Effectively running hills....

I hate running hills, they literally suck the wind out of me, even though I train hills, and run hills specifically to defeat the hills!!!

So, of course I took to the googlesphere and found some tips and tricks I am going to try out on my next run....
                                                               

Helpful hints via Runners World
  1. Don't ATTACK the hill which is what I generally do. Maintain your effort level so you don't waste energy and end up out of breath at the top of the hill
  2. As you start uphill, shorten your stride. Don’t try to maintain the pace you were running on the flat.
  3. You are aiming for equal effort going up as well as down, not equal pace. Trying to maintain the pace you were running on the flat will leave you exhausted later in the race or session.
  4. Take ‘baby steps’ if necessary and try to keep the same turnover rhythm that you had on the flat ground.
  5. Your posture should be upright – don’t lean forward or back – your head, shoulders and back should form a straight line over the feet. Keep your feet low to the ground.
  6. If your breathing begins to quicken it means that you’re either going too fast, over-striding or bounding too far off the ground as you run.
  7. Use a light, ankle-flicking push-off with each step, not an explosive motion, which will waste energy. If the hill is long or the gradient increases, keep shortening your stride to maintain a smooth and efficient breathing pattern. If the gradient decreases, extend your stride again. Try to maintain the same steady effort and breathing throughout.
  8. In a race, or when you’re training on a undulating course, run through the top of the hill. Don’t crest the hill and immediately slow down or pull back on your effort.
  9. Accelerate gradually into the downhill. 
Downhill
Most runners make one or two obvious mistakes when running downhill. They either sprint, which causes severe muscle soreness later on, or they’re so hesitant to surrender to gravity that they’re constantly braking, which fatigues the quadriceps muscles. The optimum pace is somewhere in between. Try not to let your feet slap on the ground when you are running downhill. Step lightly and don’t reach out with your feet. Slapping can be a sign of weak muscles in the shin area, in which case you need to strengthen them. To help your downhill technique, follow these simple tips:
  • Try to visualize gravity pulling you down the hill.
  • Try to maintain an upright body posture, keeping your torso perpendicular to the horizontal.
  • Keep your feet close to the ground for maximum control, and land lightly.
  • As you increase your pace, emphasize quicker turnover rather than longer strides, though your strides can be slightly longer than normal.
  • The key to efficient downhill running is to stay in control. When you start, keep your stride slightly shortened and let your turnover increase. When you feel in control, gradually lengthen your stride.
  • If you start to run out of control when descending, shorten your stride until you feel you are back in control again.
 This was some great information for me and I hope it is for you too! 

Comments

  1. Since I have been doing Chi Running I have not had any problems with hills.

    I agree, lean a bit into it, and pump your arms more, and shorten the stride. If it gets so steep that you need to run on your toes then turn and sideways it up and alternate from side to side.

    Great post!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks for the comment and Thanks for the tips! I am getting better at them...

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  2. Awesome tips, all of these I have tried and they work...great article..thanks for sharing!

    ReplyDelete
  3. I dislike hills - great tips, as I need to start liking them!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. So do I...and hills and I are slowing starting to be friends:)

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