In 2026, it is still very doable to become a pro trail runner. You need only 3 things. Time to train and recover. Money to support it. Growing knowledge of training, nutrition and lifestyle.
You know trail running races are so varying, that finding your nitch and pairing it up with your genetics are still very much doable. You can become an extremely high level athlete from zero to hero in just a couple of years. Of course, we don't talk about somebody with family and full time job. More likely about somebody who has this goal, works part time or not at all, no family yet. Support from girlfriend and parents or some odd occupation like trading and investments that give you a ton of time.
Cycling, mountainbiking and strength and conditioning are still not exploited to it's maximum. These are the things that can bring you trail running success on the short race. Of course running will be it on the long one, but we talked about 4 5 years of time.
If you learned to do pilates and other forms of deep reinforcing, relaxing and stretching. You got your nutrition right and can sleep eterneties every single night, you already are good. If you got some swimming going on in sea water summer time and sauna winter time, or maybe even cross country skiing, that is a plus. Why swimming ? After running, it is the cheapest sport. What you need is a pair of googles. I used to do lifeguard training. Most people don't even know about these training methods. Like doing long intervals of: front crawl, over head front crowl, dive 5m deep, 20sec under water swim, side scull, egg beaters, repeat.
Why do I always talk about cross training ? Especially when you are starting out ? It is simple. To somebody who never ran, I started out just 4 months ago, you prescribe 35hours of training with 20 to 25hours of running, they won't be able to complete one single week. Not even half a week ! However, the only way to catch up lads that are 100times fitter than you, is to outwork them. The only way to outwork is smart work.
You must put in the time. You can spend time on the foam roller to recover. You can use power breathe to reinforce your diaphragm and do breathing training like o2/co2 tables and do strength routines. Bike, ski and slow walking have no impact either. If you can have a good treadmill and a stationary bike, maybe a rowing machine and a ski erg, those will be your friends too. 30 to 35 hours of training is so easy. There is 168hours in a week. You just need enjoyment, commitment and a good plan.
Wake up every day, you hop on your indoor bike for 1h with a big bottle of water containing some sugar, some electrolytes. Your podcast and earplugs are ready. This is just to hydrate and refuel the body. Easy riding. Once your blood is flowing, you are down, you do your rolling, mobility, flexbility and activations. Depending on the day, 2hours of training is already in the bank before breakfast. This is so easy and so good for you, that you can do it 7 times a week. If you had immediate access to a pool, you can even do aqua jogging and water exercises. I used to work in a pool, often starting at 6am. I could come in a 4:30 in the morning to do some gentle training and use the sauna afterwards all, before work.
Then you know, you can nap a little, prepare food for the day and keep up with the paper work. You again do some activations and mobility, special land drills and special activations. 30minutes of jogging at an increasing pace. Do your run session, with 10minutes of cooldown at the end. Arrive to a nice football field and finish off with 20minutes of barefoot walking. As you ease into your routine after months, that will become a barefoot jog.
In the afternoon, you can go for a bike ride and an evening nordic walk. After dinner, you go on the roller, stretch down and stary calm. Read a good book and go to bed.
That is it. A 5 to 8hour training day is easy done. Back in the day when there was a 20hour bike strava challenge, I used to do it in a day and a half. Riding 15 hours on day one and next day 5am till 10 am. Done. No impact, loads of food and mobility after wards. Especially for my back.
Easy. Keep on going.
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