HILL RUNNING - 3 SESSIONS AND 5 TECHNIQUE TIPS

As running has become one of the most popular pastimes in the world this year, the single street in my suburb with somewhat of an incline has become one of the busiest each Saturday morning.
I can only assume these people running up and down, up and down, are there for some variety in their training, functional strength gains and a really solid workout. These are the reasons I’d be heading to the hills as a runner.

Hill running can be a bit of a fitness hack. You get big bang for your buck in a hill workout.
However, hill sessions must be run with caution, as they are quite taxing on the body especially if you’re a newbie to the inclines. A good start is to do some type of hill running once every couple of weeks, then once you get through a few months comfortably, you couple progress to a weekly session.

3 HILL SESSIONS
1. Short Reps - Great for developing speed & power.
Keep the efforts between 15 - 30 seconds and the recovery 2-3 minutes.
For example 6-10 X 30 second hard effort up hill, walk back down. You could mix it up and do 4 X 15 seconds, 4 X 30 seconds which can build from week to week.
2. Long Reps - Great for developing endurance & strength.
Efforts should range between 45 seconds to 3 minutes, depending on the length of your hill. The recovery should be active, meaning a slow jog back down the hill.
For example 4 - 6 X 1 minute moderate - hard effort up hill, jog back down.
3. Rolling Hills - Also great for endurance & strength.
This is as much about running down hills as it is running up hills and there are equal benefits. Depending where you live, this could be an out & back trail, a loop or get creative with the single hill you have in your area. Treat this an a continuous threshold (moderate) paced effort for at least 15 minutes running on a combination of ups, downs and flats.

5 TECHNIQUE TIPS
UP HILL
1. Slight Lean Forward - Keep your momentum moving up the hill.  
2. Use your arms - Quick, powerful, straight arms will help to drive you up hill.
3. Look a few metres in front - not to the top of the hill and not at your feet.
DOWN HILL
4. Slight Lean Forward To Avoid Landing on Heels - Keep your momentum forward so you don’t brake too much and put unnecessary force through your body.
5. Use your arms - Let your elbows drift out for balance.

If you want advice about how to fit hill running into your program contact us coach@runrabbit.com.au