As a (former) Florida girl, I grew up running on very flat surfaces {think beach & Highway A1A}. It wasn’t until I moved to DC that I really started to consistently train on hills. Even though hill workouts hurt, I love how I feel during, and most importantly, after the run. I feel strong, powerful, and prepared. {I’m not sure I’ll feel that way on Mile 21 of the Boston Marathon – but that’s for another post}
Hills have a tendency to scare people. My hubs, for one. Hills are intimidating because they take more work than running on a flat surface. “You have to recruit more muscle fibers to get yourself up the hill, which causes those muscles to fatigue faster,” says Carwyn Sharp, Ph.D., assistant professor of exercise science at the College of Charleston in South Carolina*. BJ mostly tries to avoid my hill workouts – but once I get him motivated, we really push each other up each hill {BJ keeps me honest about my speed & drive up the hill}
Running hills is hugely beneficial to runners. “Do it week after week, and your body begins to adapt to the stresses,” says Sharp. “In other words, it gets stronger.” In preparation for Hood to Coast I’ve added {more} hills into my running routine. And even with my lack of running, due to the PF word, I feel stronger each week.
This is my favorite hill workout, one I made-up based on what’s available to me. Try this workout, or something similar, to increase your speed and make you stronger:
1.5 mile warm-up (this is the distance it takes me to get to my “favorite” hill) – run at a normal pace
7x400m hills (sprint the uphill)
30 seconds rest
Alternate 10 push-ups/10 burpees (between each hill)
Run down the hill
Repeat
1.5 mile cool-down
Hit the Hills with perfect form*:
1. Drive hard with your arms
Increase your armswing as if you’re pulling yourself quickly up a rope.
2. Press forward with your hips
As you run up, think about pressing your hips into the hill to avoid bending at the waist.
3. Run with high knees
This will help increase your stride rate and further help you maintain good posture.
4. Spring up from your toes
Push off your toes to create an upward lift that will help propel you forward.
*Source: Runner’s World magazine
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I love, love, love training on hills! PS before Boston make sure you train how to run DOWN hills…last year, I was all set for the ups and woefully unprepared for the downs!
I try to work hills into my runs (which isn't too hard in Arlington) but I don't usually plan specific hill workouts. Definitely something I should try! Maybe I can meet you at your favorite hill sometime? 🙂
I hate hills, but I usually find a way to power up them in races…I am consciously trying to add more hills into my training for my marathon because I know there will be a few killers on the route. I like that workout you posted, it seems intense, but satisfying!
I have been missing hill workouts so bad! one of my biggest accomplishments when I first started training was a hill workout that went like this:
3 mi warm up
1min up hill sprint (6:40 pace) SO HARD!!!!
jog back recovery,
2min sprint, 3min, 4min….
then 4min, 3min, 2 min, 1 min..
I wanted to die after the first set but my coach was pacing me and somehow I finished…was the hardest workout I ever did and I really think I saw HUGE improvements from that workout alone:):)
Thank you for that workout! I love the idea of pushups between the repeats!
Don't fear the Boston hills. Don't go out too fast and you'll be fine. It's their placement more than anything else that makes them challenging.
Train for downhill, strengthen your quads and youre golden!
I am SO bad at running hills, I think a snail could climb a hill faster than me. This workout looks awesome though, I'll have to try it some time!
I love hill training and luckily there are a lot of hills around my house!
I have no choice but to run hills around where I live! Great workout, I love the idea of tossing in some burpees or push-ups in between each hill!
So needed this. R u still in dc btw? I am coming for a visit labor day weekend and planning a blogger run and brunch
Have you tackled the Water Reed hill from Four Mile Run Dr.? (Right by Shirlington?) That is the scariest hill I've seen during my time in Arlington! And no, I never ran it, I always ran by it, when I used to run from the Shirlington path into the (very shaded and pretty but short) Barcroft trail.
I love hills even though I am no longer good at running them 😛
Where I live, it is super flat though hills are a fairly short drive away.
Couldn't agree more about increased stride rate. I was always a hunched over hill runner until training for NYC last year, I switched to ensuring my stride was quick when going up hills and its made a huge, huge difference.