL SKILLS
Specializing in…
-> Positive psychology
-> Perfectionism
-> Confidence
-> Life outside of running
SPORTS PERFORMANCE
-> Speed development
-> Trail-specific development
-> Optimal training and optimal recovery strategies for your unique make-up
Do you want to?
-> Gain expert insights into fuelling, pacing, training and the mental side of performance?
-> Have a training plan tailored to your body and the specifics of your next race?
-> Become a SMARTER and faster runner on the trails?
-> Improve your strength and injury resilience, while prioritizing your long-term development?
-> Take your untapped potential to the next level?
Current Location: North Vancouver, BC
Brand: XACT Nutrition
Distances: Short-Trail / 50K / Sub-Ultra
Strava: Rhys Desmond | Profile
UltraSignup: Results
ITRA: Results
2025
4️⃣ Javelina Jackass 31K
4️⃣ Trail Coureur des Bois de Duchesnay 34K
6️⃣ Ultra-Trail Harricana 28K
🔟 Gorge Waterfalls 30K
☑️ Quebec Mega Trail 50K – National Championships
2024
🥇 Sulphur Springs 20K
🥈 Ultra-Trail Harricana 42K Classique
7️⃣ Quebec Mega Trail 50K
9️⃣ Gorge Waterfalls 50K
⏸️ Squamish 50K – National Championships
2023
🥇 The Bad Thing 50K
🥈 Falling Water Trail Marathon 42K
🥉 Sulphur Springs 50K
UTMB: UTMB Index
2026 Racing Plan:
⏭️ Run Ridge Run 25K ✅
⏭️ Vancouver Sun Run 10K ✅
⏭️ Trail des Collines 16K ✅
⏭️ Whistler Half Marathon 21K
⏭️ Alpenglow 35K
⏭️ Elphinstone Ascent 7K
⏭️ Squamish 23K ✅
⏭️ UTHC 30K ✅
⏭️ Canadian Championships – Vertical 7K & Classic Mountain 10.5K ✅
Race-Day Mantra:
✅ Be smart.
✅ Work hard.
✅ Have fun.
Weekly Newsletter
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Rhys Desmond 