Have you incorporated dedicated hill training into your running practice? If not, you're probably missing out on the wide range of benefits that come from the occasional thigh-burning sesh.
How often we do hill sessions usually depends on what we’re training for. One hill session per week should be plenty for most, along with some hilly runs throughout the week. I tend to do one hill rep session per week, a hilly tempo run, then hilly runs in general. But once the racing season arrives in summer I usually do a longer hill rep session, plus a shorter, faster one per week.
Meet the expert
Natalie White is a former English and British fell running champion who’s competed in some of Europe’s greatest hill and mountain races. She now uses her 25 years of experience to coach athletes.
Hill session ideas
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A good short, fast session is 10-12 x 1 minute, with jog back or 90 second recoveries.
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Another short one is 8 x 2 minutes, with jog back or 90 second recoveries (if you’re lucky enough to live near a big hill the recoveries can be walking uphill)
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An effective long session is 3 x 10 minutes (at a slower pace), with 90 second to 2 minutes recovery
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An alternative long session is 20-30 minutes of continuously running up and down a hill which takes 2-3 minutes to run up.
Uphill running form
Good running form all depends on the type of hill, whether it’s a good gradient to run or to hike. If you’re running uphill you’ll usually be on your toes, with your head up, driving your arms. You’ll also want a good leg lift.
Run or hike?
In a lot of long, hilly races you’ll need to make a call on which hills to run and which to hike. There will come a point where running up the hill becomes false economy, expending a lot of energy on moving not much more quickly than hiking. And you’ll pay the price later. It’s all about the gradient of the hill. For example, a hill of 40% would be more efficient to hike. A hill with a relatively gradual gradient you can more than likely run; but the steeper the hill, the more efficient it is to hike.
Technique
Place your hands just above the knees, pushing down. Not on the actual middle of the quad as lots of people do. This will have the opposite effect, because you’re then actually pushing your leg back in to the ground.
Downhill running
Can you train to make yourself better at running downhill? Yes, of course. Confidence and practice will always make a difference. I used to do downhill reps at the end of a session in the off-season to get my legs used to it. They would only be short reps, around 30 seconds. I wouldn’t do downhill reps in the main season. But you can practise downhill technique efficiently in any downhill runs. You don’t want to be running hard downhill all the time, as this breaks down muscle fibres quickly and you’ll end up with sore legs.
Downhill running tips
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Be confident in your ability.
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Lean slightly forward (depending on the gradient of the hill), look a couple of metres ahead and not at your feet (or you’ll fall over).
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Try to pick a line down a trail, without too much weaving around.
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Use your arms as brakes. You’ll see people looking like a windmill waving their arms all over the place. This is helping them to stay in control, so you don’t have to use your legs as brakes all the time, which will break down the muscle fibres.
Running efficiently
How do you avoid hammering quads in long races? It’s all about running efficiently. I trot down most hills, taking my time, eating and drinking. Taking a breather every now and again to stretch out your legs can also help.
Training on small hills
Even if you don’t live near big hills or mountains, you can still train for them.
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Do continuous hills, up and down the same hill of any size for between 20 and 30 minutes.
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Shorter hill reps. Even a hill that only takes 30 seconds to run up can be effective.
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You can use the treadmill for hill reps too. Crank up the incline for a timed interval, then recover back on the flat.
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If you can incorporate some time to travel to hillier areas for a longer, hilly run, this will make a big difference.
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Cross training can also be effective in building your hill fitness. Nordic skiing, ski touring are great, and biking is good for the legs with no impact.
Hill training makes you a stronger runner
Being strong on hills makes the difference between winning and losing races. Last year at the Annecy 15km race in France, I tried so hard on the climbs that my legs were tired for the downhill, which is my speciality. However, being passed on the descent didn’t mean I gave up – I just trotted down the final descent hoping my legs would recover for the final 1.5km flat to the finish. They did, and I managed to take back the lead!
Run 1000 Miles this year
Every year, we host our annual Run 1000 Miles Challenge. It's one of our favourite ways to get people on the trails, and signing up gives you access to lots of benefits, including 15% off of all running gear at Sportsshoes.com.
So, for any of you who haven't already signed up to run 1000 miles this year, go for it and start your trail running journey. Then, don't forget to use your new discount on a pair of tough trail running shoes to take your running off-road for good.