Why should you pay attention to hill running at all? There are many reasons and not only hill runners but also die-hard flat runners can benefit from them. Let‘s talk about proper technique and how to train hill running.
In summary, running uphill has a great effect of strengthening important muscles and protecting you from injury.
For most runners, the other benefits of a hill training will also be important. The muscle engagement is slightly different than when you run on flat ground, and if you are not used to hills at all, then it is very difficult to expect to perform well on them. As well as improving your physique, hill running helps you build mental resilience. Inclines are public enemy number one for many runners, and by regularly completing a course with an undulating terrain you will teach your body and mind to overcome this challenge with much greater ease.
How to run hills during a long run?
The key to success is to slow down the pace and not to try to sprint the hill with all you have. You could run out of strength unexpectedly fast and in the best case a strain will surely kill you off for the rest of the route. Therefore, it is much better to set a speed and intensity that you are comfortable with. Then, as you approach the horizon, it is important to start picking up speed again so that at the horizon you are running as you were before the climb began. This way, you won’t tire yourself out unnecessarily on the climb, and you‘ll also save a huge amount of time compared to a scenario where you would only start accelerating after the climb ends.
A special case occurs when running in terrain where the hill is too steep. In such a situation, don’t be afraid to switch to walking. The speed will be comparable to if you were running, but energetically there is a huge difference in favour of walking. There’s no shame in walking uphill and you’ll commonly see this even in top mountain runners. In steep passages it is not a bad idea to use your hands. You can use them to brace your thighs just above the knees, which is great for spreading the load over the whole body. On mountain trails, runners like to use trekking and running poles, which can also make the climb much easier.
How to train hill running?
The ideal form of training is a repeated run up a hill with a resting phase in the form of a walk or jog back down. The length of the hill, its incline, and the number of repetitions are very individual.
For a hill training to make sense, it is good if the average gradient is steep enough but still runnable. A two-percent incline or a thirty-degree slope does not meet these conditions.
In most cases, a slope of between six and twelve percent and a length of hundreds of metres will work best. A five hundred metre hill with an elevation gain of 40 to 60 metres is a good example. Try to run up the hill in such a way, which will give you a good workout, but where you will also be able to repeat your performance several times.
A stairs running is also a popular alternative. However, few people have a sufficiently steep and long staircase around for such a training to have a proper effect. But if you are one of the lucky ones, then you can also include more varied workouts such as running up one or two or three stairs, or hopping on one leg.
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