“If it doesn’t challenge you, it won’t change you!” This quote is perfect when it comes to talking about hill running. Are you a hill yes or an oh hill no runner?
Training on hills has its perks for sure. Think of hill running as speed work in disguise. Taking your training to the hills can make you a faster more efficient runner, and while it not only helps toughen your body it helps toughen the mind.
Hills help:
➡️Strengthen your leg muscles
➡️Quicken and lengthen your stride (#takeitinstride)
➡️Strengthen tendons and ligaments, thus reducing the risk of injury
➡️Improves your running form
➡️Makes you a more “explosive” runner
➡️Improves your mental grit
➡️Endurance
Tips and tricks for conquering hills:
💫Shorten your stride when running up hill.
💫Don’t look down, but rather gaze ahead. This will naturally help with your posture and your breathing.
💫Don’t expect your pace to be the same as if you were running on flat ground. It’s all about effort here.
💫Make sure your posture is upright and keep those feet low to ground.
💫When running back down the hill, stay in control! If you feel like you are running out of control quickly shorten your stride and regain your control.
🥞Live in a place that is flat as a pancake and you don’t have access to simulate hills on a tread? Thats ok! Find a place that has stairs or steps and use those.
Tackle those hills at least once a week because you got this and make sure to throw your arms up in the arm in celebration at the top!