Forums >Racing>Mountain Race- How to train for a race that is entirely uphill?
I have run before, and am thinking of running again, a 5.7 mile race that is entirely uphill (at least 70% of it anyway). I am a "plodder" or a "penguin" as John Bingham might suggest. I don't run fast and am only getting back into running after having twins almost two years ago. I have run a 5k, and a 4 miler (most recently was the 4 mile) and am trying to make running a part of my life again. I have another 5k set for April 12 with a friend, and was thinking of making this uphill 5 miler my next one after that. It is May 10th. The question is how to train for a race that is mostly uphill? Currently at race pace I am running 12 minute miles, and I had NOTHING to spring for at the end of this past 4 mile race (which by the way I anticipated walk/running the whole thing but managed to jog it ALL).
I know I am not some super fast athlete or the next Marla Runyan, but if anyone has the time to give advice for a mom trying to get back into the running grind, I'd appreciate it. Any training plans you know of are great too. At the moment the majority of my running is on a treadmill until the snow melts and the sun warms things up around here. I stay at home with my twins all day, and work nights, so sleep is important
an amazing likeness
Although I've never run (or trained for) a purely uphill run, I've had conversations with folks who have and they tend to use two approaches: (1) build strength by doing sustained power walks (or runs) on a treadmill set at some wicked high incline, and (2) run up a lot of hills, even if they aren't one long hill.
(And...get ready for a bunch of people to try to humor you with wisecracks about the course being just 1 course)
Acceptable at a dance, invaluable in a shipwreck.
SheCan
Hey, Snpyrunner!
I'm a penguin too, but I do love hilly races. I've done Mount Lemon as a half and as a full, and several other mostly uphill races. Also, I've done several stair races.
I live in the foothills, so I get to train on hills all the time. One of the main things to keep in mind while training for a hilly race (at least for us average / way non-elites) is to not over do it. Walking up /slowly running up stairs is a way to really open up your lungs, especially if you have a number of consecutive flights. Do short hill sprints, and slower longer hill runs. This video is kind of dorky, but I found it helpful:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UDcXPIT380k
Also, although, I run hills regularly and probably do hill drills once a month approx. I only really concentrate on them for about 3 weeks before a race, and give myself plenty of time to recuperate before the race.
EDIT: I also do some balance and core exercises as well as squats. Probably not as much as I should, but I do try. When I'm putting in lots of miles, I tend to start dropping some of the extra cross training, unfortunately.
Cherie
"We do not become the people who this world needs simply by turning our backs on anyone we don’t like, trust, or deem healthy enough to be in our presence. " ---- Shasta Nelson
First question is how steep is the hill or how much vertical does it gain? Around here, our mountain races usually climb at about 20% (or steeper), but other places they aren't as steep. (I've done uphill races as well as a Climbathon that was uphill only, tram down)
Short answer: Run or hike uphill on something that steep or shorter hills with same accumulated uphill. For extended hills, based on your comments, I'm guessing you may want to plan on hiking. That's what most do around here. Treadmills or incline trainers work also, esp. since you don't have to worry about downhill. Set the incline to whatever the slope of the hill is.
Longer answer:
Simple minded me - I train on hills that are about the same dimensions or steeper or longer - about once a week or 2 wks, depending on other things. This will be true once the snow and mud leave, hopefully by May in a normal year, June in a later year. The in-between week, I'll do a shorter hill. And on at least one other run in a 2-wk period, I run rolling hills (about 500-1000ft of uphill, depending on route and duration). Hills over 20% get hiked, even in summer, unless I'm doing drills or repeats on them.
I'm older (66F) and slower, so I try to do hills year round, IF I can get the traction. I can't afford to lose the leg strength then rebuild. If we get an extended stretch of icy weather, I may do stepups inside or stairs or core or whatever is convenient. (thanks to kahtoola microspikes, I can handle a bit more ice than I used to but still respect sheets of ice on mountains) Most years we'll have packed snow on single track up the mountains, at least the lower parts, since everybody hikes a couple of the local trails year round. Rolling hills on groomed trails with snowshoes help. Since my goal races are in Aug-Sep, I don't worry too much right now about not getting major hills in, but if I can, I do. (some years I've just used winter for recovery and not done big hills, but with the uphill races I've been doing the past few years, I try to keep at least medium hills in my efforts.)
Most importantly: Have Fun! Views are usually great from the top, weather permitting.
A great way to train for hills when you don't have hills is to run up and down stairs at a parking structure. Although.... you might want to be careful about that and pick a well-lit stairwell.
Good luck!
Tessa
If you have access to hills, run up hills.Short strides. Slow down if you need to. Many ultra runners walk up the steeper hills.
If you don't have access to hills, set the treadmill on incline and train on that -- avoid the temptation to hang onto the handrails or console unless you will be doing that during the race. Somehow I doubt it. There's always the solution in one of James Herriott's books, which was to walk behind a pony also going uphill and hang onto its tail, but that would be cheating.
Good luck with training. And you are home all day with twin toddlers and then work nights? My hat is off to you.
not bad for mile 25
THanks so much for all of your advice. I do not know the elevation of the race just yet. I tried to look it up, but it's no where to be found. They typically put it on the race form, it's just not online yet.
Walk-Jogger
Good hill training on the treadmill:
Retired & Loving It