PERFORMANCE


RUNNING HILLS


Running hills is not something many runners look forward to. Lung-burning, thigh-searing, energy-sapping are common descriptions of how it feels. Yet by incorporating hill running in your training you can not only improve your ability to run hills, you will improve your running efficiency, develop strength, power and elasticity in your muscles and improve your stride frequency and length when you are running on the flat. All good reasons to make hill running an important part of your training. Each week include one of the sessions mentioned below and watch your times improve. Follow these top tips to make running hills something to love!


maintain your stride frequency. In order to do this you will need to shorten your stride length, the steeper the hill the shorter your stride should be.


1


will translate into a more efficient technique when you run on the flat. The steeper the hill the more you should lift your knees. Imagine you are a puppet on a string and the puppeteer is lifting your knees upright.


2


effectively and develops more spring in your step. On a steep hill your heels should barely (if at all) touch the ground. Instead of trying to push off strongly with your calves with each stride, focus on your foot flicking backwards, driving your body forwards and upwards.


3


4 5


USE YOUR ARMS Using your arms to help drive your legs will increase your uphill


running speed. The backwards movement of the arm creates far more power than the forwards movement so focus on driving one arm backwards as your opposite leg swings forward.


KEEP UPRIGHT Leaning forward and looking down at your feet places your body in a less powerful running position so look


26 n RUNNING FREE


LAND ON YOUR FOREFOOT Landing on your forefoot loads your calves and Achilles tendon more


LIFT YOUR KNEES Actively lifting your knees creates more drive as you run uphill and


SHORTEN YOUR STRIDE To maintain good running efficiency as you run uphill it is important to


straight ahead and avoid the tendency to hunch forward by keeping your body upright. Keeping this upright position will open up the airways, allowing more air into the lungs (and they’ll need it!)


TREAD LIGHTLY ON THE WAY DOWN By landing on your mid to forefoot and taking small strides you can learn to run downhill quickly without subjecting your thighs and shins to the braking forces that occur when you over-stride and your foot slaps into the ground. To increase your pace lengthen your stride and to slow down shorten it. You should always be in control of your legs so if you feel like they are beginning to run away from you shorten your stride.


6


maximum pace. Ensure the hill is short enough that you can maintain good running technique for the entire hill. Walk or very slowly jog back down and repeat six to 10 times. The rest period should be at least twice as long as the time taken to sprint up. As the focus here is on speed and technique ensure adequate rest to prevent fatigue from affecting the quality of the session.


7 8


HILL REPEATS FOR ENDURANCE


Choose a hill that will take three to


five minutes to run up and run up it at around 90 percent effort, jog back down and repeat four to six times. Each repeat should take approximately the same time. The rest period should be roughly


HILL REPEATS FOR SPEED Pick a hill around 100 to 200 metres long and sprint up it at almost


the same as the work period so if it takes three minutes to run up then allow three minutes to run back down.


running uphill can. Technique is far more important than fitness to be a good downhill runner and good technique requires practice. Choose a hill that takes approximately three to five minutes to run up, and then run up it at a comfortable pace. On the way down quicken the stride and increase the speed. Repeat four to six times with each successive downhill effort faster than the previous one. Focus on a quick turnover and light landing on the mid-foot. This session is easy on the lungs but hard on the legs so choose a gentle slope to begin with and progress to steeper slopes as your legs become accustomed.


9 10


CONTINUOUS HILL REPEATS Simply choose a hilly route that


takes 10 to 15 minutes and work hard but not flat out uphill and quickly but lightly downhill. Focus on maintaining a constant effort throughout the entire run and not slowing down to recover at the top of each hill. After a short rest of three to five minutes repeat two to three more times. The aim is to maintain the same speed for each repeat. This will prepare you for a hilly course in a race.


ANDY DUBOIS Andy is an elite ultramarathon runner and a qualified Personal Trainer and Exercise Coach www.andydubois. blogspot.com, andydubois@hotmail.co.uk.


DOWNHILL REPEATS Running downhill effectively can save you just as much time as


FOR


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48  |  Page 49  |  Page 50  |  Page 51  |  Page 52  |  Page 53  |  Page 54  |  Page 55  |  Page 56  |  Page 57  |  Page 58  |  Page 59  |  Page 60  |  Page 61  |  Page 62  |  Page 63  |  Page 64