You have seen them many times. Approaching the
top of the hill, trudging along, panting loudly, slouched over at the
waist, shoulders swinging from side to side, head like a bobble head
doll, this runner is in total agony. Reaching the peak, they let out a
huge sigh of relief and begin the descent with long slow strides, heel
striking well in front of their body, leaning back to slow down, hoping
to catch their breath after the climb. Well, DON'T BE THAT PERSON! Don't
be the person who dreads any run that has elevation gain. Don't fear
the hills on your run. Make them your friends and allies by learning to
go up and down efficiently and quickly.
Hill running is
an acquired skill that can give you an edge on courses that others
avoid or slowly suffer through. The first thing to do is to adopt the
mindset that even though a hilly course will likely slow you down some,
there are ways to minimize just how much you slow down. Once you do this
you will have the confidence to take advantage of the hills and use
them to your advantage over your competitors.
Of
course, you must train on hills to fully develop these techniques, so
first find a hill that you can regularly use in your training regimen.
This should be long enough that you are climbing or descending steadily
for a few minutes from bottom to top (or reverse). Even when I lived in
pancake flat south Florida we had causeway bridges over the waterways to
run on, so you should be able something suitable. You can incorporate
the hill(s) into your regular runs or set up a hill repeat session to be
done on a regular basis. Once you have your hill it is time to work on
your technique. Here are some tips that I have used through the years
and try to instill in my athletes.
UP
When
running up a hill, especially a long climb, focus on the top. Keep your
"eyes on the prize", and imagine a force drawing you to the top of the
hill. Feel it. Really.....feel it.
Keep your posture
upright with a slight forward lean, but don't bend from the waist, and
have all of your body movements, arm swing and foot push off, directed
to the top of the hill.
Minimize upper body rotation and head movement.
Maintain
a high knee swing to produce a higher landing point as your body moves
forward and up the hill. Combine this with a strong push off to generate
more force to move you up and forward.
Visualize a
hand at the base of your spine, pushing your hips up and forward. This
will help to prevent bending at the waist by leading with your hips.
Maintain leg turnover. Keep the legs moving, even if your stride has to shorten a bit to do so.
Monitor your breathing and heart rate. Don't blow up and lose form and stamina.
Once
you reach the summit of your climb, carry through and push right into
the downhill. Now is not the time to rest. Gravity will help you recover
while you are moving down the other side.
DOWN
Okay,
now you're at the top and it's time to go down. Don't be a
slacker...this is where you can really make up some time and finisher
places. One of my favorite ways to do some of my long runs in training
has been to run up one of the canyons here in Boulder County. I pace the
session to maintain zone 3 heart rate for anywhere from 5-10 miles
going up. Then.....turn around and hold the same heart rate going back
down. No rest for the wicked. This is a training drill, but the point is
that one can go fast and even recover on the downhills. Effective
downhill running involves some technique changes. The risk of injury is
high, especially if one tries to go fast without making some
modifications to their flat land running form.
First
and foremost, lower your center of gravity slightly, putting yourself in
a position where it is impossible to completely straighten your legs
and lock your knees. Nothing will shorten your running life like
hammering down a hill and jamming your knees on every footstrike.
Don't
overstride and put on the brakes with a foot strike that lands downhill
from your body. If you look straight down, your foot should disappear
under your body an instant before it hits the ground.
Control
your speed by adjusting your forward lean. More lean, go faster. Too
fast, straighten up. Make these adjustments as necessary, depending on
the pitch of the hill.
Raise your arms, if needed, and
use them for balance. I, sometimes, just lift my elbows and keep my arm
swing moving, like chicken wings. Still, avoid upper body rotation.
The majority of leg movement is under and behind you, using a strong push off and kick.
Increase
your leg turnover speed. Keep those legs moving. Again, shorten your
stride if necessary. Don't just lope along. This is free speed with
gravity on your side.
In conclusion, one can learn to
make hills a weapon rather than an obstacle. Practice and develop your
technique to increase speed, reduce effort, and minimize potential for
injury.
