As someone who regularly runs round Hastings you have to get used to running up and down hills. I actually welcome hills when it comes to a race, it could be why I actually enjoy going up Harley Shute or Queensway at the Hastings Half Marathon! I often get asked how can you make running up hills hurt less and on the flip side how can you run down hill effectively. So here are my top tips!
First of all, the reason why we struggle with any elevation is that our body is pushing its limits further than on the flat. Your heart rate will be increasing and your body is fighting to utilise oxygen more efficiently (VO2 max). So in essence, if you want to improve your VO2 max scores, you need to hit the hills.
Now you know what the benefit of hills is, how do you make it hurt less?
Running Up-Hill
Adjust your form: It may feel like you are doing high knee drills, but keep a high knee drive and shorten your stride so you are taking quick strides up the hill, pushing off your toes to get up there. You should avoid slumping forwards and looking down at your feet, so I recommend keep yourself tall and focus on the hill 5-10 metres in front of you.
Limit your effort: Hills are essentially speedwork in disguise, so if you go off too hard too soon, you are going to struggle to get to the top. Track your breathing as your going up the hill, as like I said previously your body is working harder, so while you may be slowing your pace, your body is working just as hard.
Change your mindset: The less time you spend mentally fighting against the hill, the more physical energy you have to overcome the hill, plus what comes up must come down, so the just think once you have completed the hill an easier part of the race is coming! If the hill is at the end of the race… you have post-race drinks and chat to look forward to!
Practice, Practice, Practice: Like with any weakness, you need to work on it and eventually it will become easier and maybe even become a strength. You can do hill sprints, a fartlek, or incorporate hills/undulations into your easy runs and the more you do, the easier it will get!
Strengthen your glutes & hamstrings: Strong muscles in your legs will act like springs, having you bouncing up those hills! Incorporate moves like Romanian deadlifts and Glute Bridges or plyometric exercises into your strength and conditioning routines and you’ll definitely see a difference running up hill.
Running Down-Hill
This is an area I know I need to practice more as I am much quicker going up than coming down, but a lot of people don’t practice or train for down hill runs at all.
Lean forward – This needs to be from your hip and not from your shoulders, this means your centre of mass is in front of you as you are running and you can use gravity to your advantage – while also keeping good form! (Avoid Braking – This is when you are leaning back often because it may feel safer while on a descent. This can cause you to land on your heels and increases the risk of injury)
Shorten your stride: This will also limit the amount braking and overstriding and decrease the force on your knees and allowing you to maintain control while also saving your quads as well.
Use your arms to balance: When going down hill spread your arms wide from your body – but watch out for people around you! This allows you to keep your balance, especially on steep descents and corners. Some runners even try a windmill action which can increase the speed at which they are descending.
Don’t Skip Core: By strengthening your core muscles it will enable a more stable upper body while the legs are working and allow for greater co-ordination and more efficiency in your arm and leg movements.
So next time you are out for a run which has a hill, treat it as an obstacle rather than a barrier and you never know your VO2 max score could have improved because of it!
