Hill Running
By
Chris Graff
of
Trackcoach.com
Many runners dread hills and do anything to exclude major
inclines from their daily athletics. This is understandable, however
it may not be the best strategy for several reasons.
First, most road or cross-country races have some kind of
hill in them since the there are few places to run that are
perfectly flat besides a track. A runner who has not prepared for
the hills in the course will find him/herself at a decided
disadvantage, because they have not built the muscles needed to
conquer the hill and have not worked on running hills efficiently.
One of two things is likely to happen. Either the unprepared runner
will be passed going up the hill because he/she is struggling, or,
the runner will strain to stay with the group going up the hill and
find themselves exhausted at the top and, once again, will be
passed. Since being passed is decidedly bad, this is an area for
runners to work on.
The second reason for running hills is that the leg
strength you gain from hill work will translate into speed on
flatter courses. There is a saying that hills are speedwork in
disguise. What is meant is that the exaggerated leg action that the
body uses to climb a hill is the same type of motion that is used
when we try to run quickly. Thus running up a hill at any speed
builds the same muscles utilized in sprinting. However running up a
hill causes less impact than sprinting does, which means there is
less chance of getting injured on the uphill than on the
flats.
So now that we know the importance of hill running, what
should be done about it? First you can incorporate hills into your
daily runs or especially into your long run of the week. This is a
great way to get extra fitness without dedicating extra time to it.
Second, you can find a hill near you that is between 100 and 800
meters long and run repeats up it. Run up the hill at a pace that
leaves you tired but not exhausted at the top and then slowly jog
down it for a rest. When you get to the bottom don’t stop, just turn
right back around and make it one continuous run. It is definitely
advisable to find a soft surface to do your repeats on if possible.
Either a dirt path or grass would be the best surfaces to run on.
The soft surfaces provide for less impact on the tendons and bones,
especially when you are jogging back down hill.
Hill training is something that all levels of runners can
take advantage of since you get from it whatever you are able to put
in, and nearly every elite athlete will tell you that regular hill
running is an essential part of their program.
