One Workout

Whether You Love It or Hate It, Hill Running Will Make You Faster

We know you don’t love hill running. Not many people do. When given the choice between running up a hill or taking a f lat stretch of road, most people will choose the latter, but it’s the hills that will make you a better runner.

The old maxim “no pain, no gain” is said a lot in sports and exercise, but it’s stuck around so long because there’s an element of truth to it. You shouldn’t train so hard that you injure yourself, but if you’re not in a little discomfort – heavy breathing, elevated heart rate, aching legs – then you probably won’t improve as much as you hope to. Of course it would be nice to always run on f lat roads, but if you want to take your running to the next level, you should take hills (and the discomfort that goes with them) to get there.

Physical Benefits

Running in general works your quads, hamstrings, glutes and calves. Hill running builds all of these muscles, too, but it does so much more effectively than when you stick to running on f lat ground. Because of this, as you begin to include more hill running in your training, you will not only find that you get up hills quicker, but that you’re faster all around, whether on hills or f lats.

Chris Balestrini – a former U Sports All-Canadian cross-country runner for the Western Mustangs who boasts personal bests of 29:22 in the 10k, 1:05:30 in the half-marathon and 2:19:40 in the full marathon – includes a hill session in his training every week.

“It’s hard to find a season that doesn’t benefit from hills,” says Balestrini, who now runs with the Athletics Canada cross-country club champions The Bandits, representing London Western Track and Field Club. “In cross-country, hills are a major ‘make or break ’ part of the race. In track season, hills translate to power. On the roads, hills breed strength over the distance.”

Hill running acts as a resistance workout, which builds your muscles’ strength and endurance, giving you better speed and sprinting abilities, even in the later stages of a race. With stronger legs and high endurance, you’ll develop a killer finishing kick, and you’ll get to the finish line much quicker.

The Mental Game

In addition to the physical benefits of hill running, you’ll likely see improvements in your mental game, too. There’s nothing like powering yourself up a hill and refusing to quit until you reach the top. Your thighs are screaming, your calves are burning, your heart rate is maxing out and you’re gasping for air. Everything inside you is begging you to stop, to slow down, but you keep pushing upward. Making it to the top of that hill is rewarding enough in the moment, but it will increase your mental toughness for many runs to come.

Yes, there are moments on f lat ground when you’ll face similar mental hurdles, but a hill is the only place where you can almost guarantee an inner battle between your body and mind.

“There is a definite mental aspect to hill training,” says Balestrini. “Hills are always going to be tough, but they take a load off the mental side of training. On a track or f lat loop, you know exactly the split that you are aiming for, whether it be 5k, 10k, tempo or marathon pace. On the hills, you free yourself a little bit .”

Balestrini says that hill repeats are not about hitting a certain time or pace. Instead, they’re about getting a feel for the right effort and simply putting in the work. With every hill you climb, you will gain a little more confidence. The more comfortable you are with hills in training, the more excited you will be to see them in races. Soon, you’ll look forward to the hills in races rather than dreading them. Instead of being a weakness, hills will give you a chance to pass more people and leave them behind you as you carry on, unfazed by the steep incline you just cruised up and over.

Getting Started

Rather than jump right into hill workouts, if you’re new to running, build a solid base before adding regular hill work to your schedule. Once you’re running consistently (at least three times a week), you can incorporate some hills into your training. Even after developing a good training schedule, don’t overdo the hills. One hill session per week is enough to build your strength and endurance and to help you improve as a runner.

When you approach a hill, it can be tempting to sprint at it at full-speed so you can get it over with. While you certainly want to climb hills at a decent pace, don’t attack them in an all-out fashion. Doing so is apt to ruin your form, and if this becomes a habit, your poor form will, too. When running uphill, make sure to keep a straight back. It’s OK to lean forward a little bit as you ascend, but be sure to bend at the hips so you don’t hunch over. Bringing your shoulders forward and curving your back can make it more difficult for you to breathe, which is, of course, an integral part of running well.

Your arm drive is another important piece of your form. When running uphill, driving your arms back will power you upwards, and it will help in keeping the rest of your body upright and straight.

The key to running well uphill is to do so consistently. Maintain your effort level, rather than your speed, when climbing a hill. Attempting to maintain your f lat ground pace when you run up an incline is difficult and will likely exhaust you, ultimately ending in poor form. Maintaining a consistent effort, however, is much easier, and it allows you to attack hills with proper form. Plus, once you get to the top, you won’t be too tired, making it much easier to get back to your goal pace on the f lat sections.